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Riley had been trying to teach Katie how to kiss for nearly twenty minutes, and it was going terribly.
Not because Katie was bad at it.
Mostly because every time Riley tried to explain something, Katie would stare at her with those wide nervous eyes and Riley would completely forget what she was saying.
“No, no, you’re overthinking it,” Riley laughed softly, sitting cross-legged on the end of Katie’s bed. “It’s not like… some impossible thing you have to study for.”
Katie groaned dramatically and buried her face in a pillow. “Easy for you to say. You’re naturally cool.”
Riley snorted. “I am absolutely not naturally cool.”
“You literally are.”
“I once walked into a glass door at school.”
“That just makes you cooler somehow.”
Katie peeked out from behind the pillow, cheeks pink, curls messy from hiding her face. Riley felt her chest tighten in the embarrassing, warm way it always did around her.
The room smelled faintly like vanilla candles and laundry detergent. Rain tapped softly against the window beside the bed, and Katie’s string lights cast a warm golden glow across everything. It felt small and private and cozy in a way that made Riley’s heart race.
Katie sat up again, hugging the pillow tightly against her chest.
“Okay,” she said with exaggerated seriousness. “Teach me.”
Riley tried to ignore how cute she looked.
“First of all,” Riley began, “you don’t just smash your face into someone.”
Katie gasped. “That was my entire plan.”
“I know.”
Katie threw a stuffed animal at her.
Riley caught it easily, laughing. “You kinda just… lean in slowly, I guess? And pay attention to the other person.”
Katie nodded like Riley was explaining advanced calculus.
“And you don’t have to make it dramatic,” Riley continued. “Simple is good.”
Katie looked horrified. “What if I panic?”
“You probably will.”
“Riley!”
“I’m kidding,” she said quickly, grinning. “Sort of.”
Katie narrowed her eyes. “You are the worst teacher ever.”
“Yet you’re still here.”
Katie rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
The rain outside got heavier.
Katie fiddled nervously with the sleeve of her hoodie. “What if the other person thinks I’m bad at it?”
Riley’s expression softened immediately.
“Katie,” she said quietly, “if someone likes you, they’re not gonna care about perfection.”
Katie looked down. “Still.”
Riley moved a little closer on the bed until their knees bumped lightly.
“You know what matters more?” Riley asked.
“What?”
“That you care.”
Katie looked back up at her slowly.
Riley’s voice got gentler. “You’re already sweet about everything. I think that’s kinda the important part.”
Katie’s face turned pink instantly.
“You can’t just say things like that,” she muttered.
Riley grinned. “Why not?”
“Because then my brain stops working.”
“That sounds like a you problem.”
Katie shoved her shoulder lightly, laughing under her breath.
The soft silence settled between them again, comfortable this time.
Riley could hear the faint hum of Katie’s fan in the corner of the room. The string lights reflected gold in Katie’s eyes every time she glanced up.
“You’re staring,” Katie whispered suddenly.
Riley blinked. “Sorry.”
Katie smiled shyly. “It’s okay.”
Riley’s heart did a stupid little flip.
“Okay,” Katie said after a second, taking a deep breath like she was preparing for battle. “Hypothetically.”
“Hypothetically?”
“If you were gonna kiss someone…”
Riley immediately felt her face heat up.
Katie continued nervously, “How would you start?”
Riley swallowed.
“You’d probably…” She hesitated. “You’d move closer first.”
“Like this?” Katie scooted closer until their shoulders touched.
Riley nearly forgot how breathing worked.
“Y-yeah,” she said.
Katie looked unbearably proud of herself.
“And then?” she asked.
Riley looked down at her hands. “You’d probably look at them for a second.”
Katie went quiet.
Riley looked back up slowly and realized Katie was already staring at her.
The room suddenly felt very small.
“Oh,” Katie whispered.
Riley laughed nervously. “Yeah. Kinda like that.”
