Emerson sniffs and Finn reaches into his pocket and produces a handkerchief for her.
“Don’t cry, Em,” Kel says.
“I guess I’m just super emotional lately.”
Kel rolls his eyes. “Are you riding the crimson wave?” he asks. He’s back.
“Kel…” Finn shakes his head.
“You’re a dumbass, you know that?” Emerson adds with a laugh. “Of course I’m not. Sometimes you just get me in the heart.”
“Yeah, I know. Sorry, I sometimes say the wrong thing.”
“You think wrong is right and right is wrong. Good thing I get you,” she says with a smile. He raises his glass and they clink them together before taking a drink.
“How about a group picture?” Emerson holds up her phone and motions for us to move.
We crowd together and she takes several. As I make my way back to my seat, “I Hate You, I Love You” by Gnash starts to play.
Finn touches my shoulder and I turn. “They’re playing our song,” he whispers. “Dance with me?”
“Finn, I don’t think—”
“It’s a friendly dance between friends,” he says with a shrug.
I glance down at his open hand then back up to sincere oceans of blue.
“Go!” Emerson encourages. “Don’t leave the man hanging.”
How can I keep saying no when everything in me wants to say yes? I nod my head, placing my hand in his and he leads me to the dance floor.
He pulls me close and even though I don’t want to admit it, I’m drawn to everything about him. As much as I want to fight it, I don’t have the strength.
He doesn’t speak. He holds me and sways to the music. It’s almost perfect, except he’s not talking. For once, I want him to say something.
“It’s hard for me,” I whisper in his ear.
“What is?” he asks.
“To trust.”
He licks his lips and presses them to my forehead. I close my eyes. “I know. You have no idea how much I truly understand.”
I gaze up into his eyes, searching them for something to make me believe. “Were you hurt too?” I ask.
“Everyone’s got a story. But mine is probably not what you’d expect.”
“Tell me.”
He smiles. “I will. I promise, but not here. Let’s just enjoy this moment and this night. Let me enjoy being with you even if tomorrow we’re still nothing more than friends. Let me hold you in my arms, and pretend I could be what you need.”
My mouth drops. “Why do you say stuff like that? Don’t you understand? I’m waiting to see it. There has to be something wrong with you.”
He laughs. “You want me to have more faults?”
“Not more, some. Some faults. There has to besomethingwrong with you.”
“Maybe I’m a horrible lover.” He tries to keep a straight face.
