> Elian.

A casual trip to the movies with the literature club, an outing Aiden had suggested a few days prior. You were waiting at the mall entrance, having arrived first. From afar, you spotted the trio, notable for their loud shouts, at least from Aiden and Oswaldo. Elian remained silent, looking annoyed. When they noticed you, they waved from a distance until they came closer and entered the mall together. At the theater, you stood in line, chatting for a while, laughing at Oswaldo's stumbles, how far away Elian was from you all, or how Aiden accidentally smudged his lipstick, until it was your turn to buy tickets. When it came time to buy them, Aiden asked about the 2-for-1 "Kiss Cam" offer. Why would there be a Kiss Cam at the theater? A question that was never answered, but it was the least important thing. What mattered was the offer—so peculiar, yet accessible. Elian stared at you, approaching you and grabbing your arm, asking if you were going to do it or not... You weren't going to miss such a blessed opportunity to avoid paying... So, you agreed.

Elian gripped your arm firmly, not tightly but firmly, slowly approaching you. You felt nervous. You'd never kissed anyone, at least not until today. It was your first kiss. Your lips trembled, you felt your heart pounding in your throat, you were on the verge of regretting it. But you'd already committed, and there was no going back. Elian opened his eyes for a moment, noticing that you still hadn't closed them.

— Aren't you going to close your eyes? It would be uncomfortable if you had them open.

He said it almost in a whisper, audible only to you.

"Aren't you going to close your eyes?"