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“You have many gems yourself.” His blue eyes lock my brown eyes in focus. “You’re smart and shy, and you’re also sweet, understanding, and supportive. You don’t give up until you get what you want.”
I step closer, wondering if he can feel my breathing. “You’re confident and spontaneous, and you’re also caring, bold, and a good listener. You’re never afraid to say how you feel.”
“You’re the girl who makes me want to be a better person.”
“You’re the boy who makes me want to enjoy every moment.”
Jase leans towards me, his face, especially his lips, inches away from mine, blue eyes popping out. I can feel him breathing harder, hear him breathing slower. “Like right now?”
I breathe harder, slower. “Like right now.”
Closing the little space between us, I stand on my tiptoes while he leans down, and our lips meet. I can hear the fountain splashing, people talking about school. But all I take in is this kiss. My first kiss. With the musician I had run away from. His lips, which are warm and soft, pressing hard against mine like he’s wanted to do this as long as I have, taste like icing and sugar cookies. He wraps his arms around my waist, and it’s so natural to wrap mine around his neck.
This moment is so real no photograph can capture it.
Chapter Thirty-Six
A garage isn’t an ideal location for a photograph. But as I snap my camera, Say It Proudly performing an upbeat summer love song that contrasts their greying white surroundings, it’s perfect for my vision of passion. The guys are nice enough to let me take photos of them during their band rehearsal at Jase’s house. On both sides sit plastic containers with old belongings—clothes, books, toys—cluttered inside, and against the walls, there are two rusty bicycles and cardboard boxes torn at the edges. Messy, but I like it. I take a few with closeups of the band inside the garage.
At a farther distance, I shoot photos with the garage framing the band as they bop along to the music they bring to life.
Click!
Click!
Click!
Flipping my camera’s LCD screen, all four guys say they like it. They tease each other about their facial expressions, laughing it off good-naturedly. Practice continues, and the experience is different from seeing them perform onstage. I can hear each instrument clearly, strings strumming and drums thudding through my ears, the volume amplified to the max.
After wrapping up a slow and heavy breakup song, Michael checks his phone.
“Got to go. I promised my dad we’d bike together.”
“Same, I have to help my mom cook dinner,” Karthik says.
“Guess that’s my cue to go,” Andy says.
After helping them pack up, they wave goodbye and drive off.
“You two lovebirds behave!” Andy shouts before driving away, Led Zeppelin booming through his windows.
Jase shoots Andy, or more specifically the rear of Andy’s car, a pointed look, which eases when he turns back to me. He hugs me against him and presses his lips against mine, our kiss long and warm.
Are Jase and I a couple now? He never explicitly asked, “Can you be my girlfriend?” Maybe he’s not supposed to ask me directly. Maybe the kiss should say it all. Whatever we have, I don’t know what to label it.
We finish kissing, and Jase says, lips still on mine, “There’s something I wanna show you.”
“Are you going to sing me a song?” I tease.
“That’s a talent I don’t have.”
Jase grabs his guitar and pulls one of the folding chairs beside him, patting for me to sit there. I plop down and lace my fingers together. Jase readies his guitar, then scratches the back of his head.
“Remember how I told you not to listen to ‘passion’?”
“Yes, I do,” I confirm. “How dare you, leaving me in the dark and making me wait.”
Jase chuckles, reaching over to hold my hand, his thumb caressing along my knuckles. “Well, the wait is over. I figured an audio clip isn’t enough. I have to play it for you.”
