About Last Night

Who said I was asking?

Are you going?" Shaun asked, reading through the list of screenshots I sent him.

He was sitting at my kitchen table, only half paying attention to me saying "No."

"I don't think you should go," he added, then looked up. "Oh, you said 'no'," he blinked, then continued scrolling.

My explanation of Lucas was only half-true. I told Shaun about my newly created Instagram account, and how I had created it because I didn't want to be excluded. I told him about the selfie that went viral, and the direct message where Lucas had contacted me. However, I didn't explain to him why Lucas had contacted me. To show him my foolish mistake, I described to him how I stupidly sent the message to Kira. I also added how the twins were now freaking out that I knew 'King Luc'.

"Wait," he said, pausing to take a bite from the turkey sandwich I made earlier. His eyebrows knotted as he asked, "Why... why does he want to apologize, I don't know if you mind me asking, but do you two have any sort of history together?"

I picked up my phone, fingers hovering over my home screen. I switched it on then turned it off again. "He's the reason why I stopped using social media," I confessed, and placed my phone back on the table. He reached for my hand, slowly at first, then eventually our fingers touched. 

"The internet is a cruel place," I muttered, "So...let's just leave it at that,"

"I'm sorry," he whispered as his fingers untied from mine. "I have to return to the city." He finally said and looked at me.

I raised my eyebrows.

The whole reason he moved to Econo Parks was because he needed a break from the city. I only remember what he told me, but it seems as though he got caught up in following someone else's dream instead of his own. He had told me that he was mostly a songwriter, and that he used to sing. Shaun explained that mostly what he cared about back then was just being himself and creating music. However, that all changed when he started to make it big, and when he created a name for himself, that's when his freedom turned into a prison. He wouldn't open up about the details, so I didn't push him. I guess I simply liked that he trusted me enough to share it with me.

"Relax," he said when he saw my worried expression. "I'm not staying there permanently or even for a show." His smile softened. "I have to pick up my sister. But before I do that," he licked his lips slowly, "I must first speak with my father."

That's when my eyebrows really shot up. I didn't know anything about this situation, only that he never mentioned his father.

"Oh," I said, "Are--"

"Kay," He interrupted, "I want you to meet her, but I don't want to introduce you as my friend." 

Shaun left the rest of the sentence hanging. I looked at him. The afternoon sun was spilling through the square kitchen windows, and his eyes were more blue than green. I noticed how his hair was growing back wavy, and that the tips of his ears were blushing pink. I looked at the curve of his jaw, and how every time he inhaled his pulse would jump. I wasn't about to hide the fact that Shaun and I had gotten closer these past two weeks. We saw each other more than just in the morning before school started. So close that every morning the first text I got was from him, 'good morning sunshine' was what it always read. I thought about what I had said to Leo just the other day. I said that we were just friends, but I guess in all honesty, Shaun and I were more than that.

"Is this your way of asking me out on a date?" I asked, trying my best to fight the smile forming on my lips.

He looked at me, eyes greener than they were a minute ago, and said, "Who said I was asking?"