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The Cast Mate

chapter 19

" Are you okay?" He asked. She nodded without looking at him.

" Oh yeah, I'm great." Silver said.

" What were you and Lauren talking about?" He asked. He didn't really need her to admit what Lauren had been saying. He knew already. Lauren had told Norman as soon as she sat down. She realized how uncomfortable she had made Silver and was telling Norman she was sorry. Silver shook her head.

" Nothing much. She was just asking me about....gum." Her shoulders dropped as she closed her eyes. He smiled and pushed away from her door. He wanted to laugh but didn't. Norman liked that she some times said the first thing to popped in her head. He thought it was funny.

" Gum, huh?" He asked. Silver shook her head.

" We both know that's bullshit." She said softly. He sank down on her bed right next to her. He clasped his hands together and let them rest against his lap. He was staring at her floor.

" Yeah, I think we do." He said. Silver sighed and opened her eyes. She turned in the bed so she was facing his side.

" Look, I know I'm not what you're used too, alright? I say the first thing that comes to my mind when I'm backed into a corner, I'm not used to having people want to talk to me so much, I'm shy and weird. I don't really know how to act around other girls because I'm so used to being with the boys. She pulled me in there and just started asking me all these questions but I don't know her and I didn't know what to say, you know what I mean?" She was speaking quickly but he caught it all and was nodding.

" Lauren's harmless. She wasn't trying to make you uncomfortable." Norman said when he looked at her.

" Well she did." She said. He frowned and sighed. He looked away and rubbed his chin with his left hand. A few minutes went by so she dropped her eyes to her lap where her hands were clasped tightly together.

" You like shit straight up, right? I mean you just want me to be completely straight up, no hinting around or beating around the bush right?" He asked when he looked at her again.

" Right." Silver said as she nodded, still not looking at him. A few more seconds went by before she raised her eyes up to meet his.

" Then I'm going to give it to you straight up, alright?" He asked.

" Okay." Silver said. Her stomach was in her throat and her heart was pounding.

" Sean thinks I need to move faster with you. He thinks we should have already gone to bed with each other, but I'm not the type of guy to rush things. I like to take things slow because I think it will be well worth it in the end. I don't work like him and sometimes he has a hard time understanding that. I guess she does too. They both think I'm just shy and awkward ,and to a point I am, but I'm not trying to be with you. I just want to take our time. We have a good time together and you make me laugh. I think maybe we could have something really amazing. But it's only going to be worth something if we go slow. I don't think you're weird, I like that you ramble when you're nervous, I think it's funny and cute. I like that you will say what comes to your mind. I like that you aren't what I'm used too." He stopped talking and sighed as they looked at each other. He was letting everything he had said start to sink into her brain. " Look, I just really like you and I want to see where this could go. I don't want to rush things. You don't want to do the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing right now, we don't have too. But I'm not seeing anyone else and I'm not going too. I dig you and I can wait until you're ready for titles. I realize we have only went out on one actual date but we have hung out together a lot and I know what I want. I want the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing but I can wait while you decide." Norman said. Silver didn't respond to him at first then finally she nodded.

" That was pretty straight up." She said softly. He smiled as he chuckled and looked away.

" Yeah, it was." He agreed. He was a little surprised in himself that he had just opened up and spilled everything for her. He wasn't usually that open.

" So I guess we just take it one day at a time." She said. Norman nodded.

" It's all we can do." He said. When he looked back at her, Silver smiled.

" We need to go out there or Sam will come looking for us and he will yell at us." She said. He smiled again and stood up.

" Yeah and I have learned that a close door doesn't mean anything in this place." He said with his hand down to her. Silver laughed and took his hand, letting him help her up.

" No, it doesn't. You need some privacy, you have to lock the door. But even than, someone is going to start knocking and yelling." She said. Norman turned towards her and squeezed her hand before he let her go. He brought both hands to the sides of her face were he tucked her hair behind her ears.

" We good?" He asked.

" We're good." Silver said with a small smile.

" You sure you're good?" Norman asked. She nodded.

" I'm good." She said. He tugged at her hair then dropped his hands.

The rest of the night they spent on the couch, with their heads bent together and talking quietly. They had stopped playing the game but no one said anything to them about it. Everyone else was talking loudly and teasing each other while the DVD was on but they were tuning everyone out. Silver and Norman were sitting back in the couch, just talking. Her left hand was wrapped up in his right one and his fingers were rubbing hers. They were looking at each other while they talked. Sometimes she'd laugh and he'd smile. Sometimes they would join in and make fun of someone in the group.

By the end of the night Silver walked him, Lauren, and Sean down to the street. Lauren had pulled Silver aside and apologized fr over stepping herself. Silver smiled and forgave her. Outside Sean hugged Silver while Norman hugged Lauren goodbye. They waited until the couple left then Norman pulled her close to him and hugged her tightly. His arms were around her shoulders while hers were around his waist. Her head was against his chest so she closed her eyes and quietly breathed him in. She was trying to memorize how warm and strong he felt against her.

" So I'll see you tomorrow." He said into her hair.

" Okay." Silver answered.

" Why don't I come over to pick you up? We can go to my place for dinner or just to hang out." He said.

" Sounds good." Silver said as she pulled away from him. Norman smiled. He put his hands in her hair and kissed her quickly.

" I'll see you at 6 then." He said against her mouth.