by Eden Tyler
* * *
I keep glancing from the box back up to Blake. I have no clue what to think of either. But the box is holding my interest more than this discussion is. Until Blake tells me has spoken to Andrew.
I lean back on one elbow, trying to keep calm by controlling my breathing and ‘nonchalantly’ playing with one of the ties on the quilt I’m lying on. I attempt a vibe that says, ‘I’m sort of bored but I’ll listen.’
“I told him that whatever he’s doing is making my life hell. That it’s not only causing problems between you and me.” He moves his hand back and forth between us a couple of times as he paces. My eyes follow the box. “I said that I don’t know what the problem is other than you two not liking each other, but that I want to be with you and I don’t care anymore whether he likes it or not.”
Blake turns to me and squints a bit. “It was different talking to him on the phone. He didn’t have that … power over me he seems to have.” He looks away and begins to thin the carpet some more, not picking up his feet as he wanders about the room.
I sit quietly, taking it all in—wanting to believe Blake yet confused as to how Andrew could control him in any way other than generic peer pressure.
“So what did Andrew have to say to that?” I ask.
“It took him a minute to respond and, when he did, it was nothing like I expected. He told me to come pick him up and we’d go shopping for you.”
“Really?” I sit up again and look into Blake’s eyes. “Is that what the box is? That’s, uh … weirder than weird.”
“You don’t have to tell me that.” Blake holds his hands up in what appears to be defeat and then smiles that smile of his. He finally stops moving around and sits next to me again, yet keeps an awkward distance. “But it’s true. I have the box to prove it.” He smiles, looking up through his lashes with a shy smile. Not ‘that’ smile again, but heart-melting all the same.
I feel he has answered my question about who is more important to him and I lean back again and relax. My breathing changes; I hadn’t even noticed how shallow it was this whole time. But even feeling calmer, I still know that neither I nor Blake have a clue as to why or how Andrew is responsible for any of this. No gift can make up for what’s been going on.
So I flat out ask, again. I’m not really a fan of drama. Soap operas bore me to tears. “Well, what are we gonna do about it? There’s nothing I can change that I know of. And if this is just – quote unquote – happening to you, how can you stop it?”
“I don’t think we need to try to stop it. Whatever his deal was, I think he’s over it. He told me he was sorry and that he didn’t mean to pressure me about you. If I wanna be with you, it’s cool with him now.”
I look at him out of the corner of my eye, skepticism dripping down my face.
“You got me, babe—the guy’s a mystery. Kinda always has been. But anyway…” Blake moves his butt over closer to me and I scoot toward him, just waiting for my box because that’s the mystery I’m interested in. What is it and why?
“He helped me pick out a so-called apology-slash-birthday gift and, well, here it is. I hope you like it. I can’t take all the credit for it, but I think it’s pretty cool.”
“Well,” I say with a straight face, “you don’t even know if I forgive you.”
Blake’s expression freezes and a few seconds of silence go by before I burst into laughter. He lets out a long breath and nudges me with his elbow. I adore seeing him grin from ear to ear.
“Here you go.” He holds out the box but keeps it too close to himself. I know he’s messing with me. I sit up and reach for it and he pulls it back so that my fingers graze his stomach. His rock-hard, perfect stomach. My own stomach flips a little and I hope I’m not blushing. Too bad it feels like I am.
“You’re just so sweet,” I say politely, joking around with my guy since I’m no longer angry. I pull off the perfectly tied bow and take the lid off the plain white box to find a necklace sitting inside – a chunky silver necklace with a padlock on it. Just my style and I love that he knows that.
“Wow, it’s incredible. But what’s the padlock for … like, what does it mean?” I think I know but need reassurance.
Blake rolls up his sleeve to expose the matching bracelet he’s wearing. His is a flat, thick chain wrapped around a black leather band. A key-like clasp holds it together.
“It’s supposed to represent your heart, I guess.” His awkwardness comes back into play and I find it adorable and endearing. “I hope I didn’t overstep by putting on the key. I don’t want to assume I’m the one who has your heart but, well, that’s kinda what the gift is all about.”
“It’s absolutely perfect, babe. I really do love it. And of course you have my heart.” I smile quickly and then add, “As long as you don’t start acting like a jerk again.”
“Ha ha!” Blake sticks his tongue out and I bump my shoulder against him. My head is at his shoulder-level so I rest it there.
“So, does this mean things are back to normal?”
“I guess so … they should be, according to Andrew.”
I take the necklace out of the box, noticing how heavy it feels in my hand. I’m surprised when I feel a bit of a tingle. Maybe it’s because Blake was rubbing his feet on the carpet so long—some electricity made its way into the box. Whatever – what isn’t weird in my life? I unclasp the necklace so Blake can put it on for me. After he fastens it and I let my hair back down, I turn around and find myself looking in his amber eyes again. I didn’t seem to really notice them during our conversation, but now they are all I can see and my body weakens as I swim in his eyes.
Blake senses this and wraps his arms around me and pulls me close, breaking the spell and forcing me to look away. He holds me as tightly as he can without hurting me. I feel like we were never even fighting in the first place. When Blake finally releases me, he bends down for a sweet, soft kiss and we grin at each other like idiots for a bit before leaving the room to return to the party.
