Page 49 of Finding My Forever

“Think about it this way, he wouldn’t have ever called you on the first day if he wasn’t at least a little bit interested. He wouldn’t keep calling you if he wasn’t still interested.”

“But he knows there’s a time limit. Maybe he’s just messing around for a few days. What if this is an experiment for class!”

“Okay, now you’re just freaking out. He’s not using this for class. The only other option is that he thinks he can…” She paused like she was thinking it through. “He can get something from you.”

She cringed like I wasn’t going to be okay with her words. I was fine. Until I figured out what she meant.

“Oh no.”

“That’s just one possibility, April. A guy that was only interested in that would have taken advantage last night. He wouldn’t be making plans to spend the day together. A guy like him wouldn’t have to try that hard.”

“What if I’m a challenge?”

She stared heavenward. “I seriously regret even mentioning this. It’s a small possibility, but it doesn’t make sense. He wouldn’t go through this much trouble.”

I let my shoulders fall. This was all unfamiliar territory. I never cared. Boys were always just for having fun with and hanging out. Now I knew what every other girl went through.

“This sucks.”

“Yeah. It usually does.”

“What should I do?”

She looked out the window and began braiding her hair. When she was done tugging it and loosening it to perfection, she looked back to me.

“You should continue being yourself.”

I lifted my makeup bag and almost threw it at her.

She laughed and shook her head. “I’m serious. Obviously, you’re doing something right. He did just call you and make plans for the day. Plus, he has a special surprise for you.”

“For us.”

“April. Listen to me. College guys that look like Liam don’t waste their time with young tourists unless they are interested in them, so shut up, finish getting ready, and let’s go.”

I did what she said and we left our hotel at ten to walk to the museum. Liam and Eli met us at the corner looking effortlessly cool, and not at all like tourists. How did they pull it off? Maybe living there for a few months was long enough to look like they belonged.

“Good morning.” Liam put his arm around my shoulder and kissed my forehead in a move so smooth anyone passing by would have thought we’d been together for years.

“Morning.” I looked up at him and smiled. It felt so natural around him. I might second guess myself when we were apart, but together we just fit.

We arrived at the entrance of the Museum of Modern Art, and I stood in front of the doors looking at the building. It was completely unexpected. It was just a skyscraper. I saw pictures of the other museums in the city and they were works of art in their own right. This could have been an office building.

“Come on. I promise it will blow your mind inside.” Sophia looped her arm through mine and led us up to pay for our admission.

She turned us to the guys and waited for them to catch up. “Do you guys want to do the whole thing or just the good stuff?”

Eli shrugged. “Whatever you guys want. We can come here whenever so it’s up to you.”

“We can power walk the first-floor levels, but prepare yourself for the fifth.”

I wasn’t sure what she meant until we walked up the stairs to the first level of exhibits. The walls were adorned with what I assumed was art. It was hard to tell if it was accidental or not.

We paused in front of some nearly blank canvases. I tiled my head but still didn’t understand. Sophia let us through each floor’s exhibits until we stood at the escalator leading to the fifth floor.

“Are you ready?”

I shrugged. “Honestly? I don’t think this is really my thing. I just don’t get it like you do.”