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Gina can’t believe this is happening.
Is this a dream? She hopes it isn’t, because this is too good to be true.
She isn’t ashamed to be the one to make a move, asking EJ to be her first kiss. And as they run towards each other from opposite ends of the street in front of Salt Lake Slices, she feels like crying and laughing at the same time, because this is nothing she would have expected, yet everything she has always wanted.
It’s surreal and slow, and for a moment it’s just him and her, standing in front of each other. For the first time in her life, she feels that feeling, where she’s firmly rooted in place but everything else is floating around her in circles—all around her, tightly around her. Her breathing grows heavier, slower as she anticipates every move that’s next to come, and she feels warm and tingly knowing that any second away something extraordinary is going to happen.
As they both lean in, EJ cups her cheek like it’s the most natural thing in the world, while her fingers instinctively curl into his shirt. And then, finally, their eyes close as their lips touch, and their breaths catch.
The kiss is nothing Gina has imagined kissing EJ would be like. She has envisioned it to be like in the movies, when the handsome prince finally rescues the damsel in distress and time seems to stop as the prince delivers the most tender of kisses, because isn't that what all girls dream about the first time they get to kiss the object of their affections?
But it is slow and hesitant at first, just a tentative brush of the lips, and Gina shudders at the way her heart is beating, the way her pulse races and jumps against her skin. EJ kisses back, slow, patient presses, careful and not forceful, not demanding and so, so gentle that her heart despite its frantic beating nearly melts at his tenderness.
But then Gina wants more, and EJ seems to know exactly how to give her that. As soon as the initial wave of shock passes through, everything seems to fall into a sort of broken rhythm, a rush of slightly sloppy, full-fledged kisses in between hush of breaths and quiet gasps. And then it ends all too soon for her taste, even though she is practically out of breath after. She supposes she should be disappointed, but all those made it so real that it feels more perfect than anything she can ever imagine.
EJ pulls back the tiniest bit, eyes closed with a pleased grin stretching across his face. “You taste like chocolate,” he mutters into her lips, and somehow the random statement sends Gina into a fit of laughter, the happy, bubbly kind that sort of just floats in the air when one is happy— so, so happy and without a care in the world. When she finally gets her ridiculous giggle fit under control, he tells her he loves the sound of her laugh—EJ is sweet like that— and she flashes him a sheepish smile as she bridges the distance between them once more.
Their mouths meet for longer than a moment this time, her hands trailing up into his hair as she grips at the strands, sliding a tongue past his lips. But before it can go deep, EJ pulls back, entirely out of breath and ragged breathing pulsing in time with hers.
“G,” he says, voice low and earnest all of a sudden. “I never meant...” His words are getting tangled and he stares at her helplessly, practically at a loss for words but determined to put himself out there nonetheless. Remorse is almost radiating off him, and he lifts her chin gently so he can hold her gaze, running his thumb along her cheek. “I’m sorry. I should have talked to you about what Jaime said. I was just so disappointed and afraid and—”
Gina presses a finger against his lips, cutting off his apology, and the crooked smile she offers him is genuine and kind. “Don’t worry about it. Just… don’t ever push me away again.”
EJ lets out a breath, gazing deep into Gina’s eyes as if searching, and the corners of his lips turn upward into a small, apologetic smile. “I won’t.”
She nods, flashing him another smile before leaning forward to press a quick kiss to the corner of his lips. “I forgive you”.
Suddenly, EJ seems to remember something, and he holds up a finger in front of her. “Wait,” he says, and Gina blinks at him, confused. He runs towards his car and returns a few minutes later with a bouquet of delicate white blossoms, and Gina’s mouth opens in shock and pleasure at the same time.
“I wanted to give this to you when we get to the restaurant,” he says, a flicker of guilt crossing over his features for a split second before it melts into something softer. He hands her the bundle of flowers gingerly, and she tips her head to the side, looking thoughtful again.
“Okay,” she tells him, “You are definitely forgiven now.” She catches his free hand and EJ, without hesitation, curls his fingers around hers.
The lingering ache of the events from earlier in the night is erased with the touch of EJ’s lips, over and over, and Gina smiles.
She takes him to a coffee shop just a little bit out of town after their first date, and the café is small and cute and perfect. It smells like freshly ground coffee beans and cocoa powder, the scent saturating the air and making it feel warm and heady. Underneath the typical white noise of a shop in business, the faint sounds of classical piano can be heard, and EJ feels instantly at home, like he belongs here. It feels both old and new, foreign and familiar, and completely comfortable.
