Page 21 of Sky Full of Stars

I look at him, wondering if he is going to be bold or back down. I know he likes me, and I like him. Just not in the way he wants me to, or the way I was thinking about before Adam.

“So, Dallas tomorrow?” I tell him, trying to break his intense stare.

“That’s the itinerary,” he smiles.

“Have you been before?”

“Nope, first time. We have a couple of nights there, anything you were hoping to see?”

“In all honesty, I’ve not researched it yet. I’ll probably do that when I go back up to my room.” He nods. “Could you excuse me while I just use the bathroom?”

He gets up as I do, he’s a real gentleman like that. And I feel like an asshole.

Me: I hate you. I’m in the bathroom

Adam: Adam - 2, Douche - 0. So, you wanted to ask me something personal. Have you thought about it yet?

Me: Not yet

Adam: Tick-tock. You only get till midnight, then I turn into a pumpkin

Me: You are totally trying to keep me from Kevin

Adam: You said it wasn’t a date, so what difference does it make

Me: You’re really putting me on the spot

Adam: You brought up the topic of asking me something personal

I did, didn’t I? I don’t know what to ask him. Well, beyond finding out if he’s single but where would that go, and did I want it to go there? He has already said he very rarely gets any time and I’m not even sure what city he lives in. Nothing could ever happen between us.

Adam: You’re overthinking again, Slugger. Just spit it out, I won’t lie to you.

Me: If you could go back in time, you couldn’t interact with anyone or change anything, just watch a re-run of a special memory, what would it be?

Adam: Fuck Jenna. I thought you were gonna ask something easy like if I’m married

Me: Are you?

Adam: You only get one question, which one is it gonna be?

Me: I’m going to assume (hope) you’re not married…so Ok, the first one

Adam: You did that on purpose, you know I’m gonna need to think about that.

Me: I’m gonna have to go back to the douche before he thinks I fell down the toilet.

Adam: Ha you admit it, he’s a douche

Me: Shut up. You have until midnight, Cinderella

Kevin sees me to my room again. I put the key card in looking at him, about to tell him goodnight when he leans in. I’m too stunned to stop him. His lips are soft and he puts a hand up and cups my cheek. I can tell he wants it to deepen but not only is it moving too fast, I don’t really want it.

I tilt my head back and look down at the floor. He leans back from me. I hear a defeated sigh. I look up at him and smile but it’s sadder than he wants it to be.

“Sorry,” he says.

“No, I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea. I don’t want this to cause any problems between us, I like you, Kevin, I do.”