Connection -- A Ross Lynch Story

More Than That

I leaned against the wall backstage, listening to the music as R5 tested their equipment. They seemed to be having a lot of fun, and I was thinking that I could learn a lot more from them. While this was work, and they treated it as such, it never seemed like it. This family made everything enjoyable. They would switch instruments, play different covers, and even occasionally break out into a guitar riff battle. They genuinely enjoyed being with each other and making music. Sound checks were just a necessary extension of that, and one that they obviously enjoyed.

They finally finished their cover of a Green Day song before they got the signal that everything was working as it should. One by one, they started to make their way backstage. The techs took care of the instruments and equipment as Riker ran over a list of changes they should make. I kept my head down, trying to avoid looking like I was eavesdropping. I spotted Ross as he was walking towards the door and before he could leave, I reached out and grabbed his hand. "Not so fast," I whispered.

The nearby room was empty, and for that I was grateful. The door shut softly behind me and Ross, and I pushed him against the wall. My entire body pressed against his as my hands rested on his neck. "Trina, what are you doing?" Ross asked with a small smile. I took that question as a rhetorical and failed to answer, bringing my lips closer to his. But before I could kiss him passionately as I desperately wanted to do, he repeated his question in a much more serious tone. "Seriously. Katrina, what are you doing?"

To say that I was confused would've been an understatement. My hands slid from his neck down to the exposed skin of his shoulder, and I could feel my fingers turn ice cold instantly out of fear of what was to come. I tried my hardest to keep the tone of my voice even. "All I have been thinking about since the other night was your lips," I admitted. Thinking I had explained myself adequately, I couldn't think of any reason not to continue. I shifted my weight onto my toes and lifted my body. My lips were close to his once again and I could feel his breath as it shook.

"I can't do this," he whispered with a sigh, causing his sweet breath to flood my nostrils. He placed his hands on mine and pulled them down off of him, but he didn't let go. Instead, he tangled his fingers with mine and brought each hand to his mouth, placing tiny kisses on my knuckles. "Not like this."

My heart pounded against my chest and it actually hurt. Had I made a fool of myself? I wanted to run away, to hide, but I knew it wasn't an option. "I thought there was something between us," I stuttered. This wasn't like me. I was the girl who always had something to say, and said it was confidence. How could one guy bring out a side of me I didn't know existed.

His eyes widened and he shook his head quickly, his feathery hair falling into his eyes. "It's not that," he assured me. He blew a quick breath up towards his hair to move it out of his way. "I really like you," he said. "Really. But I can't just be your secret, hiding in an abandoned room to fool around. That's not my style."

"I like you too," I replied. "But I'm not quite sure I understand what you're saying.

"I want to get to know you," he said with a crooked smile. "I want to spend time with you. I want the physically intimate stuff too, but it has to be more than that."

Everything was happening so fast, and I wasn't too sure of how I felt about it. The silence must have lasted a while because he cupped my cheek in his hands and tilted my face up. My eyes met his heart-melting brown ones, and they were kind and reassuring. He tucked my hair behind my ear and rubbed his thumb up and down along my jaw. "What would you say if I asked you on a date?" he asked. "A proper date. Tomorrow?"

"A date..." I repeated, studying his facial expression as I pondered the possibilities. His grin widened innocently and the apples of his cheeks were blushing red. He raised his eyebrows, as if nonverbally asking the question over again. I hadn't ever been on a proper date before and not knowing what to expect made me both nervous and excited. If there was anyone I could trust with my heart, it was this gentle boy in front of me. My straight face softened and I let a smile form. "I'd love that."

"Great," he said. He released his hold on my face and reached for the door. It was time for him to make his exit before I changed my mind, and he was well aware of that. "I'm really looking forward to this. You won't regret it." When he found the knob, he twisted it slowly and pulled it open. He didn't care if anyone saw them together. Before he pulled the door shut behind him, he peeked his head into the crack. "Oh, and Trina?"

I turned my head to face him once again. "Yeah?" I asked hesitantly.

"Good luck tonight." He winked and closed the door behind him. I could hear his footsteps as they faded away the further he got from the room.

"Thanks," I said with a breathy exhale, but I was talking to an empty room.