“Said you’d like it, didn’t I?” Gina tells him, her self-satisfied smirk more telling than her words. She is often self-satisfied, is like EJ in that way, and the confidence looks good on her.
“How did you even know about this place?” he asks after they placed their orders, his eyes darting from the hanging, hand-written menus to the potted plants that have been set up in all the window sills. He wonders if they’re real, or if they’re those fake waxy-plastic ones some businesses keep that are low maintenance and cost-effective.
Gina shrugs, leading him into a secluded corner of the room and away from prying eyes. They sit opposite each other before falling easily into casual conversation, talking about school and their musical and other random things, like how EJ loves looking at Gina for no particular reason—
“What did you just say?” Gina asks, an amused sparkle in her vibrant eyes.
“Nothing,” he answers and flashes her a grin.
“Liar, you said something. Say it again.”
He laughs good-naturedly, and is just about to humor her when they are interrupted by the waiter approaching their table, setting down two cups of drinks in front of them— hot cocoa for her and a latte with a shot of hazelnut for him.
“Thank you.” Gina’s voice is warm as she thanks the boy, and her eyes widen the littlest bit when the latter places a bowl of miniature chocolate chip cookies before them.
“On the house,” he says, before they are left in their own little corner again. Gina’s eager hand makes a beeline for the cookie bowl as soon as the waiter takes off, and EJ can only watch as the girl excitedly pops a piece of cookie into her mouth.
“Mmmm… my own piece of heaven.”
EJ chuckles, watching in amusement as she stuffs her face with the bite-sized treats. Eyes glinting in mischief, he quips, “Save some for me, will you?”
She sticks her tongue out at him, but apologizes nonetheless. She then reaches for her cup and slowly raises it to her mouth, gently blowing on the liquid so it won’t scald her mouth before pressing the brim against her soft lips.
There are no words spoken for quite a while, which isn’t really unusual for the both of them. They have spent the last couple of months talking and getting to know each other, and in that span of time have also come to learn to enjoy each other’s company in comfortable silence.
Gina is absentmindedly drawing foam patterns on the surface of her half-finished cup of cocoa with a metal spoon when EJ decides to move into the seat beside her. He pulls her close to him, letting his fingers gently rub up and down her spine.
“What happens after school ends? After summer?” He says softly, breaking the silence at last and voicing out something that’s been at the back of his mind as of late. He has thought about the possibility of Gina moving back with her mom after the school year ends, and conflicting emotions wind themselves around EJ’s heart as he ponders about what it might mean for the two of them. “I mean… where are you going?”
Gina fiddles with the handle of her cup, her brows creasing at the question, and EJ leans forward to kiss the space between her eyebrows. Her lips curve up into a smile at the gesture and she answers sincerely, “Nowhere. I am staying here.”
EJ smiles at that. “Me, too.”
“Yeah?” Gina blinks and EJ bites back a smile.
“Got accepted into the University of Utah a couple of weeks ago.” His life has been mapped out for him for as long as he can remember, and a year ago it hasn’t even crossed his mind that he’ll be staying in town for college. But he’s glad everything has worked out this way, and that he’ll get to stay close to the person who has grown to be someone he needed a lot more than he let on. His fingers reach the top of her spine, and he begins to drag lightly over her nape. And while she ponders his statement, his fingers continue to explore, getting distracted by the question of whether she is ticklish or not. “I’m glad we’re not just a brief… romance.”
“Romance?” Gina asks with a smile, and EJ can see the teasing edge to it once again. She shies away from his fingers with a giggle, trying to avoid being tickled.
He cocks his head towards her. “I asked you out, didn’t I?”
“Going on a date doesn’t mean we’re dating.”
EJ can only look at her, lips pursed into a cross between a pout and a smirk. Gina brushes him off, choking out a laughter and telling him she’s kidding when—
“Fine. Will you be my girlfriend then, Gina Porter?”
“Why, yes…” She flashes him a small wink. “Of course.”
The smile that she graces him is blinding, stark with white and searing itself into the folds of EJ’s mind, and he tries not to smile like a complete idiot. He tugs her a little closer, and when his lips brush across hers, it’s as natural as each breath that floats through his lungs.
It’s easy.
