Page 68 of Anyone But Her

"He already knows. I'm sure of it."

Tipping my head up to the sky I smile, hoping Albert can see. "You know what I'm happy about right now?"

"What?"

"You." I keep my eyes on the stars. "Having you next to me. Telling you that story. Being here with you." I look at her. "It makes me happy."

She punches my arm. "Dammit, Luke!"

"What? Why'd you hit me?"

"You're making me cry again!" She wipes the tears off her face with her palm and sniffles. "Do it again and I'm going inside."

"Please don't." I take her hand in mine.

"I wasn't going to." She looks down. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said it." She lets out a laugh. "I just don't like crying. It's girly."

I chuckle. "You're a girl, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah, I just meant that I feel weak when I cry. Like a little girl. I feel like I should be stronger than that."

"Me too. Other than tonight I can't remember the last time I cried."

"And you did it in front of me," she says as her eyes slowly move up to mine.

"I know. And the thing is, I don't think I would've let anyone else see me like this."

She pauses, then asks, "Why me?"

"Because..." I don't know how to explain it to her. I don't really get it myself. "Because you're the one I want to tell things to."

She lets go of my hand and sits back in her chair, tipping her head back to stare up at the sky.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

She sighs. "What's going on here, Luke?"

"What do you mean?"

"What's going on between us? Why do I feel this way? I only met you a few times last year and then we kissed in March and talked for a few weeks. I shouldn't feel this way."

"What way?" I ask, anxiously awaiting her answer. I know she likes me but I don't know how much.

"Like..." She keeps her head tilted up to the sky. "Like...why are you the first person I think of when I wake up in the morning? And why am I still thinking about you when I go to bed? When I see some funny video on the internet why do I want to send it to you before anyone else? Why are you always in my head? Why can't I stop thinking about you?"

My heart's thumping hard and a smile takes over my face because I'm so damn happy that she feels just like I do.

"Well?" she says, sounding annoyed. "Aren't you going to say anything?" She closes her eyes. "Or are you over there thinking I'm crazy?"

"If you're crazy then so am I because I feel the same way."

Her eyes blink open and she looks at me. "You do?"

"I have for a long time. Longer than just last year."

"I don't understand. We just met."

I pause, second-guessing if I should tell her this but feeling like I should.

---