Love is in the Air

Chapter 8

"Would you?"

No answer.

I bite my lip, fighting a smile. We left Northville, where our families live, three months ago, and now we're sitting on my couch watching some movie and I'm trying to talk to him, but he's so engrossed in the movie that he isn't hearing a word I'm saying.

We're stuck in that awkward stage between dating and not, where we act like we're dating and spend all out time together, but we're not dating. I was certain he'd ask on Valentines day, but he never did, and I was so upset that I started crying. Still now, after exactly three months of talking, today is the twenty first, which was the day we formally met at that restaurant, I'm still frustrated he hasn't asked me.

We don't kiss much because we're not dating, but I could kiss him for hours.

"Nick." I say.

"Hmm?" he starts rubbing my back.

I laugh.

"Nevermind."

He pauses the movie and gives me his undivided attention.

"Sorry baby." He says. "What was it you asked?"

"Nothing. It's really okay."

I start to get up, but he gently pulls me onto his lap. I turn so I'm straddling him. He puts his hands on the small of my back.

"I wanna know." He pouts adorably.

I smile.

"I just wanted to know if you wanna move to LA." I say.

"Like us?"

"I mean just in general, not us."

"Why would I move to LA?"

I frown.

"To get a record deal."

"Oh." He wrinkles his nose. "No, I'm happy being a nobody. Why do you ask? Do you wanna go and be a famous artist?"

"No." I laugh.

"Okay then." He smiles.

I slip off of his lap.

He makes a pouty face.

"What?" I ask.

"Oh, nothing." He sighs.

"Wait, no, I wanna know."

He shrugs.

"I didn't want you to get off of me."

When he does things like that, it pisses me off.

What is he waiting for? Does he not want to go out with me?

I haven't stressed this to him, and I'm not going to.

Not because I'm afraid to talk to him, but I'm worried that he's going to feel forced to ask me out and I want him to be absolutely ready.

So instead, I grin and stand up.

"If you want me, you're gonna have to come get me."

He raises his eyebrows.

"Yeah?" he asks.

"Yeah." I grin, and then bolt out the front door.

I rush down the front steps to the townhouse and take off down the sidewalk.

He sprints after me. He's fast and taller than me and I already know he's gonna catch me.

I keep trying to get away though.