A New Beginning

Confrontation

I awake to the sound of Mitch blow drying his hair and silently smile to myself. I stretch my arms above my head and sigh happily. I get up out of bed and look over at my suitcase that I started packing last night, overflowing with clothes. I pick up two cute shirts that I can't decide on and throw them over my right shoulder. I walk to the bathroom where I see Mitch in his boxers, plucking his eyebrows. "I can't decide," I whine and hold them up for him to see. Mitch looks in the mirror at his reflection for a little while longer and then he turns to look at me.

"Well, I reallllly like the one on the right because the half polka dot and striped thing will most definitely give people epileptic seizures during the show and that's always fun. But you know, your choice," he responds, then turns back to his reflection.

I chuckle and smile softly, then turn around to go back to my room. I place the "seizure-causing" shirt on a hanger and put it back into my closet and neatly fold the black and white shirt and place it into my suitcase. I then look through it again, making sure I have all the essentials, and I remember that I need my toothbrush. I head back to the bathroom and reach around Mitch to grab it. I accidentally brush the small of his back against my arm and I look up into the mirror to see him sporting a small smile.

Confront him about last night.

"Hey, Mitch?"

"Yes?"

"I was wondering..I mean it doesn't really matter but I..I um wanted to ask you about last night," I mumble. "I mean, it's okay if you just want to forget it or something-"

"Forget what?"

Wait. He doesn't remember? Is he playing?!?

"Um, last night, after we finished our errands? We stopped at our spot and you drank a bottle of champagne,"

"Oh yeah! Of course I remember."

"Okay. Is that all you remember?"

"Not exactly," Mitch smiled.

Oh I see.

"Can you fill me in?" I say slyly, trying not to laugh.

"Well of course. It started like this," Mitch says and takes my hands in his, then moves them up my arms. "Then this," he continues, and places his arms on my bare hips. He leans in close to my face slowly and whispers, "and...this." He slowly places his lips onto mine ever so carefully. Before I get a chance to go deeper into the kiss, his lips part from mine and I feel him shudder in my arms.

"I'm going to go put some clothes on, I'm freezing," Mitch says, looking up into my eyes.

"Of course. I will too," I say, trying to rationalize what's going on in his head. He leaves my arms and goes across the hall into his room, leaving me to my thoughts. I walk back to my room slowly.

If he likes me, does he truly feel the same way, and why? Am I missing something? When did this start? Was he just feeling sorry for me? Is he going to just forget it happened? But why would he kiss me right now? But he hesitated. Surely he must feel sorry for me. No, he was just cold. He just needs to warm up. But why did he lean in to kiss me in the first place? For the first time!

Thoughts race around my head as I try to come up with an explanation for him all of a sudden showing interest in me.

After all these years, why now? Why so suddenly?

I can't help but go through past memories of when he was "straight", when he and Kirstie dated. That night that he finally admitted that he was gay to Kirstie and I, formal night, prom, everything. We were always just friends. A fine line placed up by both of us, at one point. We were always here for each other during breakups, during the hardest times and we were seldom ever mad at each other. When did this line between us snap?

I finish changing and carry my luggage out from my room and into the living room to see Mitch sitting on the couch, on Twitter. I set my stuff down and take the car keys off the coffee table.

"Ready to go?" I ask Mitch.

"Yes," he responds and stands up from the couch. I grab my bags and the keys and open the door for Mitch. He puts his bag on his left shoulder and totes his luggage behind him with grace, and walks through the doorway and outside. I follow him, stopping to lock the door first. When reaching the car, we put our luggage in the back and get in our respectable sides of the car.

"Hey, Mitch?"

"Yeah?"

I love you.

"Oh, never mind. I blanked out."