15 years old- Peach

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Walking down the darkened hallways he ignored the spooky Halloween decorations and the few students that he came across and tried to hurry as much as he could without breaking into a run. He needed to hurry. If he hurried he might be able to catch her before she made her escape. Again.

He turned left and sped up. It was time to put an end to their game. He'd been patient and given her space. They had needed to get to know each other again. It had been three years after all. A lot can change in that time. Like her. She'd changed, a lot. Not just physically. Although that still drove him to distraction more often than not. He was beginning to believe she was doing it on purpose...wearing those fluttery skirts that drove him mad, leaning against...things and making her breasts more...pronounced...having her hair, glossier than ever, loose and adorned with another one of those pins his mom had given her, looking at him with bright blue eyes. She had to be doing it on purpose.

But it wasn't just the physical aspect that had changed. She'd also grown more confident in herself. She didn't need to hide behind the bully anymore. Now she proudly showed the world who she was; a strong, intelligent young woman with dreams, passion and a sensitive side. Anyone that had a problem with that could kiss her heel.

She was breath-taking and everyone saw it.

It was killing him. Three months was more than enough time. He couldn't take it anymore.

She new how he felt about her. He new how she felt about him. She had changed, grown up, but some things had stayed the same. He still made her blush when he got too close, still made her skin crawl when he touched her, he still inspired her. She was still in love with him. And he was going to do something about it. He wanted to get over this awkward stage and have the right to kiss her, hold her, to glare at all the boys that looked her way.

Preferably before he wound up doing something crazy.

Which led to his current predicament. She was avoiding him. He had been trying to talk to her for a week now and she had used every excuse she could find to avoid him. For some reason as soon as he had decided to get serious she had decided to run. Like she used to do as a kid. But he was persistent and as determined as she was. It was just a matter of time before he cornered her. At that he grinned and finally broke into a run, blindly turning a corner and— "Criminy!" Crashing into Helga's soft body.

Groaning he sat up and looked at her sprawled form. Her skirt had ridden up...blushing he quickly averted his eyes noting the books and Halloween decorations that had fallen around her.

"What the hell football head?" Wincing she sat up and glared at him. "Don't you watch were you're going?" Looking up at her he noticed she had fake spiderwebs and glitter all over her. Was that a bat in her hair?

Grinning he got to his knees and helped collect her scattered things.

"Here, sorry about that." Handing them over he got up and offered her a hand. Which she glared at for a minute before sighing and taking. "Where's the fire anyway?" Getting up she handed him her bag to dust herself off and adjust her dress.

"...Fire?"

Rolling her eyes she took back her bag. "Where were you going to, Arnold-o?"

"Oh! I was looking for you." He told her, lifting a hand to her hair, making her stiffen in surprise. "I thought I could catch you before you left for home. Gerald's giving us a ride." Chuckling he untangled the bat and showed it to her, "I didn't know you were so serious when you said you'd decorate everything." Eyes widening she quickly reached into her hair and let out a pained groan when she felt the spiderwebs and saw glitter fall around her.

"Argh! I'm going to kill Eugene!" Shaking her hair she loosened some more glitter and started stalking down the hallway, "I don't know why the hell Rhonda thought it would be a good idea to put HIM in the committee."

"I think she was onto something, I mean she also put you in there," he interjected happily. She scoffed at him.

Somehow Rhonda had managed to get their school to do a Halloween dance, with their class in charge of-course. Helga had been livid, to say the least, when Rhonda had made the announcement that since she was so amazing at being scary, she'd be in charge of decorating. After many arguments, all of which Helga had somehow lost, she had made a vow to decorate every single corner of the school. And use most, if not all, of the budget. By the looks of things, she had made good on her promise. Rhonda loved it.

Arriving at her locker Helga dropped her bag on the floor and started going through her things. "Where's Gerald-o anyway?" She asked casually.

"He's finishing practice, Phoebe's with him."

"Oh." Biting her lip she went back to her locker. Silence settled over them as she slowly, haltingly, moved things from locker to school bag. She was dragging, looking for a way out. But there were none. They were alone, the hallways were empty and he'd made sure Gerald would take his time. She was cornered. Smugly he leaned into the locker beside hers.

Finally seeming to run out of things to move she took a big breath, as if to prepare herself, and finally closed her locker door. She had a small plastic tube in her hand. He narrowed his eyes. It was lip gloss. Peach flavoured lip gloss. He'd given her that when he came back, one of the many gifts he'd given her. It made her lips look plump, made her lick her lips, made her smile in ecstasy when she tasted it. She loved the thing. Every boy in school loved it. He wanted to burn the damn thing.

"What are you glaring at Football head?" He wanted to be the one to lick her lips and taste it.

His eyes snapped to hers. "Nothing," his heart was in his throat as she slowly opened the tube, lifted the cap with the brush half way to her lips, then lowered it again.

