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“Unbelievable.”

“So, tell me about him.”

“There’s nothing to tell.”

“There’s always something to tell with you.” I can hear the smile in his voice as I move to the bathroom. “Is he hot?”

Hot sounds like an insult compared to what he is.

“No. He’s a short old man.”

“Liar.” Thank god we’re not on FaceTime with the way my lips are betraying me right now. “Why are you being so defensive if it’s supposedly nothing?”

“I’m not defensive Jonas, there just really isn’t anything to say. I'm here for two more weeks, it’s not like a relationship could even go anywhere.” Silence greets me on the other line and I pull the phone back, making sure we didn’t get disconnected. “Hello?”

“Holy shit.”

“What?”

“You like him.”

“What?” I rip the shower curtain back roughly.

“I never said anything about a relationship, Blondie.” I scold my phone as if he can see because I hate that I let that word slip from my mouth.

“I didn’t meanrelationshiprelationship. I just meant—relationship. You know.” I wave a hand around me before turning the water on.

“So, you friend-zoned him like you did me?”

“You and I friend-zoned each other,” I retort.

“Keep telling yourself that, babe.” I ignore him, dropping a shower bomb that I picked up at the market to the far corner of the tub. “Hey, can you take a picture of him? I want to see what this guy has that I don’t.”

“You're so annoying.” I shake my head. “I have to go, my shower is ready.”

“Okay, but wait, did you know that it’s okay if you… stay with me here because this is kind of crazy, but itisokay if you like the guy.”

Like him.Like the way he doesn’t laugh when I make up excuses and instead studies my face, searching for the truth. Like the way I said I wanted to ride a horse so he got me one. Like the way my mask unconsciously slips around him. Like the way he’s constantly finding a way to spend time with me. And like the way that he’s the first person I’ve ever shared hidden parts of myself with.

I stand against the vanity, arms crossed with my leg bouncing beneath me. “What if…” I trail off, chewing my bottom lip.

“Blondie?” His voice is soft and I squeeze my eyes shut, forcing the tears back in.

“What if I like himtoomuch?” I hear my own voice crack and I turn around, my reflection in the mirror blurring behind a wall of unshed tears.

“Then isn’t he the luckiest son of a bitch?” I laugh and the movement breaks the damn of tears, but I bat them away before they can slide halfway down my face. “Give it a try, babe. Be brave.”

Be brave.“Easy for you to say. What if it doesn’t work out? What if some magical turn of the universe happens and I actually have real feelings for him? What if it all goes to shit?” I drop my head back on my shoulders, shocked that I spoke that fear out loud.

“Listen, I can’t tell you if it will or won’t work out. But what I can tell you, is if you think you’ve found someone worthy of dropping that iron armor for, I think it’s worth the risk.”

I blame the steam-filled room for having a difficult time getting air into my lungs. I squeeze my eyes shut once more before settling my breath and wiping away the last of my tears. “You know what, I’m probably jumping the gun here anyway. He knows I’m leaving. He's likely not even thinking past tomorrow anyway.”

“Taylor Grace Nova, I can promise you, he’s thinking about it.”

Taylor

Soft,white powder flows from where I tap the sifter, covering a layer of cake in sugar.