Page 67 of This I Promise You
holding my phone
taking a picture of myself
here and
now
for too long
I'll never get out.
It
is
time.”
Oh my holyshitthat was amazing. I’m a little out of breath, but I was able to get through the whole thing without needing my phone. It just came out. But…no one is saying anything. Uhhhhh? Should I just return to my seat? Everyone else at least got some claps and screams of approval from their friends. Everyone is just…staring at me. Shit. What the hell do I do? Was it bad? Where’s Jeremy?
“Uh, that’s it,” I say into the mic. And then it happens: the claps and cheers, the screaming and whistling. It’s so loud that I feel like I’m at a concert standing right next to the speakers at the front of the stage. I look over to find Huxley and Devina and—where’s Easton?
I take an awkward bow and make my way back to my seat. Halfway there I spot Easton standing in the hall by the bathrooms. Somehow I missed him getting up.
Next thing I know he flings himself into my arms and starts kissing me on the mouth. My mind is all over the place as I’m trying to process what the hell is going on.
“That wasamazing, Paul. Holy shit.”
I’m beaming. “You liked it?”
He bites his lip and nods, then kisses me again. I pull back and see Easton’s honey-brown eyes looking back at me with so much sparkle. He smiles and I can’t help but match it. He kisses me again. I kiss him back.
The cheering gets louder. How is it still going?
“Well, fuck me!” I hear Jeremy say into the mic. He’s on stage waving his arms in front of him to get everyone to settle down, but I only have eyes for Easton. Eventually, the cheering dies out like blowing out a candle. “I’m utterly shooketh, my dude. Paul! Get your sexy ass back up here.” I look back to the stage and see he’s waiting for me. So I grab Easton’s hand and bring him with me. He tries to get away, but I think he forgets I’m stronger than him.
We hit the stage and Jeremy claps his hand on my shoulder as I snake my arm around Easton’s waist. “This is my fucking bar and I’ll do whatever the fuck I want, ya hear? And I think we have aclearwinner.” Jeremy takes my hand and hoists it into the air like I’m a damn MMA fighter who just won a match. It’s awkward, but also…feels pretty damn good, too. “Paul Acre!”
The cheering commences again and I’m smiling harder than I ever have in my entire life. With Easton by my side and Huxley in my corner, I feel like I’m on top of the world.
Paul
Homework
“Strawberries & Cigarettes” by Troye Sivan is blaring through my shower Bluetooth as I step out into my room and—
“Holy shit!” I scream. Easton’s sitting on my bed. Huxley must have let him in.
He scared the ever-lovinghelloutta me! I double over, hands on my knees, breathing hard. I’m completely naked except for the towel wrapped around my waist. I feel a bit out of sorts at first, but oddly, I’m relaxed about it. I want to be naked with Easton and…um…tonight I want to work on the homework Dr. Orleen gave me. Stay tuned for that.
“Damn, babe. Didn’t mean to scare you,” he says, but he’s laughing and it makes me chuckle. He doesn’t think I notice, but he takes a quick glance south of my stomach and I so badly want to pick him up and pin him against the wall. But not yet.
“It’s cool, Belle. I could get used to getting out of the shower to you.” I wink. He blushes that gorgeous shade of peach that I like so much. He’s propped up on his elbow in my bed, so I sort of crawl up to him to give him all the kisses.
“I could get used to this, too,” he murmurs into my mouth.
“Hmm, good. Now, get out so I can get dressed.”
Easton huffs, then hurries off the bed. “Well, hurry up then. I need my Paul time. Oh, and Aidan’s here, too. Huxley told me to bring him. I know you two aren’t exactly friends, but I’d like you to be at some point—”
