“Who’s the poet now?” Anwar says. “That was a rhetorical question; it doesn’t count.”

“Sneaky. In that case, my last question is a big one,” I reply, pausing for dramatic effect. “You know we’re headed back over the hill to Summerland today. Since our time is limited, want to come with us?”

“I do,” Anwar answers right away. “Assuming you promise to return me home at a reasonable hour. Period there, not a question mark.”

“Sorry, I can make no such promise,” I say, knowing he was only joking. “Okay, what’s your final question? Better make it a good one.”

Anwar sets his paper plate of pancake balls down on the bench and turns toward me, his arm now resting against mine. The contact gives me a jolt, like a flint strike. He beams his full smile, and looking at him feels somewhat blinding.

“If you could do anything right in this moment, without fear of consequence, what would it be?”

Anwar’s last question turns out to be a dangerous one.

Still, I know the answer.

“I would ask you for one more bonus question,” I say, knowing that bonus round would definitely include a first kiss, if I have my way.

Click here

“I’d bring you to hang with my friends. Mostly because Cleo would never forgive me if I didn’t bring her back some of this pancake-ball magic.”

Click here

“Then consider us entered into a bonus round,” Anwar answers.

I put down my mostly untouched dessert on the bench to try to catch my breath. My heart pounds so loudly in my ears, I swear Anwar must be able to hear it. Don’t think! I yell in my head. Just ask.

“Why did you really ask me to come visit you?”

“Because you have really good taste in classic and contemporary horror,” Anwar begins without hesitation. “Because every girl up here seems to be preoccupied with social media influencing, but you don’t care about perfectly curating anything. Because I look forward to our pen-palling every night. Because I think you’re brave and sensitive where most are timid and guarded. And because I think you’re beautiful.”

Well, damn.

Damn.

“While we’re asking bonus questions,” Anwar continues over my stunned silence, “why did you go out of your way to come visit me?”

I smile back at Anwar, standing from the bench.

“Well, this is embarrassing now,” I say. “But I came for the aebleskiver.”

Anwar laughs, standing to join me. “In that case, glad I could be of service.”

“Well, I might have come for something else…” I say, angling my body toward Anwar. “Something… well, you know.”

Anwar looks down at me, puzzled. “Do I?”