Hanging out with JJ was much more fun than being at school. He showed her around while Leo was away and they found loads to mess around with. Nothing that would interfere with the winery, of course. They finished their tour so JJ could attempt to get some of the work he was meant to be doing done. However it was difficult to concentrate with Nell distracting him. And they thought he was the bad influence. She was the one messing with the labels and sticking them to his face. He couldn’t help but return the favor until he was falling further behind in his work.
Eventually he tried to be serious and get on with his work, even while she was sitting on his work station getting in his way. Through the laughs he begged her to get down, so she dared him to get her down himself. He went to grab her waist and discovered she was ticklish, which started a whole thing sending her into a giggling fit. He wrestled with her playfully until something unexpected happened. Their lips met in the middle and they kissed.
The shock of the moment snapped them out of their fun and they froze. Nell stiffened and stared back at JJ, who immediately backed away nervously. It was so unexpected, neither was sure who initiated it. Things got awkward almost immediately as they fell silent, their cheeks turning bright red. JJ stammered something about getting back to work and Nell mumbled something about going back to school. She awkwardly slimmed off the table, which prompted JJ to step forward and help her. That brought them back together with his hands holding her waist while she gazed up at his face. The awkwardness lingered and their hearts started racing.
Then it happened again. This time, however, it was Nell who kissed JJ. It came completely by surprise for both of them. Her cheeks turned rosy red when she pulled back, worried her friend was going to freak out. She couldn’t explain why she kissed him. But then there was a reason she was missing him so much at school since he’d been expelled, and why she kept bunking off to see him, even if she won’t admit it to herself. She waited anxiously for him to say something. The longer the silence lingered, the more awkward they felt.
But then he leaned in and kissed her back, shocking her in return. They stared at each other, their hearts beating against their chests. The awkwardness changed into something different, something electric. Suddenly the anxiety became anticipation as they gazed into each other’s eyes. They came back together, closing their eyes as their lips met once more, holding for longer until the kiss was all they could think about. It brought them closer than ever before, their bodies pressing together. JJ’s hands drifted from her waist to her back and hers moved up his chest towards his neck. There were butterflies in her stomach and their lips moved as one, becoming deeper and more exciting.
But then they heard voices coming from outside. Leo and Krista were back. The kiss ended abruptly and they turned pale, whirling to look at the door. It took a second to get their bearings before Nell grabbed her stuff and raced into the storeroom while JJ tidied up and composed himself, doing his best to hide her presence. By the time Leo walked into the room, Nell was out of sight.
She pressed herself against the wall, attempting to listen to Leo scolding JJ about slacking on the job over her pounding heartbeat. Her mind was wrestling with the realization of what had happened. Her first kiss. She couldn’t believe it. It came out of nowhere. Yet as she thought about it, she didn’t regret it. It felt incredible. She found herself floating on cloud nine and a giddy feeling overcame her, making her giggle until she covered her mouth. I kissed a boy, she thought.
Once Leo and Krista were gone, she re-emerged from her hiding spot to find JJ grinning too. They shared a laugh and an awkward pause. They didn’t share another kiss. The excitement had passed and the threat of Leo walking back in on them left Nell a little paranoid. They didn’t discuss it either, instead resuming their time hanging out while JJ finished the labels. Nell held onto that feeling of floating, however, anticipating the next chance they’d get to share something special.
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