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A jab. A condescending, bold-as-fuck jab, but for some reason, I wouldn’t have that shit any other way.
I think her smile had something to do with that.
It was small, but it was there, and I think I realized in that moment that was why it was so easy for me to deep-dive into this friend-zone shit she’d put us in. Old Thatcher didn’t make Aspen Davis laugh. Smile. Old Thatcher scared her and made her fear him. I shouldn’t care about that.
I shouldn’t care.
I scanned the crowd next to her. Some of my frat brothers and their dates were doing a coordinated waltz for the alumni, and I could say some equally condescending shit. She deserved that after she ghosted me.
“You look beautiful.” Instead, I chose to say that, bold myself when I peered down to see her reaction. Aspen made a look like my compliment didn’t affect her, but I didn’t miss how her hand delicately maneuvered over the skirt of her dress. Like she was trying to fluff it out and favor herself.
“Thanks,” she said.
I smiled.
“And I guess you look nice too,” she continued. Her lashes flicked up. “Punisher.”
She noticed my dark mask, simple, and though it wasn’t my neck gaiter, I think its presence might have done something to her too. Suddenly, those fingers were gathering up in her skirt, and her mask and fan hit the floor. She dropped them, and I immediately picked them up for her. The problem was she went for them too, and we nearly collided.
Yeah, it was dangerous being this close to her. She was a breath away, a kiss away, and that shit made me drunk in the head. Dizzy.
Back off.
I really should ream out this girl for what she’d done to me recently. She’d literally ghosted me, but here I was wanting to kiss her.
I wanted to more than kiss her.
I was sure she saw that in my eyes. The hunger there. That depth. Neither one of us moved, but she took the mask and fan when I handed them to her.
“And now for our special entertainment. Concert cellist Aspen Davis is here amongst our ranks tonight, and we’re honored to have her. Aspen?”
I recognized the voice as one of my frat’s alumni. I’d talked to the guy dozens of times, but in that moment, you couldn’t even ask me what the guy’s name was. I’d get it wrong a hundred times over.
And I think that strongly had to do with Aspen.
Gone was the heat in her eyes, and though the flush in her cheeks was still there, it accompanied a look of dread. Her dark eyes flashed at me, and she didn’t immediately move.
“Aspen? Aspen, are you out there? We’re ready for you up here.”
The alumnus summoned her again, and though she didn’t move, I took her hand. She was wearing short gloves. “Snowflake?”
She blinked. Like she’d been in a trance, and since we were both hunkered, I held her up.
The alumnus ahead grinned. He put a hand out toward her. “Aspen Davis, everyone.”
The ballroom immediately erupted in applause, and I lost Aspen to the crowd. Her fingers left mine to gather in her dress. She headed toward the front of the ballroom, but very much appeared to be on autopilot.
I clapped for her too, of course, and despite my hand in tonight’s event, I’d had no idea she’d be playing her cello. I was happy she was, though. I’d never heard her play in person, and even in all our hanging out, she never mentioned her music really. I brought it up a time or two, but she always changed the subject. I had a buddy who was into the arts, and since he never really liked to talk about his art, I figured she was the same.
That made the fact that she was playing tonight all the more special, and I got as close as I could to the front. This happened to be near the now vacant piano, and our hired string quartet was gone now too. Their instruments were still there, but the players were gone, and in front of their setup was a chair.
It was for Aspen.
Snowflake took her seat, removing her gloves and placing down her things, and as soon as she did, someone came over with a cello. It must have been hers, but she didn’t immediately take it.
The crowd was silent now, and I watched on, curious when she finally took it. She had a music stand in front of her with sheet music.
There was silence.
