I consider asking him details about how he got hurt, but I don’t want to ruin this.I like the way he’s smiling at me right now too much to make it go away with a question he’ll never answer anyway.“You’ve never been in my room before, have you?”
Jonathan shakes his head.I didn’t realize that until now.I’ve actually never been in his house, come to think of it.He and Collin have been in the downstairs of my house, and we’ve all slept over at Collin’s.We usually hang out in Collin’s basement because his mom’s not home much since she works long shifts at the hospital.Even with my parents working long hours, Magda’s still here, so I’m never really alone.
“If I’d known you were sneaking in, I would’ve picked up.”
“Really?”he asks, not believing me.For good reason because I probably wouldn’t have.Or I would’ve just dumped everything in the closet.I shake my head.He smiles, reminding me how well he knows me.
“Well,” I say, sliding off his lap to sit on the bed, my legs still draped across his as I sweep my arm in a grand gesture, “welcome to my messy yet organized room.”
There are clothes tossed everywhere.Strewn across my floor, draped on the chaise and desk chair, and hanging on the doorknob to my closet.
I jump up to snatch the white cotton bra hanging from the doorknob and throw it inside the closet.Of course, by doing this, I’ve drawn attention to it, and Jonathan chuckles.
“I’ve seen bras before,” he teases.
“Oh, really?Whose?”Before he can answer, I take it back.“Don’t tell me.I can probably guess.”
“Umm… I didn’t mean it like that.”He laughs at me again.
I’m being ridiculous, and I know it.“Sorry.I’m just a little weirded out that you’re here, sitting on my unmade bed.”
“Is it ever made?”
“No.”I get within reach, and he’s pulling me back toward him.I collapse onto his lap and toss an arm over his shoulder.“Are you messy?I’ve never seen your room either.”
“I’m pretty much the opposite of you.”
“Right,” I say with a nod.“I’ve seen your truck.But I thought it was a car thing.You know, you dote on it like a trophy that needs continuous polishing.Then again, your locker’s pretty neat too.”
“Your locker’s a little chaotic,” he notes.“But… organized?”
I nod.“Guess we could never live together.I’d drive you crazy, tossing my things everywhere when I entered or undressed.”
“If you were undressing, I don’t think I’d mind.”
My cheeks burn, and he laughs again.He catches himself and covers his mouth in apology.We’ve only kissed so far.Our bodies may get a little impassioned when we get carried away.But we’ve never removed clothes.I haven’t even touched him under his shirt yet.It’s not that I don’t think about it.I’ve seen him without one probably a million times.I mean, he had his shirt off when we first kissed.But we were in public.So not the same as running my hands under his shirt.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Taking your shirt off,” I blurt honestly.
He quirks an eyebrow.“Are you trying to seduce me?”
The heat on my face intensifies.He kisses my rosy cheek.
He suddenly leans back to lie on the bed.I tumble after him and land on my side, my legs entwined with his.I prop my head on my elbow.He’s looking at the ceiling, avoiding my gaze.He can’t look at me.And now my stomach becomes a bottomless pit of nerves.Was it something I did?Probably something I said.Which is why kissing’s better.
“I heard what you said earlier, about being nervous at school.If we should be seen together.We shouldn’t care about that or what people think.So, I’ll be seen with you, if you’ll be seen with me?”
I lean over the top of him to try and meet his eyes, which are still fixed on the ceiling.He focuses on me.“Are you serious?You’re actuallyaskingme if I want to be seen with you?”
He looks sheepish, like he’s not really sure how to navigate this conversation.Not that I do.I mean, I’ve been driving myself crazy for over a month because I avoided even having this conversation.The wholeare we together, as inmore than friends, conversation.
“I want that.”I kiss his nose.“To be seen with you.Let someone try and stop me.”I attempt a semblance of bravado.Far from it.I almost laugh at myself.
As if summoned, someone knocks on my door.
I bounce off the bed, and Jonathan springs for the floor.“Uh, come in.”I trip over Jonathan’s legs as I race to the door and nearly fall into my mother as she opens it.