Raising an eyebrow she stared at him in disbelief. "You know," she started, "I've been meaning to thank you," stopping she finally lifted the wet brush to her lips and applied it slowly, tortuously rubbing her lips together before smacking them open. "For the lip gloss, I mean. I love it, how did you know I liked peach?" Then as if to make her point, she was parting her lips, her tongue peeking out—and he had her pressed to the lockers, one hand buried in her hair, the other holding tight to her hips. His lips swallowing her gasp.

Her things dropped to the floor and she wound her hands around his neck. Groaning he slowly licked her lips, finally tasting them. Arching her back she moaned and buried her fingers on his hair. Hungrily deepened the kiss, the hand on her hips sliding down, grasping her thigh, pulling her leg around him. She bucked her hips and with a guttural sound he pushed harder against her.

It was several minutes before common sense came crashing back to him. They were in school, anyone could walk in on them! Gasping he broke their kiss. It took a bit longer to drop her leg and step back. Specially when she kept trying to pull him back to her. Bracing his arms on either side of her head, he lowered his head to her neck and tried to calm down.

"Sorry," he managed after a while. "I— I didn't mean to loose control like that..." Rising his head, he brushed shaking fingers on her rosy cheeks.

Blinking out of her daze she licked her lips and grinned cheekily at him. Pushing him back a bit she picked up her long forgotten things, handing him her book back when he automatically stretched his hand toward it, dropping her lip gloss in her pocket. "It's ok, I was wondering how long it would take you." At his confused stare her gaze turned mischievous. "You should know by now that I like to push your buttons Football head. You make it so easy sometimes." Brushing him aside she started down the hallway.

"You—" Gaping he stared after her. She did that on purpose? "But—Then why have you been avoiding me all week? You even ran from me the other day!"

"Doi! I was nervous Arnold-o." Turning around she gave him a shy smile, "It's always been a bit intense between us." That made him pause, had he pushed something she wasn't ready for, scared her? Walking back to him she lifted his face to look into his eyes, "It's ok, it's who we are. It's just still new to have hormones added in to the mix. For three years all I've thought about is how to find you in the jungles of San Lorenzo once school ended. I wasn't taking any chances like last time either, I know so much about survival I'd put professionals to shame. Then all of a sudden it's all meaningless. You're back, safe and sound."

Blushing she let go of his face and backed up a bit. "And you aren't a 12 year old kid anymore." Her bright eyes found his again, "You've grown up. Running through the jungle filled you out Football head. It doesn't help that you're stronger, and more aggressive, your mere presence used to distract me before, now it just—It threw me off balance to suddenly remember you were a boy," she rolled her eyes "and that you make me feel like a girl." Sighing shakily she wrapped her hands around herself. "It made me nervous to realize that we aren't kids any more. That you wanted a bit more than...Don't get me wrong I'm more than happy with that, I just needed to...get used to it."

Sighing he took her arm and pulled her into a hug. "Sorry, I didn't mean to rush you. I just...I got a little anxious."

Looking up she rolled her eyes at him. "You didn't rush me Football head. It was momentary insanity." Standing up on her tip toes she kissed him, "I tend to panic when things change."

"I know." She hit him in the stomach. Grinning he bent to kiss her again when the sudden blast of music interrupted them, making them both jump. Groaning he watched as Helga took out her cellphone.

With an annoyed "What?" she answered it. "What do you want hair boy?...Yes Gerald he's here. No, we'll meet you outside...You can ask him that yourself...No... I said no! Don't put her on the line! I'm hanging up!"

Shoving her cell phone in her pocket she sighed in exasperation. "What was that about?"

"Your best friend being a wise ass." Rolling her eyes she stepped out of his arms. "Let's go before he decides to come looking for us and I'm forced to hit him."

Chuckling he sneaked a quick kiss before taking her hand and walking toward the exit.

"So, football head...any idea how I can get my hands on any more of that lip gloss? I'm starting to run out."

"Good."

"What?" Whining she pulled at his hand, "Why is that good? I like it! I thought you liked it."

"That thing's going to give me a heart attack, or make me hit someone. I'm not getting you another one. It's too dangerous."

"What the hell are you talking about? Why would you hit someone over lip gloss?"

"I'll give you something else." Letting go of her he moved his hand to her hip and pulled her closer, "So, any thought to what costume you'll be wearing at the dance? Want to dress as a couple?" Smiling at the word couple, she let him change the subject. For now.

"Hmm, maybe we could go as Tarzan and Jane?"

Finally! I finally did another chapter! I have been in this horrible block for so long! I've done like 500 versions of this chapter. Sorry it took so long. But I hope this means I will finally be able to write again. I was really depressed about that. I hope you all like it, I worked so ridiculously hard at it. Please forgive any errors I overlooked.