Page 110 of Electric Touch

“I know they threw her out of the club for it.”

“How?”

“Ciro told Alessa, and well, she told me.”

“You talked to Alessa about this before you talked to me? Why would you do that?”

“Initially, because I was shocked by the picture,” I tell him. “It hurt. When I saw that, it made my chest hurt.”

“Fuck, Adrestia, I’m sorry. It is like Alessa said. She just sat in my fucking lap while I was talking to someone else and grabbed me. Pippa was on her in a second and kicked her out. Shit, I can’t imagine what you must have thought seeing that.”

“Once I realised who sent it, I knew it was fake. Well, maybe not fake, because you can’t fake that,” I point at my phone, which he now has a death grip on. “I didn’t believe it.”

He turns and takes a few steps away. His shoulders are so tense. I can imagine what he is thinking and know this is not aimed at me. I walk closer and put a hand on his shoulder, forcing him to turn back to me.

“I don’t believe it.”

“I know,” he says, but his head is still shaking. “I have no words.” He runs a hand through his hair. “I just don’t understand why she is doing this?”

“How is her relationship with her boyfriend doing?”

“I don’t know,” he holds his hands out. “I don’t ask and I don’t care. Why would you ask me that?”

“Because if it’s failing…”

“So, she thinks she can just get me back if shit goes sideways with him? Is that what you’re saying? Adrestia,” he takes one of my hands and holds it up to his chest. “I would never do that. Not because of what she did. I don’t give a fuck about that anymore. Because I realise there is something better. Someone better.” He squeezes my hand, holding it over his heart. It pounds against my palm.

“As crazy as this might sound,” he goes on. “And as much as my friends and family tell me I’m jumping in with both feet… You and me, this is real. It’s not a rebound. I’m not using you as a crutch or a replacement.”

I stare up at him, getting nervous about what he is going to say next, while simultaneously elated he is saying it.

“I’ve never met anyone like you before. I don’t think I ever will. I don’t want to. It is crazy to say this now. I don’t know if you feel the same, but I will not hide from how I feel. The past couple of months with you have been some of the best of my life.”

“Before you say anything else,” I clench my palm into a fist, he doesn’t let go but looks down at our joined hands. “I have to tell you something.”

“What?” he takes a step back. Our hands are still clasped, but he has put a small amount of distance between us.

“Can we sit?” I ask.

“You think I need to sit down for this? Sounds ominous,” he tries to laugh.

“It’s important that I tell you before we go any further. I want you to know everything you feel, everything you’ve said. Or not because I haven’t let you… I feel it too.”

“Oh-kay.”

We walk over to a bench. One thing this park has in abundance is places to sit. This is a strange feeling for me, I don’t get nervous. Yet, my heart pounds and my hands grow sweaty as we sit down. The anxiety intensifies with each second because I don’t know what his reaction will mean for us.

“What’s wrong?” he asks me. “I was about to say some deep shit.”

“I know you were.” I dip my head. “I was too, I mean that Nash. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. All that matters is how we feel about each other.” I take a deep breath. “You know I’ve been doing things on the list? I’ve never fully explained why. There are some things you aren’t aware of.”

“Like what?” he is tense, that much is obvious.

“When I came to your audition, I-I was trying to do one of the items,” I’m stuttering, and this isn’t me. I have to say it. “It was to have a one-night stand with someone famous.”

“Huh?” he cocks his head as if he is trying to figure that out.

“I came to the audition intending to meet a famous person and have a one-night stand. But I didn’t get the part, and I walked away and-”

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