Sleeping Beauty

Chapter 31

Shawn

        When I got off stage, I saw America standing there. I automatically kissed her. Her body tensed up and she didn't kiss me back. I pulled away. "Are you okay?"        

        She looked up at me, a blush creeping over her cheeks. It was weird. She almost looked guilty. When she doesn't answer, I say, "America?"

        She blinks out of her daydream. "Oh, uh. Yeah. Fine."

       I hand my guitar to someone. "I think you've been standing too long." I guide her down the steps and have her sit down on a couch to the very left of the room. She looks even more uncomfortable. I really hope this wasn't what I had feared. Seeing me with all those girls must have made her nervous.

        "I don't even care about them!" Even I'm take back by my sudden outburst.

        She looks at me like I'm insane. "What?"

        "All the girls... I don't even look at them twice. They're nothing compared to you." I take her hands because it seemed like the right thing to do.

        "Oh," she whispered.

        Then I took a deep breath. "I love you, America." And we were kissing on the couch and I was so happy I didn't have to live without her. "I love you," I whispered again.

        "I love you, too."

America

        I kissed Shawn on the same couch that I turned Carter away on. What is wrong with me? A huge part of me wanted to tell Shawn what happened, but I didn't want him to get pissed off and fire Carter or something. 

        Carter.

        Stop! You are in love with Shawn. You can't be thinking of anyone else. 

        Blonde hair, gray eyes. Jesus, he even like photography. Could he be any more attractive?

        This isn't good. I can't stop thinking about him. I just need to forget he even exists. 

        Shawn guides me outside and I can still hear the girls screaming outside. We're supposed to be on a plane in forty-five minutes. The driver speeds down the streets, cussing under his breath whenever he hits a red light. When we're walking into the airport, I text my mom to let her know everything went okay.

        Before I know it, we're stepping onto the plane.

        "All cellular device must be put on airplane mode."

        I watch Shawn turn his phone off as I slip mine out of my pocket and do the same. It's already 11:30 and we're not supposed to be... wherever we're going for a few hours. I lean my head onto Shawn's shoulder. "Goodnight," I whisper.

        "I love you."

        I fall asleep before I can reply.

        

        When I wake up, my head is in Shawn's lap. "Mam, you have to put your seatbelt on." I look up at the flight attendant and run my hands over my waist where the seatbelt should be. I don't remember taking it off. As soon as I sit up, Shawn's eyes open. When he sees me, he smiles. I take my seatbelt and buckle it again. The lady smiles. "Thank you."

        Sherry is in the seat in front of us snoring. 

        "Good morning," Shawn says.