Page 63 of Level Up

“No, no, seriously, it was dumb.”

“If it’ll make me laugh, I want to hear it.”

“I was gonna say ‘more like hard for the star.’”

Jay’s head dropped forward before he started to laugh, the sound drifting through the otherwise silent night like the sweetest melody I’d ever heard. “I told you it was dumb.”

“But it was funny,” he said, “and cute. And hot.”

I smiled and leaned in, slow. I put a hand on his shoulder, climbing up to his neck. I didn’t sense any tension or apprehension from him. Jay moved forward too. “Can I kiss you?” I asked.

“I’d never say no to you,” Jay responded.

Boom.

Galaxies were created, universes formed, planets birthed.

That’s how astronomical this kiss felt. I inhaled him, my lips parting, my tongue sliding over his. I could feel his smile. My heart beat a little faster, his hand resting high on my thigh, squeezing a little as he gave me a moan I eagerly swallowed.

We sat extra close, our legs pressed together, my hand on his lower back. There was a cluster of palm trees around the pond. Their thick leaves barely moved. This had immediately become one of my favorite spots on campus ever since Jay showed me it. It was semi-private, tucked away on a short trail that led away from one of the main sidewalks.

“You know why I find this spot so relaxing?” he asked, looking out at gentle pond. “Because it lets me feel close to my dad without stepping near a body of water I can’t see the end of. He loved the water, so being here reminds me of him without feeling tortured and terrified.”

I followed his gaze, seeing the serene water in a whole new way. “It tears me apart inside. Knowing what you’ve been through. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Jay said, taking in a deep breath and letting it flow right out. “I’ve come to terms with it. Mostly. Moments like these help. I feel like he’s looking down on me, especially when I sit here. I hope he’s proud of me.”

“I’ve got zero doubts he is,” I said, ignoring the sharp barb that my father left in my back with his disappointment.

“I hope so… and, Ryan, I have to say that I still need to go ahead with the protest at Beacon Bay. I know it’s against your dad’s company, but I can’t back down. No matter that we’re dating.”

“I totally get that,” I said. “It’s the right thing to do. And honestly, I hope you shut that shit down.”

“That’s… I appreciate that. I was nervous you’d feel the opposite way.”

“Nah, fuck that. My dad has enough money—he doesn’t need to be doing this. He doesn’t need to be doing any of the crap he’s doing. And I tried to get him to stop but clearly couldn’t get through to him.”

“It’s shitty, for sure.” Jay pursed his lips, his puppy dog eyes catching the light. “But thank you. For fighting.”

“It’s okay. It was the least I could do.”

I squeezed his hand in mine. His fingers were so much smaller than mine. Like holding some kind of rare and delicate bird. My protective instincts flared. “Would you…” Jay started before cutting his question short, shaking his head.

“What?” I asked, my turn now to probe a little.

“Nothing, nothing.”

“What is it?” I gave him a smirk. “I told you my dumb joke, now you can ask me your smart question.”

He rolled his eyes, but his smile grew wider. “I was going to ask if you would consider, uh, signing my petition. You can do it anonymously.” There was something in the way he hesitated that made me second-guess if that were really his original question. There was a part of me that felt as if he was about to ask me if I could show up to the protest. I may not be completely savvy with PR, but even I could see how big of a message that could be.

One I didn’t know I was ready to send.

“Come,” I said, grabbing his hand. “Let’s go buy some Red Bulls, pick a chill spot in the library, and we can figure out how you can make the biggest impact. And yes, of course I’ll sign your petition.”

“Really?” Jay asked, sounding surprised. He rose when I did, hand still in mine. Felt like home. Felt so damn nice.

“Yeah, of course. I want to help however I can.”

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