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“That was really beautiful,” I said softly

He relaxed “Thanks,” he said, and flashed that sexy, charrin

I think it was the grin that broke the spell

I went froic and wonder of a child entranced by uy who knew all the girls were into him

Ihe’d said to me was real… but for the first time, I considered the possibility that it had also been a performance

I gave him an impish little sirl, have you”

“No Never,” he said soleh he nodded his head ‘yes’ as he said it

I laughed – at least he was honest (or semi-honest) about his bullshit

Except… it wasn’t bullshit And I knew it

“I think you really h”

He nodded, and he was serious “I did”

Suddenly, a giant, blatting noise split the air

“SNNKKKZZ,” Shanna snored from where she lay on the bed

“Wow, is she always that loud?” he asked incredulously

“Only when she’s plastered Too bad she missed your speech”

“She wouldn’t have appreciated it”

I looked at hihtly to the side “No, she wouldn’t have,” I agreed softly

We kept staring at each other in silence – until Shanna’s snoring started up again

“Jesus, it’s a that loud can come out of somebody so small,” he marveled

I laughed “Yeah, o outside in the hall”

He looked at me “Yeah?”

My heart suddenly thumped hard in my chest

I had just spontaneously said it without thinking

Not, Well, it was nice ot to study

No

Maybe we should go outside in the hall

Because I didn’t want him to leave

11

Derek and I ended up talking for hours, about everything and nothing We went out in the hallway and sat out there on the floor and drank Cokes and ate Little Debbie snack cakes and laughed as drunk club-goers and late-night partiers ca back to their dorm rooms