My Seven Ex's

I never knew a kiss could be this sweet until Elio kissed me at seventeen.

It happened on a Monday afternoon, the kind that seems ordinary until it changes.

Around 2 p.m, I walked out of my lecture hall. My bag hung loosely on one shoulder. My mind was already elsewhere. San Francisco sun was bright but gentle, warming the concrete paths and glass buildings around campus. Students gathered in groups, laughing, arguing, checking their phones, living their ordinary lives.

I was halfway down the steps when I heard someone call my name.

"Vanya!"

I didn’t turn because the only one person that called my name like that loud, playful, like she owned it is Ava.

Before I could fully stop, she wrapped her arms around me from behind, almost knocking me off balance.

"Miss me?" she laughed.

I laughed too, because with Ava, laughter was automatic. We pulled apart and looked at each other properly Ava looked exactly the same confident, dramatic, always too much in both the good and bad ways. I knew she’d gotten into trouble again just by the way she was smiling.

"Don’t tell me," I said. "You fought someone," she gasped, "I defended myself."

"You slapped someone, "she deserved it."

"Who this time?"

"My deskmate," she said proudly, "she touched my book with dirty hands."

I stared at her.

"What?" Ava shrugged, "boundaries."

We walked out of campus together toward our neighborhood, our shoes tapping against the pavement. Ava talked the whole way, acting out the scene like it was a movie how the lecturer froze, how the class went silent, how she was sent out.

"You should’ve seen her face," Ava said, "I don’t regret it."

"You never do."

"That’s why you love me. Ava was reckless, but she was my best friend. The one who always pulled me into things I’d never do alone.

By the time we reached our street, the sun had shifted lower, casting long shadows across the modern apartment blocks and parked cars.

"Oh," Ava said suddenly, "there’s a birthday party tonight."

I stopped walking. "Whose?"

"Our neighbor’s theres music, drinks, and many people."

"I don’t do parties

"You do tonight

"Ava?

She grabbed my arm. "Please just show your face, you don’t even have to stay."

I sighed, I always gave in. Ava knew exactly how to bend me without breaking me.

"Fine," I said, "but I’m not dancing, she grinned, "we’ll see."

The party started before the sun fully set, music spilled out of the apartment like it was alive, the bass vibrating through the walls. Lights flickered and laughter filled the air, people I barely knew moved around like they’d known each other forever.

I stayed close to Ava at first, nursing a drink I didn’t really want, that was when she pulled me forward.

"Vanya," she said, excitement lighting up her eyes, "meet Elio."

I looked up, and forgot what I was about to say.

Elio stood there, tall and relaxed, like the noise didn’t bother him, with short haircut, fair skin, calm eyes that looked like they saw too much and said too little. He didn’t smile right away he studied me first.

"Hi," he said.

His voice was steady, confident, unforced

"Hi," I replied, suddenly aware of my hands, my posture, my breath. Ava beamed like she’d planned this, maybe she had.

"Elio’s… interesting," she said vaguely, "You two should talk, then she vanished into the crowd.

I shot her a look, but she was already gone.

"So," Elio said, shifting his weight, "You look like you’d rather be anywhere else."

I laughed before I could stop myself, "that obvious?"

"A little

"I came because my friend wouldn’t stop begging."

"Good friends do that he said

"Bad friends too I replied

He smiled then the music changed slower, louder. Elio glanced toward the dance floor, then back at me, "dance with me."

My first instinct was no, before I could say it, Ava appeared out of nowhere, leaned close, and whispered, "Say yes."

I frowned, "I don’t dance."

She whispered again, say yes.

I looked at Elio, something about him made it hard to refuse.

"Okay," I said, just once.

He led me onto the floor, one hand light on my waist not tight, just there.

We moved slowly, awkward at first, then easier, the world around us blurred and the noise faded. I became aware of his breathing, his warmth, and the way he didn’t rush me.

"You’re quiet," he said.

"I’m thinking."

"About what? Why I agreed to this.

He chuckled, "Fair."

When the song ended, I stepped back quickly, my heart racing, "I should go," I said.

"I’ll walk you home."

I hesitated

"It’s late," he added, and I want to."

I nodded.

The walk was quiet, streetlights clicked on as we passed, the city settling into evening. My gate came into view sooner than I expected.

We stopped, "well," I said, suddenly nervous, "this is me."

He didn’t move, neither did I, then he stepped closer, too close.

My heart jumped into my throat, "Elio"

He leaned in and kissed me, soft, slow, my body froze and my mind went blank, for five seconds, I couldn’t move, breathe, or think.

Then something in me responded.

When he pulled back, my lips still tingled, my heart still raced, and he smiled slightly, stepped away, and said, "Goodnight, Vanya."

And walked off.

Why did he pull away and say goodbye?