Page 66 of Quarantine Crush
No answer.
I frown as I look up and take in my darkened living room.Where the hell is he? Did he leave without me?I turn, my breath stalling in my chest as I finally catch sight of him standing on the balcony. Through the glass door, my eyes lock with his, and the air between us buzzes with intensity. He looks like he’s been waiting for me, and even though I have no idea what’s happening, my heart pounds fast as I drink him in.
It’s the first time I’ve let myself look at him in days. Now, I remember why. I’m immediately lost in his gaze, unable to move, to walk away, and frozen in the memory of his rejection.
He spreads his arms, gesturing to the scene around him, and I tear myself away from his gorgeous face, finally registering the setup. Candles line the railing behind him, and as he begins to strum the guitar I bought him, more lights flicker on in the apartments across the street. Knox reaches forward and slides the balcony door open then steps back and lifts the guitar into place.
As the first notes drift to me, I instantly recognize the tune from the old Disney movie that I used to love. Knox opens his mouth and begins to sing, but the words are changed from the original version.
I've, I've wasted lots of time
But losing you’s a crime
And you're not asking
But I'm trying to win your heart back
On my knees, begging you Emy, please
You opened up your heart in Quarantine
Offered it to me and only me
And I, I really messed it up when you shot your best shot
But I love you when you cry my name
“Whoa, TMI, son.” My dad’s voice sounds from behind me, and I whirl, my hand shooting to my throat. My dad holds open his arms, and I rush into them, crying when I realize that Knox’s dad and brother are here as well. How I missed them standing outside my kitchen, I’ll never know.
I hug each of them in turn, my eyes widening in disbelief. “What are you guys doing here?” I ask.
“There will be time for questions later, sweetheart,” my dad says, turning me back to Knox.
“Yeah, no offense, Emy, but this is an incredibly romantic moment, and you’re totally ruining it,” Christian says with a wink, and for the first time, I notice his phone in his hands, recording the moment.
I choke out a laugh as my eyes dart back to where Knox is still playing. More instruments have joined in, and I find myself drifting closer.
The minute my feet cross the threshold, cheers sound, and my eyes widen in disbelief. People line the apartment balconies on both sides of the street, each of them holding a candle, their cell phone, or some other kind of light as they wave it back and forth in time to the song’s melody. Horns sound from the street, and I rush to the railing, careful not to disturb any of the candles as I glance over to see Nina, Hadley, and Taylor hanging out their open car windows.
Fresh tears stream down my cheeks, and I cover my mouth as I do my best not to ugly cry in front of all of these strangers.
“We can’t see you,” a feminine voice shouts from one of the laptops that Knox has placed on the table. I stumble backward, absolutely confused as to what’s happening. My eyes land on Knox’s laptop screen first, which is open and streaming live into a Facebook group called Quarantine Karaoke. The viewer count in the top left corner is high enough to freak me out. Holy shit. Hundreds of people are watching Knox shoot his shot.
My eyes dart to my laptop that’s propped open next to his, and I finally notice Knox’s mom and gram. They’re clutching onto each other, and I shoot them both a quick wave before turning back to give Knox my undivided attention.
He smiles at me as he continues to sing. I laugh when I realize how close to the original he’s gotten while still making the lyrics completely about him and me.
Well, you probably know more than you ever thought you would
But I’ll tell you again every time
So if you wanna know
Here it goes
Gonna make a wish
The part of me that shows when you're close
