Living for the Music
Chapter Sixty-Seven
I froze for a moment before relaxing. His lips were soft and warm, and it felt right somehow. Seth gave me the butterflies that had long disappeared around Aaron. This was good. This is what was supposed to happen. His tongue touched the curve of my lips, and-
Wait. I forced myself to pull away, gasping slightly. This wasn’t good, or right. I had a boyfriend, and I sure as heck shouldn’t be kissing my best friend. “What was that?” I managed to ask.
He shrugged, watching me warily. “I don’t have a big, elaborate master plan. But I’m here for you. Now that I’m back, you’re not getting rid of me. I just wanted to show you that.”
I nodded slowly, still confused. I moved away from the piano, sitting down on the couch. The numbers were flashing: 2:00, 1:59, 1:58…Seth sat down next to me, a fair distance away, but close enough that I was conscious of his every move.
The numbers got lower: “Ten! Nine! Eight!”
The crowd ion the television was chanting along and we joined in. “Six-five-four-three-”
“Two! One! MIDNIGHT!”
I watched as confetti flew in New York. Everyone looked so happy, as if the New Year would solve all his or her problems. I wish it was that simple.
“Happy new year, Sophie,” Seth murmured, squeezing my hand. I turned and found him watching me, eyes serious.
“Happy new year,” I replied.
Before I could quite process what was happening, he leaned in and gently brushed his lips against mine. Again. This time, I didn’t pull away. It’s New Years. We’re just celebrating. A kiss for good luck.
As if that’s all he’s thinking, my conscience scoffed.
Seth knows we’re just friends.
Friends with benefits, at the moment.
Friends. Just because we’re kissing-
Making out.
-doesn’t mean anything.
Uh huh. And I’m sure that-
I stopped thinking as Seth pulled me a little closer. I felt like I was melting inside, like my own personal fireworks-
Sophie!
Not now.
Sophia!
Don’t interrupt!
Your phone!
No! Don’t-
Sophie-
Wait, what?
Your phone! It’s-
I pulled away from Seth and scrambled for my phone. It stopped ringing right as I reached it and I swore under my breath. “It was Aaron,” I told Seth, checking my missed calls list. “God, what am I going to tell him? I mean, I can’t just say-”
“Sophie,” he interrupted. “It’s okay.”
“No it’s not!” I cried.
“Yes, it is. You don’t have to tell him anything. We were just… celebrating. It didn’t mean anything. I mean, we’re still friends, right?”
“Yeah,” I replied slowly.
“And... is Aaron still your boyfriend?”
“Yeah,” I repeated, watching him curiously.
He shrugged. “So nothing’s changed. What Aaron doesn’t know won’t hurt him. We’ll just keep that between us and it’s no big deal.”
I nodded, trying not to feel hut. He was giving me the out I needed. So what if he didn’t feel the sparks? So what if he didn't love kissing me as much as I liked kissing him? He wasn’t the one I was going out with. So why should I care?
Wait. I forced myself to pull away, gasping slightly. This wasn’t good, or right. I had a boyfriend, and I sure as heck shouldn’t be kissing my best friend. “What was that?” I managed to ask.
He shrugged, watching me warily. “I don’t have a big, elaborate master plan. But I’m here for you. Now that I’m back, you’re not getting rid of me. I just wanted to show you that.”
I nodded slowly, still confused. I moved away from the piano, sitting down on the couch. The numbers were flashing: 2:00, 1:59, 1:58…Seth sat down next to me, a fair distance away, but close enough that I was conscious of his every move.
The numbers got lower: “Ten! Nine! Eight!”
The crowd ion the television was chanting along and we joined in. “Six-five-four-three-”
“Two! One! MIDNIGHT!”
I watched as confetti flew in New York. Everyone looked so happy, as if the New Year would solve all his or her problems. I wish it was that simple.
“Happy new year, Sophie,” Seth murmured, squeezing my hand. I turned and found him watching me, eyes serious.
“Happy new year,” I replied.
Before I could quite process what was happening, he leaned in and gently brushed his lips against mine. Again. This time, I didn’t pull away. It’s New Years. We’re just celebrating. A kiss for good luck.
As if that’s all he’s thinking, my conscience scoffed.
Seth knows we’re just friends.
Friends with benefits, at the moment.
Friends. Just because we’re kissing-
Making out.
-doesn’t mean anything.
Uh huh. And I’m sure that-
I stopped thinking as Seth pulled me a little closer. I felt like I was melting inside, like my own personal fireworks-
Sophie!
Not now.
Sophia!
Don’t interrupt!
Your phone!
No! Don’t-
Sophie-
Wait, what?
Your phone! It’s-
I pulled away from Seth and scrambled for my phone. It stopped ringing right as I reached it and I swore under my breath. “It was Aaron,” I told Seth, checking my missed calls list. “God, what am I going to tell him? I mean, I can’t just say-”
“Sophie,” he interrupted. “It’s okay.”
“No it’s not!” I cried.
“Yes, it is. You don’t have to tell him anything. We were just… celebrating. It didn’t mean anything. I mean, we’re still friends, right?”
“Yeah,” I replied slowly.
“And... is Aaron still your boyfriend?”
“Yeah,” I repeated, watching him curiously.
He shrugged. “So nothing’s changed. What Aaron doesn’t know won’t hurt him. We’ll just keep that between us and it’s no big deal.”
I nodded, trying not to feel hut. He was giving me the out I needed. So what if he didn’t feel the sparks? So what if he didn't love kissing me as much as I liked kissing him? He wasn’t the one I was going out with. So why should I care?
♠ ♠ ♠
I'm sorry :(Kinda inspired by New Year by Death Cab for Cutie.... I've been overplaying those songs. Cause they sound so much better now that I've heard them live.
And don't worry. This was kinda a turning point.