Reckless Play | ✓

22. Talks & Confessions

"What?" He sounded perplexed.

"You kissed. That day before you came to the cafeteria." I watched as his confusion cleared. "Her lipstick was all over you."

He took a deep breath, "Nothing escapes your notice, huh?"

"I have visual memory." I replied.

"Right." He nodded once. "There's just one thing wrong with what you said. She kissed me. I didn't kiss her back."

How would I know that really happened?

"Told her not to pull that shit on me again, that I liked someone else, and she didn't cross that line again."

Just one part of what he said caught my attention. 

...that I liked someone else...

It sounded on repeat in my head.

Who was he talking about? I mean, we had barely talked by that time.

"You told her you liked someone else?" 

"Yes." His answer came quickly.

"Who?" I wondered. 

He stared at me. Those deep green eyes of his burning into my chocolate ones trying to convey a message.

I blinked.

It couldn't be.

It was though. The answer was right there, staring back at me.

But then, if he did like me then why was he acting all cozy with Emily on the hallway?

"Not me." I muttered. 

It couldn't be me.

He raked a hand through his hair, sighed and looked beyond the windshield at the street outside.

I waited.

Then with another sigh he turned back to me, his eyes determined.

"Yes Kalley. You. I like you." Every word was pronounced slowly as if he wanted to make sure he got the message across. "I'd thought I'd made that clear many times."

My mouth opened, then closed.

"I told you we were going to happen, I told you I didn't like other guys sniffing around what's mine." His voice was low.

"I'm not yours." Was my stupid, stupid answer.

His smile appeared, "Yeah Twiggie. You are."

I shook my head.

"If I am yours then explain how one day you've got your arms wrapped around me at a party and not two days later those same arms are wrapped around Emily." I folded my arms at my chest.

He watched the movement with weary eyes.

One of his hands came up to rub against his jaw, "I already told you it's not the same."

My voice was barely a whisper when I asked, "How is it not the same?"

I felt him lean even closer, the warmth of his breath hitting my cheek. 

"I like you. Don't you see that? Don't you see that I am here now with you when I could be anywhere else? Don't you see that I went to that party just because you were there? Don't you see that I sat beside you at the cafeteria when I could pick any other seat? Don't you see that I worry about you getting home safe? Don't you see that I don't give a damn where I am as long as you are there?"

My heart squeezed.

Nothing in my entire life could have prepared me for this. How could he affect me this much with just a few words was something I'd keep wondering, but hoped never grew old.

I knew he was right. He was.

I'd let my jealousy cloud my judgement of the situation and hadn't even taken into account all those things he did for me. So, he did touch Emily and I didn't like it, but it wasn't like he'd stepped over a line. There wasn't even a line to begin with. Our relationship had no label. Yet. 

They had been friends for years, they knew each other, they were familiar with each other and it was impossible to fight that. And I knew that if I wanted a chance with Ryan I'd have to accept that. It was part of accepting his past.

I worried my lips between my teeth as I thought about what he said.

"I like you Kalley." He said once more. "But you have to give me something here."

There were opportunities in life that presented in your path when you last expected, but not because they came without warning you had to watch them pass you by, on the contrary, I'd learned you had to grab on to them. And I knew this was one of those.

One thing I was sure of, I wasn't planning on letting go.

Taking a shaky breath I tilted my face towards his. He was still waiting for me, his eyes holding mine captive.

My lips parted and the words "I like you too." filled the previous silence of the car.