Katie’s heartbeat was probably loud enough to hear from another room. Riley could see the panic and excitement fighting for control on her face.
“You okay?” Riley asked softly.
Katie nodded too fast. “Mhm.”
A beat passed.
Then another.
Riley was just about to say something teasing to break the tension when Katie suddenly leaned forward—
And kissed her.
Quick.
Soft.
Barely a second long.
But enough to make Riley’s brain completely short-circuit.
Katie pulled back immediately, eyes huge with panic.
“Like that?!” she blurted.
Riley froze.
Completely froze.
Katie’s face turned bright red almost instantly.
“Oh my god,” she whispered. “You hate it. I knew it. I’m terrible at this. I’m actually gonna disappear forever now—”
Before she could ramble herself into another dimension, Riley grabbed her wrist gently.
“Katie.”
Katie stopped talking.
Riley was still staring at her like her brain hadn’t fully rebooted yet.
“That was…” Riley started, then failed to finish the sentence because Katie looked way too nervous.
Katie shrank slightly. “Bad?”
Riley let out a disbelieving laugh.
“No,” she said softly. “No, you just completely caught me off guard.”
Katie blinked.
Riley’s cheeks were still pink. “You kissed me really suddenly.”
“Oh.”
“And now I can’t think straight.”
Katie stared at her for a second before a tiny smile appeared.
“Really?”
Riley covered her face with one hand dramatically. “Please don’t look so happy about that.”
Katie immediately looked extremely happy about that.
“You’re flustered,” she whispered in awe.
“I am not.”
“You literally are.”
Riley groaned as Katie started giggling uncontrollably.
“This is so embarrassing,” Riley muttered.
Katie grabbed Riley’s sleeve lightly. “No, it’s cute.”
Riley looked at her through her fingers.
Katie’s expression softened a little.
“Was it really okay?” she asked quietly.
Riley lowered her hand slowly.
“Katie,” she said, “that was more than okay.”
The nervousness in Katie’s shoulders loosened a little.
Riley smiled softly. “You know what you did right?”
Katie shook her head.
“You didn’t overthink it.”
Katie blinked.
“You just did what felt natural,” Riley continued. “That’s why it felt real.”
Katie looked so relieved Riley thought her heart might explode.
“Oh thank god,” Katie sighed dramatically, falling sideways against Riley’s shoulder.
Riley laughed and wrapped an arm around her automatically.
Katie immediately curled closer like she belonged there.
The rain continued outside while the room stayed warm and sleepy.
After a minute, Katie tilted her head up slightly.
“So…” she said carefully.
“So?”
“Was that lesson technically successful?”
Riley pretended to think about it.
“Hm. I might need another demonstration.”
Katie gasped loudly. “Riley.”
Riley finally laughed fully, the sound warm and soft.
Katie looked at her for a second like she was trying to gather courage again.
Then she leaned up slowly this time.
Not rushed.
Not panicked.
Just careful and sweet.
Riley met her halfway.
The kiss was soft enough to make Katie melt instantly against her.
Riley could feel Katie smiling halfway through it.
When they finally pulled apart, Katie looked stunned.
“Oh,” she breathed.
Riley smiled. “See? You’re doing fine.”
Katie buried her burning face into Riley’s shoulder immediately.
“I think I’m gonna pass out.”
“You’ll survive.”
“Maybe.”
Riley rested her cheek lightly against the top of Katie’s head.
For a while they just stayed there tangled together under the warm lights while the rain hit the windows.
Comfortable.
Close.
Katie eventually mumbled into Riley’s hoodie, “You know… this lesson plan is very effective.”
Riley laughed quietly. “Yeah?”
“Mhm.” Katie peeked up at her with a sleepy smile. “Think I need more practice though.”
Riley’s face turned pink all over again.
Katie grinned triumphantly.
And Riley realized, with absolute certainty, that she was never going to recover from Katie being cute on purpose.