Forgotten

Chapter 9

Chapter Title: "S'mores and Secrets"

We walked back to the party. I didn’t care anymore that it had gotten out of hand. All I wanted was to enjoy myself—with Jacin.

That kiss had been amazing, and it felt like just the beginning of something real. I felt giddy as we re-entered the party space, my fingers laced with his.

A few people from school glanced in our direction, eyes wide with surprise. I guess it’s because I’ve never really dated anyone before. Unlike most girls at school, I’ve always kept to myself.

“I’m glad to see that you actually showed up,” Liara said, instantly switching into protective best-friend mode. It was ironic—she’d invited him to the party on my behalf, but now she was giving him the third degree. I shot her a look that said, What the hell? She completely ignored it.

“Of course I came,” Jacin replied smoothly. “I wanted to see Alysson again.”

Hearing him say that made me smile uncontrollably. He came for me.

“You’re fine in my book,” Liara said. “You two enjoy yourselves… not too much, though!” She laughed as she walked away, leaving me blushing and flustered. One day, I’ll get her back for that.

“I like her,” Jacin said when he noticed my expression. “She seems to care about you.”

I was relieved he didn’t take offense. I smiled and led him over to the table where we gathered everything we needed to make s’mores, then walked over to the bonfire.

We roasted our marshmallows until they were gooey, then squished them between chocolate-covered biscuits. I took a big bite, chocolate smearing across my lips and hands.

Just as I was about to lick it off, Jacin reached out and swiped at the chocolate. I stared up at him, heart racing, wondering if he was going to lick his finger—which would have been hot—but instead, he smeared the chocolate on my nose. I blinked, stunned, and he burst out laughing.

I couldn’t help laughing too. The idea of him licking it off my nose popped into my head—and then I scolded myself for even thinking that way. What was happening to me? Jacin wiped the chocolate away gently with his thumb. I almost wished he hadn’t.

“Tell me about yourself. What were you doing at the docks?” he asked. Weirdly, the song “Getting to Know You” from The King and I popped into my head.

“I was working,” I replied. “I’m an online reviewer. I review food in the afternoons.”

That was the easy answer. I didn’t know how to summarize my life without it sounding depressing. And I didn’t want to go there—not tonight.

“But you’re rich,” he said, gesturing around at the party setup. “Just look at all this.”

Here we go again—the rich girl stereotype. I sighed.

“My father is rich. I just like to work. I don’t get paid, though, so yeah, I still use his money.”

I quickly turned the conversation back on him. “What about you? What do you do?”

“I have multiple jobs,” he said. “I’m a dock worker, and I work on a tourist boat. I lost my other job the day I took you to that hotel, but I found a new one at a coffee shop.”My stomach dropped. He lost his job because of me.

“Why didn’t you just say something?” I asked, guilt creeping in. “You could’ve gone to work…”

He shook his head, reading my expression. “Don’t overthink it. It wasn’t your fault. It was my choice.” I appreciated his reassurance.

“I’m glad you found something else,” I said softly, still feeling bad.

“I hit the pavement every day looking for something. And in the afternoons, I went looking for you.”

That hit me hard. I would never need to do something like that. I’d always have the money, the resources.

“I still can’t believe we missed each other at that path. It must’ve been by minutes. And then we randomly ran into each other, even though we were both trying to meet…”

“It’s crazy,” he agreed. “But I’m just glad I found you again. I can’t imagine missing this moment with you.”

He had this way of saying the exact right thing, like he could read what my heart wanted to hear.

“I’m enjoying this moment too,” I admitted, blushing and looking into the fire to hide it.

“Tell me about your life. Your family?” He asked. I hesitated. He already knew things weren’t easy, but I wasn’t ready to unpack everything—not yet. Was this even our first date?

“Liara is my best friend. We go to Rosmont Academy together. It’s a really prestigious high school. She worked hard to get in. I got in because of my dad. She helps me with the reviews—I don’t drive yet, so she takes me wherever I need to go. We’ve known each other since primary school. She’s basically family.”

I paused. “And then there’s my dad… and my stepmother, Lyssa.”

“You talked a lot about Liara, but not much about your actual family,” he said gently.

I sighed.

“My dad works a lot. I see him at breakfast, sometimes dinner. My mom died a few years ago. My dad remaried. Lyssa and I… don’t get along. She tries to make my life difficult. That’s why I stay busy with the reviews—it keeps me out of the house.”

“That’s okay. Now I can help keep you out of the house,” he said with a crooked grin. My heart flipped.

“What about you? Are you close with your family?”

“I don’t have one,” he said plainly. “I grew up in foster care. It’s just me, myself, and I.”

I was about to respond when I caught the look on his face—he didn’t want sympathy. So instead, I shoved a s’more toward his face. He took a big bite just before it hit, then held my hand and guided it back to his mouth for another bite. I definitely didn’t mind.

“Should I be worried about that guy who keeps staring at us?” he asked.

I followed his gaze and saw Vance watching us.

“Oh, he’s no one. Don’t worry,” I said quickly. “Wait—no, that came out wrong. I didn’t mean to brush him off like that. I just meant there’s nothing going on between us. There never was. He asked me out once or twice. I said no. I’ve never dated anyone. No one’s ever… caught my eye.”

“You’ve never dated?” he asked, surprised. “I find that hard to believe. You’re gorgeous…”

“I’ve been asked out. I just… never wanted to say yes. Not until you.”

His eyes lit up. “Wait… was that your first kiss?”

My cheeks burned hotter than the fire beside us. I didn’t expect him to figure it out so quickly. He stepped forward, cupped my face, and kissed me again—in front of everyone.

It was slow, soft, sensual. Perfect.

I was blushing, heated from both the fire and the kiss.