I think we're the only ones in the building," he says.
"Then no one will mind when I do this!" I jump onto the desk and parade back and forth. St. Clair belts out a song, and I shimmy to the sound of his voice. When he finishes,I bow with a grand flourish.
"Quick!" he says.
"What?" I hop off the desk. Is Nate here? Did he see?
But St. Clair runs to the stairwell. He throws open the door and screams. The ehco makes us both jump, and then together we scream again at the top of our lungs. It's exhilarating. St. Clair chases me to the elevator,and we ride it to the rooftop. He hangs back but laughs as I spit off the side, trying to hit a lingerie advertisement. The wind is fierce,and my aim is off,so I race back down two flights of stairs. Our staircase is wide and steady, so he's only a few feet behind me. We reach his floor.
"Well," he says. Our conversation halts for the first time in hours.
I look past him. "Um.Good night."
"See you tomorrow? Late breakfast at the ?"
"That'd be nice."
"Unless-" he cuts himself off.
Unless what? He's hesitant, changed his mind. The moment passes. I give him one more questioning look, but he turns away.
"Okay." It's hard to keep the disappointment out of my voice. "See you in the morning." I take the steps down and glance back.He's staring at me. I lift my hand and wave. He's oddly statuesque. I push through the door to my floor,shaking my head. I don't understand why things always go from perfect to weird with us. It's like we're incapable of normal human interaction. The stairwell door bursts open.
My heart stops.
St. Clair looks nervous. "It's been a good day. This was the good day I've had in ages." He walks slowly toward me. "I don't want it to end. I don't want to be alone right now."
"Uh." I can't breathe.
He stops before me,scanning my face. "Would it be okay if I stayed with you? I don't want to make you uncomfortable-"
"No! I mean..." My head swims. I can hardly think straight. "Yes. Yes, of course,it's okay."
St. Clair is still for a moment. And then he nods.
I pull off my necklace and insert my key into the lock. He waits behind me. My hand shakes as I open the door."
"Then no one will mind when I do this!" I jump onto the desk and parade back and forth. St. Clair belts out a song, and I shimmy to the sound of his voice. When he finishes,I bow with a grand flourish.
"Quick!" he says.
"What?" I hop off the desk. Is Nate here? Did he see?
But St. Clair runs to the stairwell. He throws open the door and screams. The ehco makes us both jump, and then together we scream again at the top of our lungs. It's exhilarating. St. Clair chases me to the elevator,and we ride it to the rooftop. He hangs back but laughs as I spit off the side, trying to hit a lingerie advertisement. The wind is fierce,and my aim is off,so I race back down two flights of stairs. Our staircase is wide and steady, so he's only a few feet behind me. We reach his floor.
"Well," he says. Our conversation halts for the first time in hours.
I look past him. "Um.Good night."
"See you tomorrow? Late breakfast at the ?"
"That'd be nice."
"Unless-" he cuts himself off.
Unless what? He's hesitant, changed his mind. The moment passes. I give him one more questioning look, but he turns away.
"Okay." It's hard to keep the disappointment out of my voice. "See you in the morning." I take the steps down and glance back.He's staring at me. I lift my hand and wave. He's oddly statuesque. I push through the door to my floor,shaking my head. I don't understand why things always go from perfect to weird with us. It's like we're incapable of normal human interaction. The stairwell door bursts open.
My heart stops.
St. Clair looks nervous. "It's been a good day. This was the good day I've had in ages." He walks slowly toward me. "I don't want it to end. I don't want to be alone right now."
"Uh." I can't breathe.
He stops before me,scanning my face. "Would it be okay if I stayed with you? I don't want to make you uncomfortable-"
"No! I mean..." My head swims. I can hardly think straight. "Yes. Yes, of course,it's okay."
St. Clair is still for a moment. And then he nods.
I pull off my necklace and insert my key into the lock. He waits behind me. My hand shakes as I open the door."
( Stephanie Perkins )
[ Anna and the French Kiss ]
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