Love is for Show

22 - Who Is He?

My knees tremble as I'm lifted up onto the top floor in the elevator. It's okay. This will be fine.

It's just a sleepover with my best friend of a decade with whom I haven't had a sleepover with in who knows how many years. – I refuse to count.

How insane is the situation?

Thankfully, it'll be just with him. Sure, this is Kalen's sanctuary and all, but at least I won't be overwhelmed with everyone's presence for the whole night this time around. I kick off the back wall of the elevator at the sound of its arrival and I quickly attempt to smooth down my shirt that tickles my thighs when I walk.

We agreed to go casual tonight and since my form of casual is a big t-shirt and shorts, this is what we're working with for tonight.

I intentionally ignore the shakiness in my fingers as I ring the bell and let my hand sink back to the straps of my bag, hoping to hide my nervousness as best I can.

I really can't believe this is happening.

A year ago today, this would've actually been impossible.

"Finally, you're here!"

Arms wrap around my neck and tighten as I can feel his grin tickle the side of my neck, startling me enough to drop my bag.

"I'm 15 minutes early,"

He pulls back, but keeps his arms in place, "exactly!" he half-whines.

I resist an eye roll and follow after him once he lets me go. I can only hope he couldn't feel the hammer that is my rapid heart beat right now.

"Okay, so make yourself at home, I don't wanna see any nerves tonight, it's just us,"

I hop onto a stool by the kitchen island and give him my best questioning look. I could be an actor. "What nerves?"

He tilts his head and pushes me lightly on the shoulder, "I know it's been a while, but I still like to think I know how the core of your brain works, some things don't change y'know?" He winks and whips around to pull some colorful ice teas out of the fridge.

"Here, I made these this morning,"

"You're still obsessed with your homemade ice teas?" I loom over my glass and get a whiff of the slight tone of sweetness that comes with his teas.

"I told you, some things never change,"

His words blanket over the room as we both take a long sip. He always used to love making us these ice teas for us to drink at the park together. Especially on particularly hot summer days when our parents didn't notice us leaving and couldn't make their kids a packed lunch for us to take out with us while we played.

I would bring the snacks.

Suddenly, a silence follows after us and we end up sitting in the kitchen with nothing else to say. Exactly what I was afraid of.

Awkward silence.

I can't stand it.

"Um, so-"

"Anyway-"

We both pause and look up at each other with shaky smiles. He dips his head at me and I take the go-ahead to continue what I wanted to ask. I'm just too curious not to.

"Did, um, Kalen say anything about..." I trail off, hoping he'd get what I was trying to say.

He shakes his head and places his glass down.

"They got busy packing and everything, so by the time I could ask, they were out the door this morning," I watch as his eyes darken and squint at the counter.