Walking a fine line✔️

27. Electrons

"Welcome to my humble abode," Griffin said, sweeping his arm out in a welcoming gesture. I peered through the doorway of the tent, it was around the same size as my one, and in my opinion that was too small. I grimaced, sleeping next to Griffin was not in my top ten goals in life.

"Do you hate camping that much?" Griffin asked, catching my expression.

I rolled my eyes. "No dimwit, I just don't want to sleep next to your repulsive body."

Griffin took a step closer to me. "I know many people who disagree with that statement."

"Many also think the world is flat," I replied with a smirk, ignoring my leaping pulse.

Griffin's eyes danced with amusement. "Touché."

Not wanting to stand outside in the cold any longer, I crawled inside the tent and Griffin quickly followed, zipping up the tent flap behind him. I swallowed, suddenly the tent felt a whole lot smaller. "Cosy," I said with a grimace.

"Having second thoughts?" he asked, attaching his torch to the tent roof.

I scowled."No."

Griffin laid back on his red sleeping bag and put his hands behind his head. All of his stuff was already unpacked and his bag was kept neatly at the bottom end of the tent. 

I started unpacking my things. "First rule—"

"Rules?" he interrupted.

I pursed my lips. "Yes. First rule, you must keep to your side of the tent; no rolling over in the middle of the night."

"Princess—"

"I don't want you accidentally touching me."

"I mean, technically we never touch." Griffin sat up and lifted his hand up in front of me, palm open and fingers stretched upwards.

"What?"

He said nothing, just waited. I narrowed my eyes and copied him, our hands almost touching.

"The gap between us is filled with air," he said.

"No shit, Sherlock."

He ignored me and drew his hand slightly closer to mine. "Still there is air between us and we are not touching, yes?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"But even when I do this." He placed his hand against mine and a spark shot through my body. "We are still not touching."

I was silent for a few seconds, thinking. And then it hit me. "Electrons," I breathed.

He winked. "You princess, repel me as much as I repel you."

I pulled my hand quickly away from him with an exasperated sigh. "You really are a chemistry nerd."

He laughed. "I never said otherwise."

I went back to rummaging in my bag and pulled out my PJ's. "I need to get changed."

"Go ahead."

I frowned. "Without you in the tent."

"Here I was getting my hopes up." He crawled out of the tent and zipped it back up. "Go quickly, it's freezing out here. "

Translation: Go as slow as possible.

I took my time pulling on my sweatpants followed by my t-shirt for sleeping in, then—

"Incoming!" 

Griffin dived back into the tent and I yelped. "I could've been naked!"

"Someone was coming over and I didn't want to get caught." He looked me up and down. "And besides you—"