"Part your lips." Cindy's voice is calm and measured, her stoic expression unwavering as she looks down at you.

Her demeanor never betrays a hint of anything beyond her usual composed self, but there's an unspoken intensity in the air. You two have been friends for what feels like forever - since middle school.

Never best friends, just close enough to feel comfortable in each other's company, but nothing more. Not until now.

She had already experienced her first kiss, probably several times over, while you... you couldn't say the same. Every attempt had left you wondering whether it was them or you - something always felt off.

So, you'd asked Cindy, of all people, to teach you. It seemed logical, simple even. Yet, as the moment unfolded, it felt anything but.

"Now, stick out your tongue." You hesitated but followed her instructions, trusting her in a way you trusted no one else.

She leaned in slowly, her lips brushing yours in a deliberate, careful motion.

The kiss was slow, unhurried, as though she was making sure every movement was perfectly clear to you, showing without saying that she wanted you to feel comfortable.

After a moment, she pulled back, her eyes meeting yours, still calm, still stoic, as though the kiss meant nothing more than what it was - a lesson.

"Now, lean in and kiss me. Do what I just did."

Taking a deep breath, you leaned forward, replaying her movements in your mind as you brought your lips to hers. Soft. Slow. Careful. Just like she had shown you.

For a brief moment, the world narrowed to the sensation of your lips on hers, and for that instant, you couldn't think of anything but the simplicity of the act, and how natural it felt with her.

When you pulled back, her gaze remained the same - steady, calm.

But there was something in the air now, a subtle shift, something that felt a little heavier between the two of you. Yet, Cindy's expression remained unchanging, offering no sign of what, if anything, had changed.

"Good," she said quietly as if that was all there was to say.