The Kiss
1396 Words
Jade sat stiffly in the passenger seat of André’s sleek, ridiculously expensive car, her fingers gripping the hem of her dress.
It was past 2 PM when he picked her up, and despite her initial protests, she found herself here—seated beside him, completely clueless about where they were going.
She should have known better than to expect him to tell her.
She scowled at her reflection in the side mirror. Maybe she should have dressed down—worn something ugly just to annoy him. Instead, she had gone with a simple dress, nothing extravagant, but certainly not meant for… wherever the hell they were going.
Because surely, they were headed to some high-end restaurant with chandeliers, overpriced steaks, and waiters who looked like they judged you based on your cutlery etiquette. Not a place for street food—which, by the way, was what she preferred. But hello, André Young? No way he was bringing her anywhere that didn’t require reservations booked a year in advance.
But then… they didn’t stop at any restaurant.
They weren’t going downtown. They weren’t stopping at some five-star hotel.
In fact… they were heading further away from civilization.
Hold on
As the car moved farther away from the bustling city and onto quieter roads, Jade started to feel… uneasy.
This wasn’t the way to any restaurant she knew.
Her brows furrowed. What kind of date is this?
No, not a date—a forced outing with this annoying jerk.
Still, she couldn’t help but glance at him. His grip on the wheel was relaxed, his face unreadable.
That only made her suspicions worse.
They drove past the last of the streetlights, the sky shifting from bright afternoon gold to a softer, dusky hue. Shadows stretched along the empty road, the air thick with the scent of salt and the distant sound of waves.
Her mind, being the chaotic mess that it was, went straight to the worst possible scenario.
Is he going to kidnap me?
She clutched her seatbelt. Oh my god. Her mind spiraled, feeding into her ridiculous imagination.
Was he part of some underground mafia? What if he was going to kill her? Oh God.
Her breath hitched as another thought popped into her head.
Bata pa ako. I’m too young. And still a virgin.
She glanced at him again. He looked calm—too calm. Did he look like a murderer?
What if he stuffed her in the trunk? What if he dumped her body somewhere—
“You’re awfully quiet,” André’s voice interrupted her panicked thoughts. “What? Scared I’m going to sell you off somewhere?”
Jade scoffed, crossing her arms. “Tch. As if anyone would buy me.”
“True.” He smirked. “You’re a little too high maintenance.”
She gasped dramatically. “Excuse me?!”
“Relax,” he chuckled. “We’re almost there.”
“Where exactly is ‘there’?” she shot back.
“You’ll see.”
Jade sighed, resting her head against the window. The sun had begun to dip, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. The drive continued in silence, and the further they went, the more uneasy she felt.
Then, as the car took one last turn, it hit her.
She knew this place.
Her breath caught in her throat as familiar sights unfolded before her—old wooden signs, a faded ticket booth, and a winding path leading to a small but charming beachside amusement park.
Jade stiffened.
No.
This place… she hadn’t been here in years.
Not since—
She gripped her dress, trying to shove the memories back where they belonged.
André parked the car and turned to her with a lopsided grin. “Surprised?”
Jade refused to look at him. “Why… why here?”
“It’s been a while, huh?” He stepped out of the car, stretching. “Come on.”
Jade hesitated.
This place held too much history.
Too many memories of him.
And of that kiss.
She forced a breath, shoving her emotions down, and stepped out. The moment her feet touched the pavement, a wave of nostalgia washed over her. The distant laughter of children, the scent of grilled food from vendors nearby, the familiar twinkling lights of the small Ferris wheel—everything was just as she remembered.
Except she wasn’t the same.
And neither was he.
They walked through the park, passing by a carousel and an old roller coaster that probably shouldn’t still be in operation. Despite her reluctance, she found herself… relaxing.
Just a little.
Not that she’d ever admit it.
Then, the smell hit her.
Golden, crispy kikiam. The distinct crunch of fishballs sizzling in oil. The bright orange hue of kwek-kwek, lined up neatly beside sticks of freshly fried tempura.
She stopped in her tracks.
André followed her gaze, smirking. “Oh? Someone’s interested?”
Jade rolled her eyes. “I was just looking.”
“Uh-huh.” He walked ahead, casually handing the vendor a few bills. “Two of everything.”
Jade hesitated before taking a stick of kwek-kwek, dipping it into the sauce. The first bite sent a wave of memories crashing into her.
She remembered it so clearly—how they used to come here as high schoolers. Back then, it had felt so natural. So easy.
She swallowed hard, pushing the memory away.
They ate in comfortable silence, the familiar flavors bringing an odd sense of nostalgia. By the time they finished, the sun had nearly set, casting a golden glow over the beach. As they strolled along the shoreline, the conversation shifted—work, career paths, the things keeping them busy. It was still a bit awkward, their words careful, as if tiptoeing around unspoken memories. But somehow, despite it all, Jade had almost forgotten how easy it was to talk to him.
As they reached the shoreline, André suddenly stopped.
Jade frowned. “What?”
He just looked at her.
“Jade,” he murmured, voice quieter now. “Do you remember the last time we were here?”
Jade clenched her teeth. “Nope.”
“Liar.”
She exhaled sharply. “André—”
“You were wearing a pink sundress,” he cut in. “And you had your hair tied up, but the wind kept messing it up.”
Jade’s fingers twitched at her sides. “Why are you bringing this up?”
André turned to her, his expression unreadable. “Because I remember everything.”
She hated the way her heart stumbled at those words.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
André’s gaze never left hers, and Jade… she wished she could read whatever emotion flickered in his eyes.
Sadness? Longing?
Impossible.
She tore her gaze away. “You really are an i***t, you know that?”
He chuckled. “Yeah? Tell me something I don’t know.”
Jade rolled her eyes and started walking toward the shoreline, letting the sea breeze cool her heated cheeks.
But the next thing she knew—André was right in front of her.
She barely had time to react before he cupped her face gently, his touch warm against her skin.
Her breath caught.
The world tilted.
And then—
His lips pressed against hers.
Soft. Familiar. Dangerous.
For half a second—just half a second—she almost melted into it.
But then, reality crashed into her like a tidal wave.
Her hand flew up—
SLAP.
André staggered back, touching his cheek, stunned.
Jade’s chest heaved, fury and panic tangling inside her.
“How dare you?” she hissed, eyes burning.
André blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Jade—”
“No,” she snapped. “You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to act like you—”
She swallowed hard, hating the way her voice wavered.
André didn’t say anything.
Instead, he just looked at her.
And this time…
She saw it.
A flicker of something in his gaze. Something real. Something raw.
She didn’t wait to figure out what it meant.
Turning on her heel, she stormed back toward the car, leaving André standing there—alone on the beach where everything had started.
And where, no matter how much she tried to deny it—something between them had just started again.
- Writer
