The Open Door - Sean and Kaycee

17. Something Different

Kaycee

I wake up in the same bed again, smelling of the same fresh pine needles. But this time, it's not an unfamiliar bed. It's his bed. And the memory of his lips is still lingering on mine. Just thinking about it makes me shiver.

Speaking of the man, Sean is still fast asleep next to me. I look over at him and watch him as he peacefully slumbers on, as blissfully unaware of his surroundings as a little baby. Jesus Christ, Sean, do you really have to be so unbelievably attractive?

At that moment, Sean's dimples appear and his face flushes pink. "Thanks, Kaycee, you are unbelievably attractive too," he says.

"Wha-what? You were up this whole time?" My face is burning up. I can't believe I just said that out loud. I'm such a clutz.

"Well, I thought I was dreaming. But it was just you, looking at me. Which, to be honest, is better than any dream I've ever had." He flashes me a sweet grin.

I roll my eyes. "Please shut up, Shamu, I can't handle that much sappiness this early in the morning." But I can't resist smiling back at him.

"What time is it?" he asks, yawning. "I still want to sleep."

I check my phone. "Oh crap. It's already almost 9:00! Don't we have to be at Build A Beast by 9:30?"

He jolts up, startled. "Shit, Build A Beast. I'm teaching a freaking class today. I almost forgot about that given... recent events," he says, blushing, "We'd better hurry."

We somehow manage to get dressed and out the door within five minutes. It takes us about 20 minutes to get to BABE, so we make it right on time.

The noise from the convention room is deafening, muffled only by a double-door that Sean and I are about to enter through to start class. I notice that Sean looks increasingly anxious as we approach the door. "What's up?" I say, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He jumps at my touch. "Sorry... it's just that... would this be a good time to mention that I've never taught a class before in my life?" He groans and facepalms.

I smile at him, reassuringly. "Don't worry, Shamu. You're going to do fine. We only practiced this dance, what, 500 times?"

He looks up at me. "It's not the dance I'm worried about. It's the people. I suck at public speaking."

"Then don't think of it as teaching a room full of a hundred people. Think of it... like you're only teaching me. That way, you'll have to over-explain everything, just like you do when you're teaching me."

He laughs, and his features relax. "As long as you're there with me, nothing bad can happen. Can I have a kiss for good luck?" he asks shyly. His eyes are wide and earnest, and his mouth has formed into an adorably hopeful half-smile.

Ugh, who could possibly resist a shy Shamu? "Why not," I say in mock exasperation. Our lips have barely touched when someone shouts "GIIIIIIIIT" from behind us.

Sean and I spring apart as if we were being repelled by a magnetic force. It's like a scene from a movie. Literally all of our friends are there. And they're all smirking knowingly at us.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Josh Price says, with a gigantic grin on his face.

"Um, nothing," Sean says defensively. "I was just... showing Kaycee my... my microphone."

This is such an unbelievably bad lie that even I start laughing.

"Oh sure," Bailey says smirking, "And you had to kiss her in order to show it to her?"