Page 17 of David's Love

“No.”

He laughs.

“You already said you didn’t want me to change my schedule for you,” he adds.

I feel trapped.

“Did I get it wrong?” he asks.

“No. But I hope it didn’t come off as offensive. I don’t want you to change your life for me.”

If you’re not doing it for a particular reason.

Truly, I hate being pressured to do things.

This life gets complicated by the second, and between missing him, wanting him, and now trying to coordinate his big-ass schedule with my meager existence, this is too much.

“It didn’t come off as offensive. I just wanted to talk to you about what was going on in my life.”

“It must be more than that.”

“Yes, it is…” he says and goes quiet.

I let the silence grow.

“I’ve thought about you a lot since you left,” he says, and I become one with the chair, shivering from cold and emotions.

“I’ve thought about you too,” I say.

“I don’t want to let the distance ruin this.”

“I feel the same.”

“Good. Then let's take it one step at a time and not overthink things.”

“I’m with you on that, but things will be a little complicated now that Chloe is back.”

I whisper my best friend’s name and feel like a little thug while mentioning her as if she is the problem.

“I don’t know what her plans are. She will surely go home, but she may want to hang out. Spend time at my place. She’s not going to school, working, dating. She might need me.”

“Okay.”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you and have our little, you know… Virtual sex sessions.”

My cheeks are aflame.

“I don’t know about traveling, though,” I drone on.

And no, I don’t want this thing to become public.

Now more than ever, I don’t want to face people’s questions and, possibly, the inevitable ending.

This is not the best time for any of that.

If he travels––and I knew that was his life––where would that leave me?

How can things work between us?

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