Page 31 of First Kiss with a Mothman

“It would be my first time…” I roll my neck around in discomfort, then lower my voice. “My first kiss.”

“Oh, uh…oh.”

“Yeah,” I say, despite my face and throat burning with shame. I suddenly wish I was a shifter so I could turn into a bird and fly away from this conversation. Mort’s never going to want me now. I’m such a loser.

After a long pause, I sense us reach the lecture hall. “I’ve got to get to class,” I say in a whiny tone.

“Wait,” Mort says, holding me. “Arie, this changes nothing.”

“What?”

He strokes my hand and continues, “Just because you haven’t been…” He lowers his voice into a whisper and says, “kissed…” Mort clears his throat and continues, “Doesn’t mean you should do it while super drunk at a frat party. You should still be consenting.”

I know he has a point, but it feels like it might never happen at this rate. I don’t dare tell Mort that. “Okay.” I shrug.

“And I want to continue to help you with the list.”

“Really?” I ask, a little too eagerly.

“Yes. Let’s go to the gorges this weekend. We can hop in my car super early.” He taps my hand and adds, “That’s what friends do.”

My heart lifts and shatters all at once. He keeps insisting we’re platonic, which sucks hard. But hey, I need to take what I can get. No one owes me desire, intimacy, or affection. Mort is cool, even if he never catches feelings for me. Plus, going to the gorges would be amazing.

“Alright. Um, thanks, man. Sounds like a plan.”

“A good plan. You and me. And the sunrise.” I don’t need my vision to know he has a gentle smile on his face.

Chapter

Ten

MORT

It’s a calm drive to Stokerbram Park. I went to Arie’s dorm super early, and we packed up his violin into my car, got two cups of coffee at the gas station, and hit the highway two hours ago. Since then I’ve been switching through radio stations to accompany the sounds of the road under my wheels. I let Arie pick the music, and to no surprise, he chose the classical station.

And he’s barely talked, choosing to pet Reginald the whole time. I thought the sexual tension we’ve been having was bad when he joked with me, but it’s so much worse when he’s sitting here in silence. The swelling of violins and cellos is a romantic ambience, making me want to reach over to the guy two feet to my right. Eyes on the road, Mort.

“How’s the sunlight?” he asks.

I look around at the dark blue sky around the road. “Good. It’s still pretty dark.”

“Sweet. Can’t wait to feel that sunrise.”

His earnestness is endearing. “Glad.”

“Selena and my mom think it’s weird.”

“Really?”

“They think it’s pointless because I can’t see the Sun.”

I frown. “You can use Reginald to see it.”

He snickers and shakes his head. “That’s not the point. The purpose is the warmth on my face. My little visual trick is a secret only for emergencies.” He rubs Reginald and continues, “But I love having my buddy around.”

Watching the bird preen at Arie’s touch, I can’t help but grin. I suspect Arie is a monster of sorts, but that’s not important now. What is important is being there for my new friend, allowing him to accomplish his list. The fact that his family is so dismissive doesn’t sit well in my gut.

When the radio gets fuzzy from distance, Arie shuts it off. Now we’re really silent save for the road under my tires. I keep stealing glances at Arie’s pretty face. Under his sunglasses, his skin is smooth. Were his lips always that pink?