Page 41 of Only With You

He clears his throat, and I feel him step back, taking all the warmth with him. “Done.”

“Thanks,” I reply, almost breathless.

He says nothing to that and I hear him back away some more until his footsteps sound distant.

When I turn around, he’s gone, and I know it’s to give me privacy so I can change.

I shake off the weird daze and change out of my clothes and into my pajamas.

Rubbing my eyes, I get in bed and decide from here on out that this is the last time I’m ever alone with him.

Reaching for the remote to my TV, I turn it on as I make myself comfortable and place my body pillow between my thighs. My fingers move on autopilot, going straight to YouTube and clicking the person who I always fall asleep to, Haptic.

I click on the new song he posted. He’s singing a cover of “River” by Leon Bridges.

My eyes flutter as the sound of the piano floats in my room, then his voice softly follows. Sleep slowly starts to take over, but it quickly gets interrupted.

“What are you listening to?”

My eyes pop open and I gasp loudly. Sitting up, I glance at the door where Landon stands. “What’s the matter with you? You scared me.”

“You seem fine.” He disregards my frightened state and shifts his focus to the TV. “So what are you listening to?”

“Music. Isn’t it obvious?” I retort, feeling extremely irked. “Why the hell are you still here again?”

He hums, nodding absentmindedly, and it almost seems like he’s zoned out.

“Are you just going to stand there or are you?—”

“Who are you listening to?”

“Haptic. He’s a YouTuber who?—”

“Sounds like shit.” He slips his hands in his pockets, looking bored.

I scoff defensively. “Excuse you. You don’t get to come in here and run your mouth. If anyone sounds like shit, it’s you.”

One thing I refuse to hear is any Haptic slander.

He clicks his tongue and something flashes in his eyes. I swear I see him smirk for a second, but when I blink, it’s gone. “Are you not going to turn the light out?” His gaze draws to the light coming from my closet.

“No, I…like to leave it on.” I nervously swallow and wait for the jokes to come.

I don’t owe him an explanation, but how do you tell someone that at twenty-one years old, I’m afraid of the dark? I used to not be until two years ago.

The jokes never come and his face remains blank. “Okay, I’ll be in the living room. Good night,Angel.”

“Good night, Lucifer!” I counter and lie back down.

12

JULIANNA

Now that most ofthe people who came to the NCU’s student art exhibition are gone, I stop playing the piano.

I remained seated on the bench, staring at the art the students made. I don’t get to study them because someone taps my shoulder.

Turning around, I find bright green eyes and a wide, toothy grin staring down at me.

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