In Love and Diplomacy

Chapter Thirty-Three: Where Priorities Lie

"There's no time for us, there's no place for us
What is this thing that builds our dreams, yet slips away from us?
Who wants to live forever? Who wants to live forever? Oh, ooh, oh
There's no chance for us, it's all decided for us
This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us"

- Queen, "Who Wants to Live Forever"

Chapter Thirty-Three

Our breath tangled together in the small space between us, warm and bated. He was so close. His blinks were slow and steady, and I could see how his eyelashes brushed and fluttered on his cheek. How curly they were as they framed my favorite color. I could see the faintest of freckles on his nose, a barely there splattering of spots; I wondered if they only appeared in the summer, or if they dusted his skin year-round. I wondered if I would ever know.

One day I'd like to count them, if he'll let me.

So faint, I wondered if it was just a trick of the light. But that wasn't all the bright morning was illuminating. I realized the color in his eyes got lighter in the center, almost a strained watery green before it dropped off into a bottomless pool of black.

I could look at him forever. Memorizing and learning everything there is to know.

The green flicked down before meeting my eyes again. He was exploring me as much as I was exploring him. Those curly lashes kissed his cheek again.

The heat from the hot tub was getting unbearable now. I was overheating.

He was so close.

He got a little closer.

And closer.

I could count every freckle, every eyelash.

Heaven forgive me.

His hand drew up, fingers reaching for my cheek. We were so close.

And then an interruption happened. Life intervened.

When a shrill sound pierced the moment, startling us away from each other, I could've screamed in frustration. We jumped and flinched apart as his phone rang, loud and urgent. It disrupted everything as it wailed.

I stared in disbelief at the phone where it laid beside us.

Are you kidding me? That actually happened? His phone went off? That only happens on screen.

But what was even more mind-boggling was what'd almost happened, just before the phone went off. We'd almost... wow. That part was even harder to believe than the odd stroke of fate that was his phone ringing.

When did my life become a movie? This is some Hallmark bullshit. Am I not allowed to have nice things? The one time I say damn the consequences, and actively try to stall my overthinking—this happens. Are you kidding me?

The water sloshed as Reed cleared his throat and reached for the phone, just beyond my shoulder. His eyes were focused on the device, pointedly avoiding me again. His arm brushed mine ever so slightly when he pulled it back.

He stared at the caller ID before his eyes darted to me, hints of his own disbelief still on his face. A slight blush tinged his ears as he cleared his throat again. I was still frozen, wide-eyed.

What just happened? Or was about to happen? And why the actual hell did his phone have to go off?

I was convinced the universe didn't want me to be happy. I was clearly on the cosmos's naughty-list. Because if that phone hadn't gone off, we would've been on a one-way train out of the purgatory we resided in.