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“Nick, isn’t it true that you and Tara made out at Harry’s thirteenth birthday party? Sahar refuses to believe me.” Imogen says as she and Sahar join the Paris Squad at their usual lunch table.
“Well, no we didn’t make out.” Nick laughs, his arm wrapped around Charlie who is sitting next to him. “We just kissed, for like a second.”
“I told you!” Imogen yells, pointing at Sahar.
“Y’know you guys have never really told us the story.” Charlie says, looking up at Nick with a cheeky smile.
“It’s not even that interesting!” Tara laughs, but Darcy bumps her shoulder.
“C’mon. Spill. I need to hear about my girlfriend's first and only horrible boy kiss that turned her gay forever.”
“I’m wounded.” Nick jokes, placing a hand over his heart.
“Kissing Nick did not turn me gay!” Tara exclaims, shoving Darcy away from her.
“Tell us the story then!” Isaac begs, and all eyes turn to Nick and Tara.
“Well, if I remember correctly Harry had his party here at Truham that year.” Nick says, looking over at Tara, shaking his head.
-
Usually Harry’s parents would rent out an entire arcade or an entire movie theater, but this year Harry insisted he wanted a sports themed birthday party right here in the Truham Grammar School gymnasium. When Nick’s mum dropped him off, he thought it would be a rather basic birthday, cause how much can you do in a school gym, but his jaw slacked when he pulled open the door.
From the ceiling hung a huge banner “Harry Greene is Thirteen!” written in bubble letters colored to look like different sports balls. Around the gym there were all sorts of things set up, basketball machines like they have at the arcade, an actual batting cage, a virtual golf game and even a line of TV’s all connected to Xboxes with FIFA games loaded up.
Holy. Shit.
“Nick! Thanks for coming to my party mate!” Harry says, pulling Nick from his shock with a playful punch to the shoulder
“Happy Birthday Harry, this is well, this is the coolest party ever.” Nick laughs, shaking his head
“I know right. Oh, also I know it’s my birthday and all, but I got you a little gift too.” Harry smirks, pointing to the other side of the room “Tara Jones is here.”
Nick’s eyes go wide as he looks across the room finding Tara. He’s only met her a handful of times at parties and rugby matches, but every time he has, he just can’t take his eyes off of her. Today, she’s wearing a pair of jean overalls with a white shirt underneath that frills at the shoulders. Her dark black curls are tied up into two little buns at the top of her head and black lines are painted on her cheeks. Above one of them, a number, 10, his rugby number.
“See that mate.” Harry says, planting hands on Nick’s shoulders “She’s totally crushing on you mate, you have to for it.” Harry says, shoving Nick in her direction.
Nick runs a nervous hand through his hair, looking back at Harry who is now chatting with some of the rugby boys as they watch him make his way over to her. When he gets close, the group of girls she’s talking to look at her, giggle and then quickly shuffle away. Her eyes follow them as they go.
“Hello Tara.” Nick says sheepishly, his eyes glued to the 10 on her cheek.
“Hi Nick.” She smiles back,
“Nice facepaint, very uh-, sporty.” His hand nervously rubs at the back of his neck, a blushing washing over his cheeks.
“Thanks, I uh- The girls made me get your number, everyone got gone. Sorry if it's, like, super weird.” Tara laughs, ducking her head down to look at her shoes.
“No, no.” Nick begins, a hand coming up to meet her shoulder “I don’t think it’s weird at all, in fact it’s actually very cute.” He drops his hand from her shoulder as soon as she realizes.
Tara looks behind her, the group of girls giggling and watching. Nick does the same and sees the rugby boys, huddled together pointing at the two of them.
“I think we may have been set up.” Nick laughs, turning back to her.
When he turns Tara is closer to him. His eyes widened for a moment as she leaned in, her eyes squeezed shut. When her lips meet his, he closes his eyes too. Her hand reaches up to hold onto his arm and she pulls away just a moment later. Nick’s eyes fly open in shock and they stare at each other with wide eyes.
“Thank you?” Nick says awkwardly, wondering if the blush in his cheeks has become permanent now.
“I um, I’m sorry. I just thought that maybe-” Tara starts to ramble
“Tara, it’s okay. I liked it.”
She gives him a sort of half smile, which he reads as anxious and pulls her into a hug.
-
“I realized not too long ago that the half smile was her confirming she hated kissing me and not because she felt bad for jumping my bones.” Nick laughs, the others erupting in laughter too.
“I did not ‘jump your bones’!” Tara laughs, standing to reach over the table to shove at Nick’s shoulder, “Even if I did, you thanked me after.”
“You thanked her?” Charlie exclaims, leaning on Nick’s shoulder unable to stop his laughter.
“I was thirteen!” Nick says, eyes wide and his cheeks blushing.
“And Tara here was definitely a lesbian.” Darcy smiles, pressing a quick kiss to her girlfriend’s lips.
Nick shakes his head in laughter and the bell rings, queuing the end of lunch. They all get up, pack their things and head off to class. Charlie grabs Nick’s hand and presses a kiss to it before pulling it over his shoulder.
“Y’know, you never thank me when I kiss you.” Charlie says, looking up at Nick, a playful smirk on his lips.
Nick laughs and pushes Charlie an arms length away from him and shakes his head.
“Shut up you dork.” He laughs, pulling Charlie back in to press a soft kiss to his lips
“Is that why you like when I wear your rugby uniform when we-” Charlie stars to say
“Charlie!!” Nick shouts, eyes wide.
Charlie laughs and shoves into Nick’s side, taking his hand and walking off towards maths.