Page 16 of Where We Met

The air around us feels charged.

"I'm new to this being friends with someone I'm attracted to thing," he says. "Like right now, I know what’s happening is dangerous, meaning I should back away."

He stands in front of me, making no move to put distance between us. His chest is rising and falling in rapid succession like mine.

"But…" I begin.

"But my body doesn't seem to want to obey what my brain is screaming for me to do," he finishes.

I picture Rebecca standing in front of his desk, making him smile, and I feel the jealousy back in full force.

"She wants you," I say to him.

He looks confused. "Who does?"

"Rebecca," I admit.

He tucks my hair behind my ear. A subtle gesture that I feel deep in my bones.

"Does that make you jealous?" he asks.

"It shouldn't."

"Answer my question, Savannah," he demands.

"Fine." I throw my hands up, knowing he can see the truth anyway. "It made me jealous."

That makes him smile. "Good."

"Good?" I ask with frustration. "Why is that good?"

"Because I have to watch college guys come up to you at bars, in class, in the coffee shop, everywhere you go… It wouldn’t be fair if I was the only one going crazy."

"You get jealous?" my voice raises with hope.

I shouldn't like that, it shouldn't fill me with happiness, but it does. Everything in me is thrilled that he gets green with envy when a guy comes up to me. I should tell him all of them are just friends, but I don't.

"I shouldn't," he whispers.

His lips are inches from mine, so close I can taste the minty scent of his breath. Remembering the million reasons why this is a bad idea feels impossible at the moment. All I can think about is how good it would feel to give in, to fuse my lips to his and melt into him.

There seems to be something beyond my control pushing our bodies together. When our lips are just about to touch, the sound of footsteps approaching makes us speedily step away from each other.

He starts to massage the back of his neck while he looks down at the ground.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I can't believe I almost did that," he says while reluctantly meeting my eyes.

My breaths are still coming quickly, now with fear mixed in as I hear the stranger in the aisle next to us.

"It's okay. I obviously wasn't doing anything to stop it. Don't worry, it won't happen again."

"Right. Look, I should go," he mutters as he backs away from me.

"But what about that book you needed?" I ask.

He continues to put distance between the two of us. The air starts to feel colder as the distance grows. I wrap my arms around myself, trying anything to ease the chill.

"I'll get it another time. I'll see you in class, Savannah. Goodnight." He spins around and rounds the bookcase, out of sight within seconds.

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