quarantined

chapter four

"I'll have chow mein and..." I glanced down the rows of food. "Egg rolls and the cream cheese puffs."

The worker at Panda Express nodded and made her way to fill the plastic container.

I waited at the register for her. Dylan was waiting by the soda machine, trying to figure out which one was water.

I paid and grabbed my food, along with a cup. I walked over to the soda machine, almost tripping over the mat.

"Klutz."

I glared at him. "Whose beach house are we staying in?"

He rolled his eyes, smiling. "I was kidding."

I laughed and filled my cup with sweet tea. "Ready?"

He nodded, and we went out to my car.

"Can I drive?" he asked abruptly.

I hesitated for a second. No one else, not even my mom, had driven my baby.

"Please? I'll be careful," he added, giving me puppy eyes.

"I-" I thought it over more. The house was less than a mile from here, and more or less of a straight shot. "I guess," I decided, tossing him the keys.

"I won't crash your precious baby," he promised, climbing into the driver's seat. He moved the seat back and turned the car on.

I sat back and took a deep breath. "I'm scared."

"Shut up," he replied, backing out of the parking spot.

We made it to the house in a few minutes, my car untouched.

"Thank God," I breathed, relieved.

"Told you I could do it. C'mon, we're gonna miss the sunset."

Dylan jogged away from the car and around the side of the house to the back, where the beach was.

I grabbed the food and followed him. We found a flat-ish rock and sat down, digging into the food. We ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Dylan put his fork down.

"April?"

"Yeah?" I replied, mouth full of noodles.

"I just-" he stopped, seemingly in deep thought. "I have something to tell you."

"Oh, my God. Do you have herpes?" I asked, wiping my mouth.

"What? No!" he exclaimed, swatting playfully at me. "I-"

"Did you get someone pregnant?"

"April! Can you be serious for a second?" he asked.

I giggled. "Sorry. Continue."

"I just... Look, your mom said I shouldn't tell you this here, in case you didn't feel the same, but I just have to. I really do," he rambled, running a hand through his hair.

"My mom?"

Where was he going with this?

"I asked her. For her blessing. Not that I'm, like, asking you to marry me, or anything. I just wanted to tell you that I really, really like you. You know, as more than a friend. And I don't know if you feel the same, but I really needed to tell you," he finished, breathing a sigh of relief.

I took a breath. Was he serious? "You... like me?"

His eyes searched mine. "I do. I really do. And I'm not the type of guy that wants to stick around for a relationship, you know. But there's something different about you that I found out recently. Remember when you told me that one day I'd find the person for me and I would forget what heartbreak even feels like? Yesterday?"

I nodded, stomach fluttering.

"It's you. I want it to be you, April. I want-"

I laughed, leaning over the food and pressing my mouth to his.

He stiffened, surprised, before kissing me back.

I pulled away, looking over the sun setting on the water.

"Does that mean..." he started.

"It means I like you, too, dumbass," I laughed, glancing over at him.

He pumped a fist. "Yes! I knew it!"

I laughed, trying to calm my heart.

He stopped, serious again. "But seriously. I mean it when I say I want that person to be you. I know you have a big past, but we'll take this as slow as you want. You don't even have to touch me, okay?"

I smiled, blushing. "Dylan..."

"I'm serious! I want this to last."

I looked at him, his fluffy hair blowing slightly in the wind. The sunset projected a soft glow onto his lips. The lips I had just kissed.

What did I do?

I bit my lip. "I don't want to..." I started.

His face dropped. "What?"

"I don't wanna get my heart broken again," I whispered.

Dylan moved the food and scooted closer to me, wrapping an arm around my waist. "I would never, ever break your heart. I promise."

I looked at him. "Promise?"

"My heart? It's yours. I think it always has been. Do whatever you want with it. Tear it apart. Throw it in the ocean. I don't care. You have me under a fucking spell, April," he said softly into my hair.

I turned to face him, and then for the second time that night, my lips were on his. I was kissing my best friend.