Page 77 of Mitch

The inevitable crash and burn where Penn was going to tell me he didn’t feel the same way.

That he just wanted to befriends, orworse.

Friends who sucked each other’s cocks.

Which wouldn’t have been a bad arrangement, if I didn’t want more.

And with Penn, I’d always want more.

I’d want to wake up in bed with him curled around me. I’d want to have impromptu dinners in his kitchen, and cupcake frosting fights, and drunken karaoke make outs.

I’d always want him in a way I could never have him, if we were justfriends who fucked around.

“Yeah, sure,” I said, gripping my camera strap. I followed him across the street to one of the park benches in the small park, which was crawling with overflow traffic from the show.

Couples and groups of friends were littered all across the lawn, and it sort of reminded me of our date.

Where we’d watched a bunch of cover bands and made out under the fireworks on the lawn.

“What, uh, what’s up?” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. Stoic.

I knew what was coming, and there was no avoiding it.

“I, uh, I’ve been thinking about... stuff,” Penn stammered, biting his bottom lip.

I sighed.

“About... us, I mean,” he said the words softly, and it was like a knife to my heart.

Here it comes.

“What are we?” he asked the words curiously. “Because I saw you at that wedding, and we were strangers. Then, we talked online, and you were someone I hired, and then we hung out, and you were my friend, and then we went on a date and you were....” His voice trailed off, and he closed his eyes. “You weren’t a friend, anymore, but I wasn’t sure what you were. What you are, to me.”

“I get it, Penn. You don’t have to... Fuck, we don’t have to do this. I just...”

“No, I need to do this. I need you to hear this,” he said firmly, and I sighed deeply, my palms sweaty against my strap.

“I know I don’t always know what I’m doing. Hell, I’ll be the first to tell you I have no realm of experience here. I’ve never felt for anyone what I feel for you.”

I looked into his glassy blue eyes andsaw the fear there.

The unknown.

Instantly, my panic melted, my nerves fraying at the edges.

I reached out to wipe a tear from his face, shoving my own fear aside as curiosity got the best of me.

“What do you feel, Penn?” I dared to hope he felt the same.

That somehow, some way, I hadn’t lost him.

“I—” he stammered, biting his lip. “I think I’m totally in love with you, Mitch.”

My heart leaped at his words. I blinked, wondering if I’d imagined them. If I’d lost my marbles completely and gone full on insane.

“Penn...”

Penn slid his hand over mine, chewing his lip once more.

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