They say that time moves in a linear direction, but sometimes the memories you want to save pile up on top of each other and the line is thicker than normal. To EJ and Gina, every day is a patchwork of memories they’re creating with each other and they don’t want to miss any of it.
Their favorite day is Sunday. On Saturdays, they hang out with their other friends, but Sundays are just him and her, lazing around and watching movies in the living room at Ashlyn’s. Gina sits with her back against EJ’s chest and their fingers find each other’s, lacing together and tracing circles onto skin. Sometimes they fall asleep halfway through a movie and other times they manage to last through the whole film. Sometimes they kiss and sometimes they don’t move even after the film is finished; whispering against lips and teeth and just enjoying the silence.
Today they are in the kitchen at EJ’s, after a competitive round of rock paper scissors where Gina ultimately decides what they’re doing. EJ also gets to don his mom’s pink floral apron, and with the bunny slippers she has given him one random day, Gina can’t remember a time when he looked more adorable than he does at the moment.
“What do you need me to do, G?” EJ asks with a sweet smile, and there goes her heart jumping again, kick-started into high gear.
They’re making double chocolate chip cookies, which aren’t very tricky to make. “Beat the butter and,” she tugs a glass container across the counter and scoops out a cup of sugar, “the sugar until it’s fluffy.”
“Got it,” he says, grinning, and she beams, before striding away to get the rest of the ingredients he gathered earlier from the other side of the kitchen.
“How’s it going?” she inquires when she returns to his side. His shirt sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, arms bulging as he whisks in concentration, and she’s too enthralled with watching the pulse of his veins to ascertain his progress for herself.
“Good, I think?” EJ says, flipping his eyes up at her for approval.
She peers into the bowl, “Yes, good,” she agrees, and Gina feels like melting at his satisfied smile. She then measures out the vanilla extract, before sprinkling in half a teaspoon of salt. EJ gets a few eggshells into the mix when he cracks an egg, but she’s able to pick them out easily enough.
“Sorry,” he says, brows furrowed, “I swear I’m usually not this clumsy.”
“It’s okay, Eej. You’re doing fine,” Gina says with a reassuring squeeze to his hand. “Teamwork.” She holds up a retrieved egg shell triumphantly with her other hand.
“Yeah.” EJ looks at her in awe, tension melting away from the creases of his cheeks. “Teamwork.”
They share a smile before they continue to work in a bubble of contentment, the sounds of EJ carefully sifting flour and cocoa powder the only presence in Gina’s mind. The way he works is entrancing, and she is captivated.
When he’s done mixing the dough, she takes the bowl from him, folding in a cup of chocolate chips before scooping out a spoonful of the mixture. “Taste it for me?”
EJ opens his mouth in compliance, letting his eyes slide shut as he savors the taste. “It’s good,” he says after a second. “A bit sweet.” He grins, and the look on his face makes her heart feel like it’s fluttering right out of her chest, and she almost cannot stand it.
“Can I just—” she starts, and then stops. She can feel her cheeks turning warm and, before she can lose her nerve, wraps a hand around his wrist, grabbing the front of his apron with the other and pulling him close. She can taste the sweetness of the cookie dough on his lips when she kisses him, and her hands flutter around awkwardly for a while before they settle around his neck. The pressure of his mouth on hers is easy and firm, and she is quickly losing herself to it.
Gina sighs, content. She likes this— this shift in things. She likes that it’s okay, now, to peer around his shoulder to see how things are going or to pull him in for a kiss whenever she wanted. She likes that when they’re scooping out the cookies, she can feed some of the dough to him, and if she watches the way he licks his lips clean, that’s okay, too.
She also likes that when they’ve put the cookies in the oven and set the timer, she gets to sit on the couch with him, curled up against his side, and marvel at how their fingers seem to fit perfectly together.
And finally, she likes that the cookies, even the dilapidated ones, come out perfect.
EJ’s birthday comes a week and a half later, and although he has joked about having Gina organize his party for him at Carlos’s quinceañero, she promises to cook him dinner instead, and he’s even more excited when he heard it.
They step out of the car and he stretches his body, taking note of the way his legs and belly ache as exhaustion and hunger take their toll on him. They have gone to the mall after school, wandering from shop to shop, and they manage to buy a few bags of clothes and groceries for their meal before they decide to head home.
Now, as he waits for his girlfriend to take her place beside him, he starts to chatter about wanting to see this particular movie with her this weekend, about being excited to taste her cooking, and about having to reply to lots of online birthday greetings when he gets home.
