A smile pulls at his lips but I can see it completely in his eyes. “You are perfect, Gab.” He holds out his chopsticks for me to try. I grab them out of his hands and do my best to grab a hold of a piece of orange chicken. But after three times of it falling off, I just stab it like I would use a fork and bring one chopstick to my lips and eat the chicken. I let my lips linger around the stick, my body hyper aware that this was previously in his mouth. I share drinks and utensils with Monica and my mother all the time, and even my father a time or two, but the times I have with James, those were different.

He laughs and takes them back from me, shaking his head the whole time, and I watch in fascination as he takes a bite of his noodles again with the chopstick that had just been in my mouth.

Chapter Two

An hour later, my head is resting in James’ lap as he strokes my hair. “You’re not worried about your exam, are you? Don’t stress about it. You’ll be fine.” This is the first time we’ve been this close and it’s having a dizzying effect on me.

“Huh?” I ask as I look up at him and his eyes drop to mine from the television.

“Shit, were you sleeping? I’m sorry.” He runs his hand down my shoulder and rubs it gently. “Do you want to turn in? I know you have to be up early tomorrow.”

“I wasn’t sleeping,” I tell him. “Just lost in thought.”

“About your final?”

About how much I’m enjoying this and how fucked up I am.

“No.” I sit up. “Nothing important.”

He frowns and runs a hand through his hair. “Since when don’t you tell me things? I thought we told each other everything.” I smile at how little he really knows. He’d freak if he knew about what I’m feeling every day. “I can see that mind moving a mile a minute. What’s going on?”

“Seriously J, it’s nothing. But I am going to sleep, I think. It’s late and I want to get some rest before tomorrow. Would you mind giving me a lift to campus?”

“You don’t even have to ask that, Gab. Of course. When do you want me to pick you up tomorrow?”

“I can Uber over.” I stand up and stretch slightly before starting to gather my books so I don’t have to worry about it in the morning.

He rolls his eyes. “Shut up. I’m leaving work early anyway and I know with the way you pack, you’ll be bringing your whole dorm room with you.”

I chuckle at the thought that I notoriously overpack every time I travel.

“Fine, I’ll text you, maybe around one?”