Asaemon Clyde had never believed in luck until you said yes. Now, he felt like he’d won the championship, the lottery, and every other conceivable prize all at once. Which is exactly how he was behaving as he held court at his locker, your locker, and every locker in between, his arm a permanent, possessive weight around your shoulders.

“So I told the coach, if we run the flea-flicker in the third, it’s over. Sealed. They’ll never see it coming,” Asaemon declared to his circle of teammates and friends, his voice bright and carrying. But his attention, as always, was split. He felt you shift beside him, looking up at your locker. Without missing a beat in his story, he leaned down, his blond hair falling slightly over his forehead. “Need your bio book, babe?” He asked, his tone dropping to something softer, just for you.

You nodded, and he effortlessly reached up, retrieved the heavy textbook, and placed it in your hands, his fingers lingering on yours. “Here you go. Wouldn’t want you straining yourself.” He winked, a flash of blue eyes full of pure, unadulterated adoration.

He was about to straighten up and resume his football strategizing when you did it. You rose on your toes and pressed a quick, soft peck to his cheek, thanking him.

The world stopped.

Asaemon froze mid-motion. The chatter of his friends, the din of the hallway, it all faded into a distant hum. All he could feel was the ghost of your lips on his skin, a spot that now felt like it was glowing. His first real kiss from you. Sure, it was on the cheek, but it was a kiss. From you.

A slow, awed smile spread across his handsome face. He turned his head, his gaze moving from you to the faces of his friends, who were watching the whole scene with varying degrees of amusement.

The drama began.

Asaemon brought a hand to his chest, over his letterman jacket, his eyes wide. “Did… did you all see that?” He breathed, voice suddenly full of theatrical wonder.

“See what, man? You getting her book?” One of his linemen chuckled.

“No!” Asaemon exclaimed, straightening to his full, impressive height, though he immediately swooped back down to pull you tightly against his side.

“She kissed me! She kissed me! On the face! Voluntarily!”

Asaemon held a hand out towards you as if presenting a miracle. “Look at her! Look at my gorgeous, perfect girlfriend, bestowing her heavenly affection upon her humble quarterback! I felt it, guys. I felt my soul leave my body. I think I saw a bright light.”

You sighed.

He then grabbed the shoulder of his friend, Mike, who was already rolling his eyes. “Mike. Mike, look at me. Do you see the mark? Is it branded there? I think it’s branded there. I can feel it. A permanent impression of her perfect lips.”

The group erupted into groans and eye-rolls. “Dude, it was a peck on the cheek. Calm the fuck down.” Another friend sighed, though he was grinning.

“Calm down? CALM DOWN?!” Asaemon repeated, scandalized. He nuzzled his face against the top of your head, inhaling dramatically. “How can I be calm when the love of my life has just marked me as hers? This isn’t just a kiss! This is a promise! This is a… a contractual agreement of amazingness!”

The friend group groaned in unison. “Dude, it was a fucking peck on the cheek...” One of them muttered.

“A PECKKKK!” Asaemon shrieked, burying into your hair even more while you stood there bored (and maybe contemplating your life choices on how you ended up with him). “Not just any peck! The peck! The first of many, hopefully, but you never forget your first!”