“Becca, why do we have to go to this movie night thing?” I fell back on the bed, pulling a pillow over my head. “I just want to stay in and read.”
“Well, the movie is based off of a book, so it’s basically the same thing.” She sounded so sure of herself. I nearly growled and threw the pillow at her head.
Instead, I sat up straight. “It is so not the same thing and you know it.”
“Yeah,” she said with a laugh. “But it got you to get up, didn’t it?”
I sent her a glare. “Comparing books and movies is no joking matter.”
“Can you just please get up? We’ve got some boys to cuddle with.” She wiggled her brows.
“You mean, you have some boys to cuddle with,” I said pointedly.
“No, I definitely mean you too,” she said with a smirk. “You’re on the fast track to winning Dylan’s heart.”
“Right.” I rolled my eyes. “That’s about as likely as a kangaroo going on vacation in the middle of the ocean.”
“That’s not likely at all.” Her face scrunched.
“Case and point, my lovely friend.”
“Will you please just come with me? It’s downstairs in the common lounge so you don’t even have to change.” She pressed her hands together in front of her chest. “Pretty please?”
I looked down at the plaid shirt and cow-printed shorts I had on. “That’s comforting. I just don’t know if I’m ready, Becca.”
“I know you’re still hurting over Tian and that it’s still really fresh, but you have to at least try to move on. Like I said before, maybe a little fun is exactly what you need.”
“You’re right.” And she was. She really was. “But Dylan’s not the type of guy I can just have fun with. What if I fall for him?”
“Then you fall, and you hope that he catches you on the way down.”
“It’s scary though, Becca. I’m scared.” I admitted softly.
“The best things in life are usually the things we’re most afraid of,” she said quietly.
“Wow,” I breathed. “Your way with words never ceases to amaze me.”
“Yeah, well, I’m good like that. So, what do you say, Jade?” She looked hopeful. Of course, I gave in.
“Now, that handsome hunk is waiting on you downstairs.”
“Handsome hunk?” I asked with a tilt of my head. It was easier to play dumb than it was to admit that I was starting to get excited at the idea of him waiting on me.
“You know dang well who I’m referring to.”
“Yeah, but you’re fun to mess with.” I stood from the bed and headed toward the door. “You make it so easy.”
* * *
“Jade,” Dylan whispered against my temple and pulled the side of my body against his. I could have melted. I almost did. “Becca said you didn’t want to come.”
“I almost didn’t.” I bit my lip to conceal my smile.
“Well, I’m glad you did.” His lips brushed against my skin as he spoke. The warmth of his breath against the surface made me want to stay put. But then I remembered how bad this could potentially turn out. I slowly moved away from him, keeping my smile in place.
“Jade?”
“Mmm?”
“Are you alright?” His voice held concern. I didn’t want it.
I shook off the devil on my shoulder trying to push me toward him. “Yeah, I’m all right.”
“Are you sure?” His eyes searched mine for an honest answer. I wasn’t sure I wanted to give him one. I must have taken too long to respond because he grabbed my hand and laced his fingers through mine. “Sit with me during the movie?”
Ugh. Did he have to be so sweet? Was he even real? What type of alternate universe had I stepped into?
It was just a movie. Besides, I really didn’t have anything more to lose. “Sure.”
I let him lead me to a spot in the back of the room, a spot slightly secluded from all of the rest. He sat on a couch cushion placed on the floor and pulled me into his lap. I laughed and placed my hands on his shoulders to keep from losing my balance. We were eye level like this. His ocean-like eyes still searching mine. It was easy to forget about my broken heart when we were like this, to forget that I was still healing from the damage Tian had left when he walked away. So easy that I moved my fingers to the back of his neck and brushed them against the ends of his hair. He was gorgeous. He was sweet. He was easy to be around. He was more than I thought I’d find, and nothing that I could ever have. But maybe I could enjoy his company, maybe Becca had been right when she said the best way to get over someone was to find someone new. Just maybe a rebound wouldn’t be so bad.
“I’m glad we’re friends Jade.” He pressed a kiss to the edge of my lips.
I looked around to see if anyone had noticed our intimate position. They hadn’t. At some point between our greeting and sitting down, the lights had been turned off and the movie had started.
“Me too,” I whispered loud enough for only him to hear. “So glad.”
“You know, I’ve been thinking.”
“About what?”
“I think we should try this.”
“This?” I questioned. What exactly is he suggesting right now?
“We should try to be more than friends.”
“I’m listening,” I said softly, keeping my mind open.
“I don’t like to do the more than friends thing. It’s easier to hook up and forget. I had a bad break up before moving here and I don’t want another one.”
His honesty surprised me. He was in the same situation that I was in, trying to heal a broken heart while moving on with life. It wasn’t an easy feat to do.
“I’m sorry.” I frowned. “I understand that. More than you know.”
“Yeah?” His lips tilted in a smile. “I wouldn’t mind trying … something with you. I just want it to be private, something between you and I. For some reason, when things go public, other people interfere and ruin it. Every single time. So, let’s get to know each other. Just you and me. We could stay friends or we could be more, we won’t know unless we try. College is about having fun, right? So why not have fun with each other?”
“That’s quite the line, Dylan. Who knew you were such a softy?” I joked.
“It’s my best-kept secret. Shh, don’t tell anyone.” He gave my hands a gentle squeeze.
“Your secret is safe with me.” I pressed my forehead against his. This was sure to be a bad idea. There was no scenario where it played out into a good one, but he was steady, and he gave me butterflies. I hadn’t felt those in a long time. Maybe this is what I needed. A temporary infatuation to heal the broken parts of me. “Okay. We can try, but it needs to stay between us. Like you said, when other people get involved it only makes things go horribly wrong.”
He pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “You won’t regret this, Jade.”
“I already do.” I brought his lips back to mine, smiling against them. “This is probably going to be my favorite regret ever.”
“It better be,” he said, pressing a kiss at the corner of my mouth.
“Wait,” I said, pulling away from him. We were being way too open already and it had only been a few minutes. “I thought this was supposed to be private?”
“It is?” He didn’t sound sure.
“We’re already basically making out in public.”
“Actually, we’re kissing in the corner of a dark room while everyone else pays attention to the movie.” He used his fingertips to move my head toward the rest of the room, giving me a better visual of everyone else.
“Huh,” I bit my bottom lip, slightly embarrassed. “I honestly didn’t realize it had started.”
“You’re boosting my ego, and we aren’t even five minutes in.” He pressed a hand to his chest, holding in his laugh. I shook my head and rolled my eyes, moving off of his lap to sit beside him.
“You’re so full of yourself.”
“You’re about to be full of me soon.”
“Gross.” I pinched his side. “Hilarious. But gross. Of course you have a dirty side though. I’m not even surprised. Don’t tell me pillow talk is on your list of hobbies.”
“It is.” His eyes widened dramatically. “How did you know?”
“Just a lucky guess.” I shrugged my shoulders then moved so that my back was pressed against the wall. His hand found mine again.
He gave me a reassuring squeeze, repeating his earlier words. “You won’t regret this, Jade.”
“I know.” I didn’t sound so sure. “It’s just fun. We all need to have it at some point.”
“Exactly.”
I was in trouble. My heart raced, fear fueling its pace. I ignored its cries, like I had before.
I could do this. I could move on.
I would.