INSTALOVE

Chapter 27:Cliff's Edge (Part 2)

Chapter 27: Cliff's Edge (Part 2)

E L L I E

I can't breathe.

I know I'm staring at Maddox, but I can't seem to look away. He gazes back at me intently, and his eyes feel like two magnets holding me locked in place. We might have sat there staring at each other for quite a while if he hadn't moved first.

His hand is covering mine, and he rocks his shoulder against me. "Go ahead," he says softly. "Ask me anything."

I know what question I want to ask, but I'm not sure if I want to know the answer. I hesitate, chewing my lip. Maddox's relationship status is really none of my business. We're just partners. Business associates. Nothing more than that.

So why is his hand still on mine?

"Why did you break up with her?" I hear myself ask in a small voice.

He ducks his head, looking down at our joined hands, but he still doesn't let go. His fingers curl around mine. "Honestly," he whispers. "Because I kind of started liking someone else."

My eyes go to his face. I don't know what I was expecting him to say, but it wasn't that.

Before I have time process what he means, Maddox jumps to his feet and hoists me up. "Come here."

My sandals lay abandoned by the boulder where we were sitting. I follow him barefoot as he leads me back over the rocky terrain to the open cliff. The smooth granite feels warm against my toes from baking in the sun. Or beyond warm, really. Hot, but not quite hot enough to burn.

If I could breathe, I might ask Maddox what he's doing. Instead, the sound of his last words reverberate in the air between us.

"Because I kind of started liking someone else."

There's no need to overanalyze what he meant. No room for misinterpretation. He meant me. He likes me. And this is the part where I should tell him I like him back.

If only I could breathe...

We're standing dead center in the middle of the cliff. Open space surrounds us on three sides. I'm not particularly afraid of heights, but this place makes me nervous. I feel vulnerable. Exposed. Or maybe  I feel that way because Maddox has me by the hand.

At least he's stopped staring at me in that oxygen-depriving way. He turns his head and slips on his visor.

"What are you doing?" I whisper.

He gives my hand a squeeze.  "Hold on. Almost done... There. Ready."

"Ready for what?"

"Put your visor on."

My lungs have resumed functioning, but several major muscle groups still aren't quite within my voluntary control. I stand frozen. Maddox turns his back on the cliff's edge and stand before me, face-to-face. My hand is still in his, and but he let's go. He reaches for the visor dangling from my neck and places it gently on my face.

What's happening right now?

"I just had to integrate a new interaction prompt." I hear him say the words, and I feel the tickle of his breath against my lips. But I can't see how close he's standing. I can't even see his avatar. My view is blocked by the InstaLove prompt that popped onto my screen.

"Wait," I whisper. "What do you mean you had to integrate..."

"Just pick a choice," he answers.

"You wrote that prompt? Just now?"

"Pick a choice, Ellie."

I feel panicky. Light-headed. My instincts scream to turn and run away. That's what a scared little rabbit would do.

But I don't do that. Not this time. Some corner of my brain remains aware of the fact that I'm surrounded by a ledge with a 100 foot drop-off. Plus, his hand is on my wrist, gently holding me in place.

"Reese will see," I whisper. "She can see all our interactions."

"I know."

"Eleanor will see it, too."

"Good." I can hear the defiance in his voice. Maybe he wasn't lying to me about their break-up. Maybe it really is just... complicated. Like he said.

But where does that leave me?

I've never kissed a boy before. Never in my life. I've dreamed about it a time or two. Not going to pretend I haven't. In fact, I may have dreamed about it once or twice with this particular boy who stands before me. Kiss Maddox? Is that what's about to happen?

Maybe I should take my visor off. Look him in the face for real.

"Ellie," I can sense him shuffle another half inch closer. "Forget Eleanor. OK?"

"But—"

"I've got nothing to hide. I'm not cheating. Eleanor and I are broken up."

Another question tumbles from my lips before I have to think about the words. "But are you just doing this to make her jealous?"

I can feel the sudden way he expels his breath. "No!"

"Because—"

"You're overthinking this," he tells me crisply. "Just pick a choice. I highly recommend the first one."

Say yes and pucker up.

My eyes track over the words. All I need to do is double-blink. Why am I still hesitating? What's wrong with me? Are my eyelids paralyzed?

"Ellie..." His voice sounds strained. "I don't mean to rush you, but I'm dangling from the edge of a cliff over here."

He doesn't feel like he's dangling. I can feel both his hands, running up and down the length of my forearms.

His palms feel cool and smooth against my heated skin. It feels good. It feels right. It feels like a boy who wants to kiss me, for the first time in my life.

I focus on the sensation, and blink twice.

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