Stacy — We went live(2)

"You sleep on your tummy, never any other way, unless I'm holding you. Does he know that? Parties make you uncomfortable, but you'd never know it because people love you. Does he know that? You have a photographic memory and consume textbooks at an alarming rate, hence the near perfect GPA. Does he know that? You're the world's worst barista, but you keep getting jobs at coffee shops. Does he know that? The closest thing you've ever come to seeing a rom com is literally The Dark Knight Trilogy. Does he know that? You think ice cream cakes are stupid and refuse to have them on principle even though that's just ice cream, you freak. Watching movies with you is a nightmare, because you know the ending within minutes of it starting. Does he know that? You are the smartest, most fun, most beautiful girl in any room."

I was absolutely floored. As he took a deep breath, I risked a look at him, trying to get myself to be rational. He was staring right back. He was my best friend. Knowing all of these things about me was nothing to write home about. In all the time I had known him though, he had never looked at me like he was now.

"Does he know that?" he asked softly, his voice almost a plea. "If he doesn't know all those things, he's not the guy, Stace."

What I did next was probably the worst thing I could have done. Leaving was always going to be hard, but what I did next would make it impossible.

"No," I whispered, taking his hands into mine. "He doesn't know any of it."

Some things in life you decide to do. Others are simply unavoidable. We were drawing closer to each other like magnets.

The last thing he said to me before my eyes closed and our lips met was, "Then don't go."

For the next ten seconds, everything and everyone but Scott didn't exist to me. Hesitance and light kisses soon turned into something deeper. Then he was stealing my breath, sealing my mouth with his again and again. In the back of my mind, I could hear applause. His tongue slipped into my mouth and I actively resisted the thoughts gradually trickling back into my mind. He pulled me close, his body heating mine up. I grabbed onto his shoulders, holding on for dear life as he cupped my cheeks, drawing me in even closer. It was only when I heard Kenny's voice that my eyes flew open.

"That's Metro Two News, making love connections baby. Back to you, Sandy," he said and I immediately pushed Scott away.

Everyone in the bakery was still applauding as I got my bearings, air slowly filling my lungs. The first thing I saw, post kiss, was Scott touching his lips with his fingers, followed by the camera aimed at us.

My brain completely malfunctioned, this time in a different way. I walked over to Kenny and grabbed him by the collar.

"Did that just go live? Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea what you just did?" I yelled at him, the ramifications of what had just happened sinking in slowly.

"I boosted our ratings?" Kenny said sheepishly.

"Stace, it's okay," said Scott, joining us and taking me aside. "Look, it's not a big deal. No one even watches the news."

"Not a big deal?" I hissed, trying to ignore the anger that was bubbling up inside me.

That kiss was seven years in the making and he thought it was no big deal?

"I am the engaged daughter of a don, Scott." I huffed, no longer caring what he did or didn't know. "My fiance is the son of the second most powerful don in America and I was just seen swapping spit with someone else. This is absolutely the furthest thing from being okay."

Scott looked at me like I was an alien actively growing additional heads.

"I'm sorry, what? You're who now?"