The Songs in Our Hearts: A Young Adult Romance(59)

Eventually, the trick-or-treaters stopped coming to the door and my parents decided they were going to head to bed early.

“Don’t stay up too late, kids.” Dad smiled at us as he left. Micah and I sat on the floor of the living room. It was only a few minutes later when we heard my dad snoring.

“Fast sleeper, huh?” Micah whispered. “I’m kinda jealous.”

“His snoring keeps everyone else awake,” I said, rolling my eyes before standing up. “Do you want to watch any more movies?”

“Nah.” Micah shook his head and hoisted himself up from his spot on the floor. “I think I’ll head home, actually. I could use a shower and I need to clean my face off.”

“Makeup doesn’t really suit you,” I joked.

“I don’t think it suits me either,” Micah said, but instead of leaving, he headed down the hall, into my dad’s workshop—aka Dad’s man cave. None of us ever ventured there unless we had a school project, or in my case, if I needed to sneak a boy in.

“You know, you can go out the front door,” I said. “This is kind of the long way to your car.”

Micah turned, motioning for me to join him in the dark room.

“I know,” he murmured, and then a moment of silence filled the space between us. “Come here, Charlie.” I froze in place at his command. Why? What did he want? Holding my breath, I slowly forced myself to walk forward. I paused just as I came to stand in front of Micah.

“What are you doing?” I asked, but Micah didn’t respond. Instead, he grabbed me by my wrist, and pulled me into his arms. I could feel his heart beating against my chest as he hugged me. His scent filled my nose as I tucked myself into the crook of his arm and neck. There was that something again, coiling tightly in my stomach, as we stood so close, all alone, in darkness, surrounded by my dad’s hammers and wrenches, until Micah finally broke apart. He stared into my eyes; a small smile began to grow gradually on his lips.

“See you, C,” he murmured and squeezed my hand. For a moment, Micah hesitated and I thought he was going to say something more. But he must have changed his mind, because he turned and slipped out through the side garage door, back out into the Halloween night.

I stood, bewildered, trying to process everything. The only thing I was sure of, as I watched him through a nearby window, was that I knew I wanted more than friendship with him. I wanted more than our playful banter and car rides, listening to his music. And I couldn’t hide behind my denial and fears any longer.





“Storms”

Tom Odell





JOSH AND I SAT IN the living room, eating microwave popcorn while Ben, J and David slapped down Uno cards on the coffee table.

“You totally cheated,” Ben accused J. It did seem pretty convenient that J had the best selection of Draw 4 and Skip/Reverse cards out of everyone—especially since he had dealt that round.

“You’re just a sore loser,” J retorted.

“It’s just a game.” David collected the cards from them. “Do you guys wanna play another round?” J and Ben groaned their response and leaned back against the sofa.

“No, thanks,” Ben replied. “I think I’m Uno-ed out.”

“So, did you ask Rachel to Homecoming yet?” J asked David with a sneaky smirk. “We all expected you to ask her at the dance a few weeks ago. It’s right around the corner.” Our Homecoming dance was later than normal, but just in time for all the real fall festivities to begin.

I looked up from the bowl of popcorn in my lap to David, who started to put the card game away.

“I’m going to ask her, if it really matters to you,” he replied. “But I haven’t yet. I was more focused on having a good time with her.”

I remembered seeing David and Rachel together at the youth group dance. They were smiling and seemed to be having fun with each other. I had meant to ask Rachel about it, but with my own drama, I had forgotten. I was such a terrible friend.

“I think you should ask Rachel,” I said softly. “Not that it really matters what I think. But from what I saw at the dance...” My words drifted as David looked up at me. There was that something written on his face at the mention of Rachel. That very something I felt every time I was near Micah. Did he feel about her the same way I did about Micah?

“And what about you? Have you told that kid that you like him?” Ben spoke up, turning his attention to me.

Josh leaned forward and slid his popcorn bowl onto the table. “If she hasn’t with words, she’s made it pretty apparent by hanging out with him every day.”

“I’ve noticed you out and about with him a lot,” Ben said. My cheeks burned slightly and I threw a kernel at him.

“It’s not like that…”

“You don’t have to lie to us.” J laughed. “You like Micah Jacobs. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have bothered hanging out with him for this long.”

Was it really that obvious? I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I didn’t want the focus of the conversation to be on me or my undeclared feelings for Micah.

“We’re just friends. That’s all. Just friends,” I asserted.

“Just?” David asked with a hint of disbelief. “Is that because you haven’t told him how you feel?”