I Want You Close, I Want You Closer

Chapter Two

You're trying to pay attention to what your friend, Charlotte, is saying, along with the others around you, but you can't seem to focus. The electricity tracing up your spine and lingering on the back of your neck keeps you distracted, only nodding and "mhm"ing along. And really, this is hardly the place for a distraction like this.

It's supposed to be a formal event, a place for New York's most popular to meet with multiple news sources (including some unwanted gossip magazines) to discuss any philanthropic or humanitarian efforts being made. A night to prove that the money of the rich and famous isn't going into frivolous things such as expensive cars, designer bags, or exotic trips, but is actually going back into the communities they're part of.

Truthfully, it's a great cause. You've always been a firm believer in privilege - recognizing that not everyone shares the same privilege and that with privilege comes platform, and with a platform as influential as some of the people in this room, comes great power.

And Peter Parker be damned, but with great power comes great responsibility and it was the responsibility of everyone in this room, including yourself, to give back and use your platform to do some good.

Now, if you could just ignore the lingering stares of a specific boy long enough to remember that and actually engage in conversation and be part of this function, you'd be fine.

In truth, you do understand his...insistence on keeping his eyes on you.

Since you walked into the room, you immediately spotted him and internally slapped yourself for not anticipating his presence, but knew you couldn't keep putting this off. You haven't seen Shawn since that night at your place, which happened to be five days ago now. It wasn't as bad as it seemed - it wasn't as if you didn't want to see him because you didn't like him, or because you didn't enjoy yourself.

On the contrary, you'd thoroughly enjoyed yourselves that night, and despite the circumstances, you couldn't deny that he was growing on you.

However, that was part of the problem.

You knew that if anyone found out the two of your were together, that it would no doubt cause some sort of tension between your families. While his family had no idea who you were, if word got around to your father that you were seeing Shawn, he'd be through the roof with fury.

Which ultimately left you no choice, and so that next morning when Shawn left after you made him breakfast, you decided it would be best if you purposefully avoided him, mainly to protect him from a possible Mendes v. DeLuca problem.

And you thought, with the amount of people in this room, surely he'd be occupied in conversation about his recent work, or that there'd be at least enough bodies to keep some distance between the two of you.

But of course, because the Universe decidedly hates you, that doesn't happen.

Soft fingers wrap around your upper arm, gently and effectively pulling you away from the group conversation, before turning you around to face them. Shawn's there, beaming at you a little, before he slightly frowns. "Why are you avoiding me?" He asks.

You try to play coy, try to lie. "What makes you think I'm avoiding you?"

Shawn scoffs a little at your faux innocence. "Oh nothing, just the fact that you haven't responded to my calls, or my texts, you keep the curtains drawn in your room and the lights off, and oh, you've actually started parking in your garage." He says, frowning as he counts off his points on his fingers.

You match his frown with one of your own, and just as you go to respond, a chipper voice intercedes.

"Oh good! You've met!"