"Pretty cool huh?" I hear Dylan's voice behind me. I've lost all sense of sight, but he sounds close to me. "Dylan, it's beautiful." I say, my eyes scanning over the lights. "Why can't you see them when the lights are on?" "That's for me to know and you to find out." Figures. "Who knew Dylan Parker would have twinkling lights in his room?" I tease him. "But wow, this is gorgeous." "I've never shown the guys, so one word about this—" "Yeah, yeah, you'll torture me." The guys don't know about the lights? Well, I can imagine them giving him hell for it, so I see why it's a secret. I feel giddy knowing something about Dylan that they don't know. My birthday is next week and this feels like an early birthday gift to me somehow. "Let's just enjoy the lights," I say, laughing. My eyes are still adjusting to the dark, so when I turn around, I ran into his torso. An oomph escapes my mouth. "Sorry. I didn't realize you were this close." "If you want to be close to me, all you have to do is ask." I don't have to see his face to know that he's smirking. My eyes adjust to the dark and I can see Dylan's outline next to me. My heart starts to beat faster and suddenly this moment is different from every other moment I've had with him. He's sharing something private with me in the most peaceful and beautiful way and it's like seeing a unique side of him without him being completely out of touch with himself. His proximity, the romantic feel to the situation, and Ethan's words about me dating Dylan are all messing with my emotions. "If you're trying to seduce me, it's not working," I joke, mostly to keep the awkwardness at bay, though I'm probably the one making things awkward. "I think you're the one trying to seduce me. Did Ethan tell you going out with me is the best option?" So he did hear my conversation with Ethan. My face feels hot and I'm dizzy for a split second. "What Ethan and I talk about is between us," I say, trying not to get into that conversation. I don't know if Dylan and I will ever make a good match. "Unless you told him to tell me that." Imagine that. Dylan convincing his younger brother to convince me that we should date. I just can't see Dylan going to those lengths to ask me out. Would I even say yes? "What Ethan says or does is completely his own doing," he says. Even in the darkness, I can see his facial features from the faint glimmer of the lights above us. His sharp jaw, the bridge of his nose, his dark eyebrows. The curve of his lips go on forever and I blink to cast them from my mind. Oh god, I shouldn't have look at his lips. "Are you having dirty thoughts about me?" he lets out a small laugh as he says it. "No," I say defensively. "I'm just..." Thinking about your lips, I almost say. I can't come up with a lie quick enough. He's looking at me and I feel insecure even in the dark. It's as if he's really seeing me, really studying me. And to make it worse, he doesn't say anything. I don't know if I'm imagining it, but he seems to be getting closer and closer to me. When I realize he is, I start to breathe faster. I can feel the warmth of his body near me and it's almost intoxicating. "Dylan—" I instinctively put my hands on his chest. His heart is beating rhythmically in his chest and it only makes mine flutter more. "I'm going to kiss you, Lace," his voice is raspy and barely above a whisper. My heart feels like it might leap out of my chest. The moment is perfect. The twinkling lights, Dylan's openness, it all falls into place like this is what's meant to happen. A part of my brain is telling me to stop before we get carried away, but every other part of me is saying go for it. His hands rest on my waist, tugging me so I'm closer to him. My body is tingling from his touch. He then brings his hand up to trace over my lips. I can't help but close my eyes and melt into him. Our lips lightly brush against each other's and more shocks go coursing through my body. He presses his lips firmer against mine and my mind swirls. Fireworks pop off in my mind, something that's never happened before. The lights suddenly flicker on. "Dylan, where—oh my god! My eyes!" Dylan and I instantly jump away from each other. I nervously clutch my chest before running my hands through my hair. What the hell just happened? Ethan is standing there covering his eyes. He then peeks through his hands. "Okay good. Dylan, where's the vacuum?" "Why?" Dylan asks, sounding breathless. Ethan's eyes widen. "No reason." Dylan rubs his face with his hands. "Whatever mess you made, I'll clean it up here in a minute." Ethan nods before bolting up the stairs. What is probably only a couple of seconds of silence feels like hours. "Um, I should probably get going before my aunt starts calling me," I say, wringing my hands together and not really knowing what to do with myself. "Yeah, I'll walk you out," Dylan says, not meeting my eyes. I walk up the stairs first and I almost trip on the top step from my lack of concentration. I go to the kitchen and grab my keys before meeting Dylan at the front door. We saunter out to my car and I can't help but think our friendship is ruined because of that kiss. I stand next to my car and Dylan shoves his hands into his pockets. I can't take the silence anymore so I say, "Thanks for bringing me to Ethan." "No problem." He pulls his hands out of his pockets and scratches the back of his neck. "I'll see you tomorrow?" "Yeah, sure," I say without thinking. I slide into my car and it takes me a few seconds to actually buckle myself in. I wave to him as I drive off and he goes back inside the house. Focusing on the road is a challenge. When I finally get home, I release a breath that I've probably been holding since I left Dylan's house. Leaning against the front door, I replay the kiss in my head over and over again. It didn't last too long, but it all seemed to happen in slow motion. And as much as I try not to think about, I compare that kiss to every other kiss I've had with Jacob. With Jacob everything was fast and more lustful. With Dylan everything slowed down and there seemed to be more...emotion? Does Dylan have feelings for me? Or did he get caught up in the moment? Was I caught up in the moment? I'm not sure how Dylan was feeling, and I don't even know how I was feeling. I'll admit I always feel that there is some kind of connection between me and Dylan, but I was never sure what kind. I figured we'd have a great friendship. But a relationship? I don't know. What the hell are we doing?