Burning Stars (BoyXboy) (Sequel to Falling Stars)✔

B.S 31

I spent the morning studying for my economics test at the library. I didn't like studying at the library, but I forced myself to go. In fact, I was already done studying for the test, but I went to the library anyway. I had to avoid Em at any cost, knowing things would be awkward between us. I hadn't thought of what I was going to do yet. 

During midday when Spencer was out, I decided to finally think thoroughly about what Em had said. He hadn't really caught me by surprise. But I hadn't thought of what I would do when the moment came, having been caught in the Jake-drama. 

Em was a nice guy. He was funny, good-looking, confident and not superficial. He was overall the kind of guy I wanted to date. But was he the guy I wanted to date? 

My thoughts drifted immediately to Jake. I loved Jake. But Jake had moved on, forgotten about me, there was nothing left to hold on to. There wasn't a chance of reconciliation. Jake had a girlfriend, soon to be his wife. There was nothing left for me to hold onto. 

So maybe I could give Em a chance. Maybe I'd come to feel about him the way he felt about me. 

I wasn't sure about my answer when he called at 3:35 pm and asked to meet in the TV room. He said he was alone, wasn't expecting anything and just wanted to hang out. I said I would join him, even though I didn't feel like it. I didn't want him to think he was losing a friend. 

True to his words, I found him sitting at our favorite spot at the back in the TV room. As I walked to him I pictured us as a couple. How would we fit together? Would it be a lock-and-key fit or an induced fit, or even a fit at all? I thought our friendship was okay, but a relationship was deeper than a friendship. It involved all levels. It encompassed the emotional and the physical. It wasn't a separate entity, everything had to fit or it would be doomed. If I said yes, I had to be sure about everything. Experience told me not to just listen to my heart. But weirdly, my heart wasn't even saying anything about the matter. 

"Hey, glad you could join me", he said excitedly. 

"Not a problem", I said taking a seat. "What's on?" I asked a stupid question. 

"Since when do we come here to watch TV?" he asked. 

I smiled. "So...what's up?" 

"I'm sorry about last night", he said sheepishly. 

"Oh...you didn't mean it?" I asked. 

"No, no. I meant it, every word. I just...I caught you off guard", he said. 

I shook my head. "It's fine". 

"So what were you doing?" he asked sitting himself comfortably. 

I noticed how close we were. Before I hadn't noticed and we'd sat like that. Now that his feelings were out in the open I was a bit uncomfortable with the proximity. Sometimes knowledge was just dangerous. 

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" he asked, affirming that he had seen my eyes wandering to the tiny spot on the couch that was between us. 

"No, no", I said quickly. 

"I can move", he offered. 

"Don't be silly Em, it's fine", I said. 

He sighed in relief. "Good, because I do not want to move", he said and seemed to regret what he said. 

Things were getting awkward. 

"So uh, what were you doing?" he asked again, trying to lighten the mood. 

"Nothing much, just reading a book", I said. 

There was silence as we concentrated on the TV. The volume was down, but it caught our attention nevertheless. It was a romantic scene involving a man who was proposing to his girlfriend -I assume -by having a hot air balloon with the words 'Marry me Ella- Stefano' fly above them.