They reach the front porch, and Gina has barely opened the door when EJ hears the unmistakable sound of party poppers and a merry chorus of ‘happy birthday!’. He smiles, and it only gets wider when the door opens even more and he sees all of their friends inside.
Ricky, Nini, and Kourtney are wearing birthday hats, while Seb, Carlos, and Big Red are holding party poppers, covered in confetti and bursting with high spirits. Ashlyn is on the other side of the room, holding his cake with a fond smile on her face, while Miss Jenn and Mr. Mazzara stand on either side of her. Even Howie’s there, a distance away from the celebration but still with a smile on his face.
All of a sudden, he feels Gina’s arms wrap around him from behind, and he turns to face her, returning the hug and thanking her for the surprise close to her ear. When they finally let go of each other, she gives him a peck on the lips and leads him to Ashlyn. Once he has made a wish, he blows at the candles and everyone cheers, before they sing him a round of happy birthday and declaring the party started.
EJ is still hungry as hell, and he turns to his girlfriend to ask her about her “home-made dinner”, but she’s gone missing all of a sudden. Just then, Carlos and Seb pull him away, smiling at him with different yet matching expressions. They talk for a while, and EJ can tell that they’re bursting at the seams with excitement, but Gina’s still nowhere to be found and he’s itching to search for her.
He can’t get away, though, and he let them lead him to the backyard a couple minutes later, his eyes widening at what he sees. The place is bathed in beams of blue and purplish glow, a mingling of colors, and a small stage was set up in the corner. His friends are already standing in front of the stage, and he gives them a small wave, while he nods at Mr. Mazzara who is taking control of the AV system not too far away.
All of a sudden, the opening notes of a song start to play, and it sounds familiar but he doesn’t quite catch what it is at first. And then the spotlight is turned on and EJ’s stomach sort of bottoms out, like really bottoms out. Or maybe that’s just the entire bottom half of his body disappearing into the infinite abyss of feelings, because he’s pretty sure Gina is standing on stage, dressed as Gabriella. Carlos then hands him a familiar letterman jacket, urging him to put it on while Seb hands him his own microphone.
Take my hand, take a breath…
Gina begins singing in her warm, sensual voice, and EJ almost swoons. Every note sounds magic to his ears, and he falls deeper into her spell as he listens and watches her sing. From where he is standing, he can see the lights as they fall into her face, and the sight almost makes his breath catch in his throat. When she finishes her part, she looks straight at him, her wonderful eyes directed only at him, lips curling and curving into a beautiful smile.
“Let’s go, Troy!” He hears Big Red’s voice from a distance as he turns the spotlight in his direction, blinding him a bit, and all at once he feels the familiar sensation he gets each time he’s on stage, the hint of excitement tingling upon his skin, like he can do anything.
He keeps his eyes locked on hers as he walks the stage towards her, the words passing smoothly through his lips as he sings Troy’s part. They then sing together, and their voices melt and spin on their own, matching and contrasting each other perfectly in volume and emotion. He gets such a rush out of it, singing as Troy and Gabriella, as EJ and Gina, and he feels his heart swell ten times its size.
It’s all too cliché, but suddenly everything else fades into the background. It’s just her and him, looking only at each other, singing and smiling. He feels her hand wrap around his as he joins her on the last line, and together they finish the song in perfect harmony.
A couple of beats pass, and to EJ it seems like an eternity, before they are jarred to reality by the noise of their friends, and the world comes back into focus. He thanks his friends, his Gina, and there’s still that glow on her, and his eyes are still locked on hers. The lights don’t get dimmer yet, but the atmosphere in the backyard slows to something out of this world.
The moments that follow are a haze to him, sort of, but he feels a tug on his hand, and Carlos is taking his microphone from him as he announces that it’s time to eat, and then he is being pulled inside the house, away from the celebration. Without notice, he’s met with the feel of soft, sweet lips on his own, and he doesn’t need to open his eyes to know that the taste of those lips is just so Gina. His hand reaches up to cup the back of her neck as he tries to calm his racing heart, and EJ doesn’t know what to do except press his mouth back to hers.
She pulls away too fast for his liking, though, and he unknowingly pouts as she smiles, forehead against his. “Eej…” she whispers, and he stays still as she traces her thumb across his cheek.
“Gina,” he murmurs against her lips. “I love you.”
