Page 122 of A Solid Guide to Surviving a Situationship

The second chorus played in the background, muffled in my ears but settling deep beneath my ribs—something I knew would stay with me, long after this night… long after him.

We stood there, looking at each other, and only then did I realize he was tall. Not in an obvious way, but in a grounding way that made me tilt my head up just slightly to meet his sincere eyes⁠—

But then, all of a sudden a hand landed on his shoulder.

He turned, breaking the moment just enough for me to wake up from whatever romantic spell I was in.

A guy stood behind him. Clearly drunk and already halfway into whatever celebration he came from.

“Dude,” he said, laughing. “You have to come back. We’re about to sing happy birthday. It’s like one minute ‘till midnight.”

He nodded. “Yeah, okay.”

“Birthday boy is getting impatient of you.”

“I’ll be there,” he said, gently pushing his friend away.

Then he turned back to me.

And just like that, the enchanting chapter was close to its final words.

“I gotta go,” he said, cutely.

I nodded. “Yeah. The birthday.”

I was still smiling. I couldn’t seem to stop.

He took a step back… then another.

But his eyes stayed on mine, like he wasn’t quite ready to let go of the moment either.

“One more truth,” he said.

“What is it?” I asked.

“I was ready to leave ten minutes ago,” he answered.

I raised a brow. “Wow. Okay.”

He smiled, softer this time.

“Then I met you.”

A pause—just long enough for my heart to trip over itself.

“You look happier when you forget to think.”

It caught me off guard… in the best way.

“And cute,” he added, cheeks reddening.

A wider smile crept across my face. “I think that drink made you too honest.”

He blinked, then laughed softly. A faint blush crept in, like he’d just remembered something—his line.

“Yeah,” he said. “It did.”

Another step back.