Page 44 of Paint Our Song

“I’ve binge-watchedGossip Girlan absurd amount of times.”

That makes Miles wheeze. “That’s hardly deep.”

“It’s a secret, though.”

“Why? Nothing to be ashamed of. Ed Westwick is hot.”

“Not my type, but you do you.”

Miles meets his eyes. “What’s your type, then?”

He only gets a smirk in return.

“You owe me another secret if you’re not going to tell me what your type is,” Miles challenges. “And something actually vulnerable this time.”

“Anyone ever tell you that you’re annoyingly persistent?”

“Nope,” he lies. “First time I’m hearing that. Come on, give me something.”

“Okay, but don’t judge me.” Calvin raises his chin and grins, andeven if his tone is light and unserious, what he says next unsettles Miles. “What about… I think that among everyone in our band, I’m the one who’d be easily forgotten if we went our own ways? Like my ex said… I’m too ordinary.”

Miles can’t help but huff out a chuckle, and Calvin gives him an amused look. “Sorry. It’s just that I meant it before when I said not a single thing about you is ordinary, and it’s unreal to me that you don’t see that.”

“That’s sappy.”

He pokes him in the ribs again, and Calvin shoves him away. Miles says, “It’s sappy, but I’m serious. You’re incredible, and I’m never going to shut up about it.”

“God.” Calvin laughs and scrubs a hand over his face.

Miles isn’t done learning more about him. “Tell me about how you write songs.”

“Hm? Like, how I get inspiration?”

“Yes, and then how you put it together, with the melody and all that. I don’t know shit about music, but I want to learn how your band does it.”

“Fan boy,” he teases.

“Exactly.”

Maybe it’s because Calvin can probably tell he’s deflecting, but Calvin gives him what he wants and doesn’t call him out for it. Calvin tells him about thinking of a concept or a theme, listening to a ton of different songs for inspiration, coming up with the chords and all that. Apparently, Chase and Gil are the ones who do most of that, with some input from him and Theo. The lyrics and the vocalsusually come last, with Calvin working on most of it.

Miles is so into the whole thing that he almost forgets that they’re here to take photos of the sunset that Megan made them come out for. He looks over his shoulder at how the sun casts orange and red hues on the horizon, and how it reflects on the water.

“You need to take photos,” he reminds Calvin.

“Right.” Calvin takes his phone out and snaps more photos, posting a few of them on his stories. When he’s done, he asks, “Want to take another picture with me?”

“Of course.”

He beams at the camera, his face warm as Calvin takes a picture. Their shoulders are pressed against each other and if he moved his hand by the tiniest fraction, he’d be able to brush his fingers over Calvin’s.

That’d be weird of him, though.

He examines the photo over Calvin’s shoulder. It undeniably looks romantic and intimate, with the way the sky and the water are orange and red behind them, and how close and happy they look. Maybe that’s why Calvin stares at it for a good second and doesn’t post it—to keep rumors away. He does send it to Miles, though.

“Not posting that?” Miles asks.

He shakes his head. “Only for our eyes.”