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"I guess You knoe are It’s complicated"

"Co proportions"

I had to laugh She wasn’t wrong

And that’s how Tristan found us as he approached, laughing and relaxed

The relaxed part went a bit south as he sat right next to me, and I instinctively started to tense up

"If you’ll excuseto do on that dance floor"

"Who the hell calls it freaking?" I called to her back, but she just kept walking

It wasn’t easy, but I made myself turn and look hi over e’d done, but I thought the entire thing was too new for my shocked mind to react appropriately

His face was sober "We need to talk"

That surprised a laugh out of me "We just tried that Didn’t exactly work out"

"I wouldn’t say that I’d say it was cut short I’d like to try again"

I couldn’t stop laughing "I bet you would!"

Finally, his solemn face cracked into a s one of those calamitous dimples "Well, yes, of course I would God, Danika, I’ve ain"

I looked down at ht I think you’ve always been right We should be friends I miss that, too I know you’re worried that I’ll never speak to you after this--after that little scene back in the forest, but you don’t need to worry That was insanity, and it does not need to happen again, but we can be adults here I…won’t be a stranger e get back to town I’ll give you a call We can sit down for coffee, or, you know, so pause on his end, and I wondered which part of what I said was eating at hih, instead said, "Do youme off like last time?"

I sent him a rueful smile I hadn’t meant it last tily, I’d had a real change of heart "I mean it this time"

I did mean it but, while I didn’t avoid him for the rest of the weekend, I also made sure our contact was limited It was necessary I needed time to think, to have a battle plan before we started to transition into this friendship idea