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Now I’m starting to think I could do more with that space than I thought. It’s certainly something to think about.
“What are you sketching?” She asks, changing the subject and pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Oh, um…” I’m a little embarrassed, but hopefully she doesn’t mind. Turning the sketch pad around, but keeping a hold on it so she can’t flip through the other pages, I show her the sketch I’ve done of her looking at the sunset.
She doesn’t say anything, just looks at it in awe. She comes closer, running her fingers along the edge of the sketchbook that I’m too afraid to let go of. “How do you do that?”
“Do what?” I look at the drawing and then back at her.
“That’s probably the most flattering picture of me that exists in the world. But you also caught all the wonder and emotion I felt looking at the gorgeous sunset and sharing your special place. You drew someone that I want to know, talk to, learn about. And you just sketched this mindlessly while we talked?” She titters.
And here I was thinking about how any drawing or painting could never do her justice. “I just draw what I see. You are someone I want to know, and talk to, and learn about, Beth.”
You’re the most beautiful, interesting woman in the world.
“I’m so in awe of you, Ezra,” she whispers.
She’s standing so close I can smell whatever vanilla bath products she uses. The smell reminds me that she’s dating my best friend, that he walks around smelling like this because he obsessively bathes himself in her scent. I look away from her, thinking again of the conversation I had with Cal.
Dusk is settling, the last deep pink rays of the sun sinking in the distance as the lights of our small city glow around us. Her eyes follow mine, and we watch darkness settle over the city, standing far too close to each other. I watch her again, wondering what she’s thinking while the lights of the city reflect in her gaze.
When she turns her head to look at me, the eye contact pulls me in like a magnet. Like there’s an invisible force pulling us together, we stay locked in that moment, a palpable heat building in the inches between us.
My eyes break away to stare down at her mouth. A heavy gravity pulling me closer, the space between us grows thick with anticipation. Time seems to stand still. Beth’s wide eyes zero in on my mouth. Her tongue darts out to wet her soft lips, and I find myself leaning toward her.
There’s a small intake of breath, and the spell is broken. Beth looks away. I blink away the fog that settled in my brain, suddenly conscious of how long we’ve been standing like this.
“I, uh—I’m sorry, I should probably get going,” Beth says quietly. I can’t tell if she’s upset or embarrassed, but the mood has definitely shifted and I feel terrible for putting her in this position.
I clear my throat. “Yeah, of course. Lost track of the time again, didn’t we? Let me walk you to your car.”
We don’t speak much as I put my supplies away, make sure the roof access door is latched properly, and make our way down the stairs and out to Beth’s little car.
“Thank you for distracting me tonight. I hope I didn’t come off too emotional or inappropriate. Even though we don’t talk all that much, I consider you a good friend and I enjoyed spending time with you,” she says.
A good friend.
It’s something, I suppose.
“I enjoy your company, too, Beth. You’re an incredibly talented and special person. I wish I’d been brave enough to talk to you sooner.”
She makes a small scoffing noise, almost like that amuses her somehow.
“Yeah, me too,” she says sadly. “But we’re here now, right? I hope you’ll keep talking to me after Cal leaves. It would be nice to have a friend.”
“Ah, Cal… I’ve got to find a way to fix his priorities. I’ll start by going home to brag that I got to hang out with his girl all evening. I’ll rub it inrealgood.” She blanches a little and Ilaugh. “He won’t mind. He’s not the jealous type.” I wink.If only she knew.“If he’s miffed at all, he’ll just take it out on me at the gym in the morning.”
“Wouldn’t want to miss leg day,” she jokes. It’s pretty precious that she knows our gym schedule.
“I never do,” I say with a laugh. “Cal, on the other hand, he’s been a bit distracted. Something, or someone, has been keeping him at the brink of exhaustion.”
“Oh my god,” Beth moans and covers her face as she escapes into her car and closes the door behind her. My laughter echoes off the walls of the parking garage as I wave her off.
Beth
I’m a terrible person.
A terrible, awful, wanton slut of a horrible person. I’m no better than Cherith.
