Sleeping Beauty

Chapter 30

Shawn

        He had his hand on her arm. Who was that? I had never seen him before. It didn't matter. I was about to go on and America was about to kiss me. Actually, I was about to kiss her. 

        "Shawn! You're on."

        "Jesus, could I just kiss my girlfriend?"

        America pulls at the edge of my collar a little. "Don't worry about it, okay? We're together. That's all that matters."

        I can't help but smile. "Yeah, okay."

        And America pushes me out onto the stage where millions of screaming girls in short shorts and tank tops scream for me. I really hope she's not upset or anything.

        But she would tell me if she was upset, right?

America

      It was fun watching Shawn perform. I could tell he really loved what he was doing. About halfway through the show, I realized I needed to find somewhere to sit down. Standing this long on crutches just wasn't going to work out. I would come back for the last song.

        I pushed through people and finally got to a set of stairs that went down to what seemed like an open room. I stumbled down the steps and planned to sit on the couch on the side of the room. Then I was on the ground again.

        "Shit. Could you watch where you're... Oh."

        And there was Carter, holding out his hand to me. I carefully brushed some of the hair out of my face before I wrapped my hand around his. He picked up my crutches as I leaned against the wall. 

        "Here," he whispers.

        I laugh a little. "We keep meeting like this."

        He smiles back at me and I instantly fall in love with it. His blonde hair and tan skin made his teeth look even whiter. "You're cute."

        I raise an eyebrow.

        He shakes his head. "No. I mean. Uh, well. You see-"

       I make my way over to the couch I was aiming for earlier.  "You think I'm cute?" 

        He follows. "Well, uh. I guess."

        When I sit down, he sits down next to me. I notice the camera hanging around his neck and my heart skips a beat. "What's up with this?" I pull at the black strap.

        "Oh, right. I actually have to go..." He stands up and my shoulder slump. I was hoping for some company so I didn't have to sit here alone for the next hour.

        "Uh, you didn't answer my question."

        Carter stops. "Yeah, sorry. Uh, I know it's sorta nerdy, but I kind of do photography. That's why I'm here. I take pictures of Shawn so they can be sold to magazines, used for album covers, posted on social media-"

        "You think photography is nerdy?"

        He crosses his arms. "I thought everyone did."

        I lean back a little. "I dabble in the art of photography."

        Carter's expression changes. He almost seems to take on a new confidence like I just told him he was king. "You're kidding me, right? You?"

        "Uh, yeah me. Does that change my status from cute to nerdy or something?"

        He laughs, sitting back down next to me. "Uh no, that just made you ten times cuter. I mean, uh. I don't usually talk like this."

        I laugh a little. "So do you take any pictures that aren't of Shawn?"

        He leans back a little, seeming to relax a bit. "Trees."

        "Trees?"

        "And the sky. All things natural actually. But trees and the sky are my favorite."

        "Interesting." I nod.

        "What do you-"

        "Stuff." I didn't want to tell him about all the pictures I've taken of myself in the past month, about how violent and dark they were. 

        "Oh."

        "Yeah."

        Carter looks over at me. "What happened?"

        I press my eyebrows together. "What?"

        "Your leg."

        Of course. He's probably been dying to ask me this question since the first moment he laid eyes on me. "Uh, car wreck and coma and..."

        "You don't have to explain."  I don't notice I'm crying until he's wiping a tear from my face. "You don't have to explain," he repeats. His hand lingers on the side of my face and his forehead touches mine. I bite my lip. Our lips touch.

        "No!"

        I turn my head and his lips brush against my cheek. "Sorry. No. It's just, Shawn and-"

        "Yeah." He stands up and I see the hurt in his eyes. "I get it." Carter runs up the steps. 

        That could've gone better.

        We almost kissed. Holy shit, we almost kissed!

        Shawn. 

        Carter.

        Shawn.

        "And for my last song, I'll be singing some lyrics that are very special to me. This is for you, America."

        So I rushed up the steps and watched the fake snow fall from the ceiling and onto Shawn's head while the taste of Carter's mouth on mine stained my lips.