Page 35 of Something in Between

“I have another confession to make. Two confessions, actually,” he says.

“Yeah?” I’m not sure what this is about.

“First,” Royce says, “I knew you were going to be here. My dad gets a list of the honorees, and when I saw a Jasmine listed, I had a feeling it would be you. I’ve actually known you were going to be here for a while.”

“You did?” I ask, intrigued.

“I know all about you,” he teases.

“Oh yeah? What do you know?” I say, the fluttering back in my stomach.

“Junior class president. Varsity cheerleader. Probably going to be valedictorian, am I right?”

“Stalker,” I say, thrilled.

He laughs. “Yeah, I deserve that. It’s sort of why I told my dad I’d go with him to D.C. this time.” He smiles and gazes at me intensely, the way he did at dinner, when our eyes first met.

“Why are you looking at me that way?” I ask.

“I was just remembering something. You know that, throughout the whole event, you never stopped smiling? You looked so happy.”

I roll my eyes. I must have looked like a hick from the sticks. “So?” I ask. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing. It’s just that I could tell you didn’t care about who was looking at you or whom you needed to network with later. You were justthere, living in the moment, appreciating everything. I can’t remember the last time I felt like that.”

I nod. Despite all the problems my family and I have been going through and all the uncertainty that faces us right now, Iwashappy at the award reception. I was glad to be in that moment, glad that I was able to attend. My parents taught me that—how to feel grateful, how to feel joy. I’m proud of them suddenly, and proud of myself too.

“So what was your second confession?” I nudge him with my elbow.

“I don’t know if I should tell you this one.” His voice is husky, and he’s way too close now; his shoulder is bumping against my arm and when he turns to me, I can see the gold sparkling in his brown eyes.

“You already said you would,” I remind him, wondering once more if he can hear how loud and how fast my heart is beating.

“Maybe I changed my mind,” he says.

I move away from him deliberately, teasing him.

“Fine. I’ll tell you. Are you sure you’re ready?” He follows me, closing the space between us once again.

I huff. “I was born ready.”

“I think I need a drink first,” he jokes.

“Stop stalling.”

“All right, all right,” Royce says, putting his hands up. “Remember when we met at the hospital and I asked for your number?”

I nod.

“It wasn’t the first time I saw you. I’d seen you a couple days before—you were interviewing one of the patients. The door was open and I heard you talking to this old guy, asking him about his life, making him laugh. I peeked in and saw you. I thought you’d come to my uncle’s room next, but you didn’t. When I saw you two days later at the check-in window, I decided that was my chance, so I took it. I had to make destiny happen.”

“Destiny, huh?” I say, my voice soft and low. “Like a fairy tale. Is that what this is?”

Royce is towering over me at six feet compared to my five feet three inches, and when he leans down, I can see his thick dark lashes over half-lidded eyes. He pulls me toward him by the jacket arms, and then his own arms are around me, and I tilt up my chin up and close my eyes.

Because I know what happens next. I’ve seen the movies, I’ve sung along to all the love songs.

This wonderful boy is going to kiss me.

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