Page 60 of Glad You Exist

"I did? But…but all the touching and she fed him lumpia. Shit." Kim sputters, "Happy Birthday? I swear we have a better present for you. Give him the headset, Kyle. Quick!"

Kyle picks Kim up and slings her over his shoulder.

"Later babe." Patting her bottom. "Let's go get ready for lunch."

"I'm sooooorrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyy!"

I watch them leave and stare at the door as it shuts behind them hanging on to a few extra seconds like a life raft. Of all the scenarios I made up in my head about finally confessing my feelings for Liz, somehow this was never one of them.

I feel Liz move beside me. She’s sitting with her legs crossed under her, facing me.

Her face is still damp, and her eyes are swollen from crying.

She swipes at the damp tendrils of hair on her face.

Fuck if she still isn’t the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I throw her my raft.

"We can talk about this some other time El."

I can tell by the way her nose scrunches up and her eyes shift between mine that she is trying to read me. Trying to come to terms with finding out how I feel about her.

Reaching over, I tenderly place a fingertip on the side of her mouth.

"Is it really that hard to believe after...you know?"

"It's not that." She blinks rapidly and I relish in the pink staining her cheeks, "But in love? And…and Kim said six years...I'm trying to wrap my head aroundthatpart. So since...?"

"Sixth grade."

I try to be as nonchalant as possible even though my heart is racing a mile a minute.

Her arms drop. I can almost see the wheels turning in her head as she makes sense of those two words. She looks unconvinced but not surprised.

"But you dated those girls in middle school, and we weren't even speaking for three years and I'm almost positive you dated Aly Peters last year and probably others. How…how can you—" She stops to catch her breath as the words tumble out of her. I take advantage of that moment to hold my palms out to her. She lets out a long breath, but she relents and puts hers on mine.

"This isn't how I pictured this happening, but I need to put the brakes on this right now, okay? Not that I don't want to talk about this. I do. But we have this thing happening downstairs and I don't know about you, but I hear the food is excellent."

I tease her even though I don't mean any of it. Well except the food part but the rest, I really didn't give a flying fuck about. All I want is to take her upstairs to my room.

Lock the door and talk about this. About us.

Hand her my heart, hope she gives me hers.

Then set up my new monitor and show her my game.

In more ways than one.

Liz’s hand flies to her mouth and she nods, "Your family is waiting downstairs. I should get dressed and do something about my face."

Hesitating she adds, "We'll talk about this soon though, right?"

I can't resist so I pull her into my arms. I place a soft kiss on her temple that has her sighing into me. I tighten my hold on her for a few extra seconds before releasing her.

"Tomorrow. After school?"

She nods and before I get tempted to do anything other than give her another chaste kiss, I tug her up and place a hand in the small of her back, guiding her outside.

I nod towards the guest rooms, "I'll meet you downstairs."

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