She’s startled, and EJ doesn’t take it as a good sign. He steps back, fingers itching to slap himself from moving too fast. He thought it wouldn’t be a bad thing to say, and now he’s embarrassed and she’s standing in front of him and he messed everything up and—
“I love you, too.”
EJ doesn’t realize that he’s been holding his breath until Gina reaches forward again, fingers linking behind his neck. “I was surprised because I didn’t think you’d say what I was about to say, too. I didn’t think that we were both ready at the exact same time. But I’m happy. So happy.”
She leaves another kiss on his lips before she walks out to rejoin their friends. “Happy birthday,” she looks back at him and smiles, and EJ thinks that’s the best gift he’s going to get tonight.
I love you, too.
No, that’s the best.
He takes her to prom, fifteen days after a particularly mortifying yet incredible “promposal”, where EJ asked her to the dance in the middle of their morning show, in front of the entire student body. The whole school talked about it for a couple of days, her friends teasing her at every chance they get.
They are seated at table eight with a lot of his friends and some of hers, and she tries to focus on everything that’s going on around them. She can’t dedicate all her attention to it, though, a significant portion of her mind refusing to pull away from her date.
It still amazes her once in a while, when she’s really thinking and reflecting, that they are together. She is Gina and he is EJ and half a year ago the idea made no sense and just seemed too strange to work out, yet here they are. They are alike in a lot of ways, and yet as different as night and day, and it just… clicks for them.
A flash from a camera distracts her from her thoughts, and Gina can’t help but be reminded of Homecoming and she thinks about how different it is, now. While he has gone with her reluctantly back then, he is more than willing to be with her this time, and together they pose at the camera with their glued-on smiles.
Later that evening, after the non-alcoholic party fruit punch has been downed by all, the DJ announces it’s time to “get it on”. As everyone laughs and Mr. Mazzara glares, the red-faced man quickly clarifies that it’s time to dance. Gina downs the rest of her drink as she feels EJ’s hand tugging on her own, and she follows him willingly to the dance floor.
They stay on the floor for nearly an hour, twirling and jumping and tapping their feet with their friends, and when the music slows and the teachers wander away, EJ grabs a hold of her waist while she places her arms around his neck.
His hands hold her close to him, tightening around her protectively. Gina’s entire body is warm, and she feels a tiny bit giddy when he places a kiss on her temple and murmurs ‘You’re so beautiful, G’. And before she realizes what he’s doing, he lifts her up on her toes and starts spinning round and round.
“What are you doing?” He twirls her again and again, and she giggles as her hair flies to random directions. Without warning, he dips her, and she falls into a shill scream, but then he catches her anyway. Her smile is so wide, and when they finally stop, she places her hand on his shoulder as she tries to catch her breath. It doesn’t make sense because they are supposed to be slow-dancing, and everyone is now staring at them, but all she can think about is that it doesn’t even matter because she is having the time of her life.
At nine o-clock, he turns to her and asks, “You want to get out of here?” He grins that boyish grin that she loves, and she shrugs. They are having fun, but one can only dance for so long.
They walk outside, slipping away into the night, and what a perfect night it is, Gina thinks. Cloudless, so the stars are scattered all over the vast, navy-blue expanse of the sky, while the full moon lights their path.
They stroll in comfortable silence around the perimeter of the building, staying close to the wall—behind which music is still blasting and their friends dancing. Crickets chirp from a distance, and she gazes at the stars while EJ’s eyes train on her face. The back of his hand bounces gently against hers, and she gives him a fleeting glance before taking his hand and threading her fingers through his. When they reach a space with a clear view of the star-littered sky, they stop and lean their backs against the wall, fingers still entwined.
“It’s a beautiful night,” he murmurs, and Gina is glad to see that there are no artificial light sources in the area where they stand. It is barely dark, the moon shining so bright above them, and his face is completely lit by the moonlight. Everywhere, everything has an enchanting, bluish glow.
“Yeah,” she agrees. “It’s amazing.”
Her eyes close and she breathes as slowly as she can, in an attempt to make the moment last as long as possible. Her lungs fill with crisp, cool air, and words cannot describe how content she feels. The sweetest, most handsome boy she ever knew at her side. What else can she ask for?
EJ gives her hand a small squeeze. “Gina…”
She opens her eyes and turns to him, and she watches as he pushes himself off the wall and twists his head, inching close to her face. Her eyes flutter close once more, and she sighs as he places his lips onto hers, ever so gently. She feels like a puddle of goo, and yet she doesn’t doubt that this kiss, this everything, is all that she’ll ever want it to be.
