Page 13 of Say It Again
I hope it didn’t make you faint.
If you’re still conscious, that’s the first step in a much bigger dance.
Love always,
Madeline
Chapter Four
IT WAS later that evening, and Aaron had texted:
Can I take you out tonight? 7ish? Send me your address.
Which Daniel had done in an itchy six seconds. The thing about going on a date with the foxiest person one had ever seen in real life (and their Alejandro fantasy life) was that it was nerve-racking to the point where he had to hang his biggest quandary, Madeline’s proposal, on the refrigerator to be dealt with another day.
Expecting a calm head as the hour approached sevenish was overly ambitious, but did he have to feel like such a squirrel on stimulants as he glared at the front door? Demanding that it sound in a knock already? If only he could be more like Aaron with his ultra-suaveness. With his Hey, break up with your boyfriend, why don’t cha? That’d be swell.
But he wasn’t an Aaron. He was a Daniel, a rodent with a meth problem, and if that fucking door didn’t make a fucking knocking noise soon, he was going to die all over the place. The authorities would find his body in about a month or two. Boy perishes from having to wait a few minutes. No, he was not just being dramatic. More at eleven.
A sudden knock. He gasped and swung the door open, and there stood Aaron, flashing an unfairly kissable smile.
“Hi,” Aaron said. Oh what grand timing that a choir of angels crooned somewhere in the distance.
Daniel leaned on the doorknob, a little swoony that he was really here, filling that shirt with all those muscles. It was obscene how many muscle groups looked like they’d been prioritized in whatever workout regimen he must’ve religiously followed, all well-defined and bulging to life as if to say, What do you mean, can we bench press your body? Of course we can. Don’t make us laugh.
“Your front door is orange,” Aaron said, pointing a thumb at it. “Interesting color choice. Was it like that when you moved in?”
“Mm-hmm, you smell so good.” Someday, he’d be a better conversationalist. For now, it appeared he’d just blurt whatever was on his mind. “Won’t you come in?”
Aaron’s grin tilted in amusement as he stepped inside. “Daniel Greene,” he said, taking Daniel’s hand and lifting it overhead to twirl him in a little circle. “You look remarkable. Are you ready?”
God yes. Take me. “Ready for what?”
“It’s a surprise.” Aaron twirled him a second time, making him giggle. “Do you like those?”
“Do I like the feeling of complete darkness, having zero control over what’s happening?” He mustered excitement for his face as he twirled for his third time. “So much.”
“Campy little thing,” Aaron chuckled, continuing to spin him. “This doesn’t make you dizzy?”
“Nope. Used to it.” Daniel freed himself to complete a triple turn, landing in a graceful révérence bow. “I have about twenty in me before I start to get dizzy.”
Aaron’s eyes widened. “What? That’s so—do it again.”
He obliged, spinning thrice, landing in a deeper bow.
“Is that ballet?” Aaron asked. He almost looked shocked. “You do ballet? Like, just for fun? Or in some professional capacity?”
It was unfortunate that the first sensation to rush through him was embarrassment, but he couldn’t help it when Robert Greene’s voice was so damn loud—get a real hobby, get a real degree, for the love of God, please get a real job.
“Yeah,” he said, chewing the inside of his cheek. “I, um, teach dance for a living.”
“That’s incredible.”
He zipped his gaze up to Aaron’s.
“Really, really incredible to be doing something you love,” Aaron said, shaking his head like he was awestruck. “Assuming you love it.”
“I do love it.” He stood a little taller. “I’ve never loved anything more.”