EJ kisses like a gentleman still, smooth and slow, careful not to overstep any boundaries he’s aware of and always letting her know if he wants to push it. Just like this, he’s so gentle, not frantic like Gina finds their kisses when she pushes and takes the lead, whenever she guides him in a fiery kiss.
Gina’s not sure if she prefers every loving kiss that melts her heart or the kisses that she leads, unafraid to take, unafraid to lead or guide, not fearful of how he’ll accept it as she knows that he’ll take all that she gives him and treat her so well with it all.
Yet EJ’s kisses, when he leads them, makes her insides warm, makes her fall in love with every second of every kiss, makes her wonder if there can be anything gentler, anything better, because better seems impossible.
EJ’s graduation is a big blur of tears and the feeling of accomplishment. It’s a big joyous occasion, and he sees his parents genuinely smiling at him for the first time in a while. When he goes up the stage, he shakes the principal’s hand and bows, and he grins when he sees Gina beside Ashlyn and his parents, tears streaming down her face.
He takes his seat with the rest of his fellow graduates, and they sing their school’s anthem before they throw their caps into the air and start cheering and crying. EJ lets all of his classmates hug him, allowing them to wet his toga with their tears and sweat, before stepping out of the crowd, not wanting to be suffocated by all the people around him.
A smile creeps its way up to EJ’s face as he catches sight of Gina walking towards him. There’s always a smile on his lips whenever she’s around and it’s kind of idiotic, really. His grin grows wider and more lopsided when she jogs over with a matching smile on her own face, and he opens his arms as she throws herself at him, knocking out all the wind in his chest but it’s okay, when she’s clinging to him like that.
“Congratulations,” she whispers against his lips and then promptly lets him go. At the same time, he feels a tap on his shoulder, and he sees his parents smiling at him, tears welling up in their eyes. He hugs each parent tightly, thanking them for everything, every little thing, that they’ve done for him, and they thank him for being a good son, for always doing his best, for always aspiring to be a better man.
They all have dinner at a fancy restaurant, a treat from his dad, and EJ offers to bring Gina home when his cousin decides to take a detour to her boyfriend’s house. No one’s home when they get to Ashlyn’s, and he joins her in the living room for a while before standing up and saying goodbye, his parents expecting him home by now.
“Don’t go,” she tells him, her smile dropping into a sad little pout, “Stay with me for a while?”
“You know I’m supposed to just drop you off, right?”
“Eej,” she wheedles, reaching out and curling her fingers into the fabric of his sleeve. “Please...”
EJ means to stay firm, he really does, but then Gina tugs on his sleeve and he’s expecting the pull, but not the amount of force behind it and they both tip forward onto the couch with a small oof. The second he manages to right himself, she is on him, clambering into his lap and burying her face in the crook of his neck. She hums, pleased with herself, and he snorts, feeling a little more than frazzled.
“Happy?” he asks, blowing some of her hair out of his face, ebony strands tickling his nose. She murmurs her assent and giggles softly, and EJ thinks it’s a shame he can’t see her face.
She smells like chocolates this close, and he thinks it might be his new favorite flavor, intoxicating enough that he almost forgets that he needs to go and believe that maybe, they could spend the rest of the night just like this.
His hand reaches up to cup her face a beat later, and she leans into his touch like a kitten, eyelids fluttering to savor the moment before leaning up to bring their lips together. She tastes like chocolates, too, and they spend a long time just kissing like that—languid and smooth. He strokes his thumbs over her cheeks as she purrs, and he’s shocked into laughter when she starts twisting in his grip, in a way that nearly topples both of them off the couch.
And it’s laughter on Gina’s tongue, EJ’s own wide grin barely holding a laugh of his own back, as he releases her so that she can turn around and free her hand up to curl it around the back of his neck when she leans in to kiss him again. She nips at his lower lip and giggles quietly against his mouth, “I’m glad you stayed,” she says in between kisses to both his cheeks, his lips, the bridge of his nose, “Like, really, really glad.”
EJ thinks about her words and their meaning beyond this moment, and warmth spreads through him, all the way to the very tips of his toes, as he tries to kiss back as best as he can when he’s also trying not to smile.
He figures it won’t hurt for them to stay like this for just a little while longer.
End.