"Oh. Well, thanks?" 

          I didn't really know what to say. And, I was a hundred percent sure that I was blushing like a freaking tomato right now, and I was silently thanking God that his head was still down. 

"Well, don't let it go to your head", he lifted his head and smiled. I instantly looked away. Now it was my turn to put my head down. I shoved the rest of my honey bun into my mouth.

"Oh wow. I totally lost track of time", he said looking down at his watch, "It's five". 

          I looked back up and he began to laugh. "You've got-", he broke into another fit of laughter, while I tried to swallow the big piece of pastry in my mouth, "You've got-". I started laughing at his inability to to finish his sentence, and then we were both laughing. 

          "Fuck! I can't even finish my sentences!" I wiped at my mouth and he grinned. 
         
I took my hands down and he leaned over and began to wipe my face with his napkin. I froze. I didn't know what else to do but look down and not stare at his face.

"There", he sat back down, "All gone now".

"Thanks", I whispered.

I didn't know what else to say and we were just waiting in awkward silence for someone else to speak.

"So... Should we leave now?" My voice sounded shaky, and I was hoping that he didn't notice it.

"Yeah. Let's go".

I was happy that I didn't have an encounter with the waiter as we began to leave because I knew it would totally be awkward.

We didn't speak as we started walking, which left me to fumble around with my hands, trying not to make a sound. He on the other hand, was walking with his head up and humming silently to himself.

"So. How was your day today?" I wanted to slap myself in the face as soon as I said it, but tried to keep calm. After all, it was a conversation starter.

"It was okay. Well, until this. This was the highlight of my day. Getting to see you and hang out with you, made my love for you even stronger".

I stopped short, shocked. I wasn't even sure if I had heard him right. "Um... Repeat that please?"

"OK. I said that my day was okay, and hanging out with you was actually pretty fun".

So I had been hearing things. "I thought you said something else", I mumbled to myself.

I looked down at my hands, which were still holding the napkin I rewrote the waiter's number on.

"So are you going to call him?"

I smiled, still looking at the napkin in disbelief. "Maybe, to tell him I'm taken at the moment". Ryan started laughing and I looked up at him.

"Look Kelly", he said wiping at his eyes, "This wasn't a date. I only did this to help with your first hangover. It didn't-".

It took a minute for me to register what he was implying. "Shut up numb skull. I was talking about Gabriel".

"Wait... You and Gabriel are actually dating?" He asked me. I shrugged, "Well, not yet, but I have a feeling-".

"Well then, don't call him", Ryan said quickly. I blinked twice. "What?"

"Don't call the waiter then. If you think you're taken, don't call him. He'll know you aren't interested and it'll hurt him, but it'll hurt less than you telling him straight up". 

"Oh", I said, a little confused because of the change of subject.

"Yeah", he said rubbing the back of his neck. 

We walked for a while in awkward silence. Ryan had stopped humming and was now silently walking with his hands at his sides. I, on the other hand, couldn't really keep still. I kept running my hands through my hair, even when I had no reason to, and then I couldn't stop my eyes from not looking in any direction but his. 

Then I remembered something. "So, how again do you know Gabriel?" 

The sudden break in silence took him a little off guard and he looked down at me. "Wow, you sure are persistent. I thought you had forgotten by now", he told me. 

"Of course I haven't forgotten. And why don't you want to tell me?"

"It's not that I don't want to tell you, it's more like-", he ran his hand through his hair. "Never mind. Gabriel is my cousin".

I stopped in my tracks and he stopped too. "He's your what?"

"He's my cousin. And the most annoying person on earth".

"Wow", I said, beginning to walk again. That was so rich. I love Ryan so much, that I'm even attracted to his cousin. What's next, his little brother?

I could feel Ryan behind me. He had started walking again too. "I don't even know what to say. But, I guess it's cool", I said. 

We stopped in front of his house. I was too lazy to take my phone out of my bag so I asked him what time it was and then we both entered the house.

Hannah greeted us first. "Where were you guys?" I was going to answer, but Ryan beat me to it. "Kelly wasn't feeling good, so I took her to the Caf Palace to get her something to eat".

"The Caf Palace?" She asked him. He nodded. "Isn't that where you used to take girls you had crushes on?" 

He rolled his eyes and stomped away, leaving me with a laughing Hannah. I smiled, pat her on the shoulder, then walked away.

I got to my room and Ryan was coming out of his. Before I could open my door and step inside, I felt his hand on my shoulder and I turned to face him. 

"What my mom said-".

"I know, she was joking", I finished for him.

"No, she wasn't joking. But you're an exception. You mean nothing to me. At least, not in that way".

I stood there staring at him, and he at me, before i backed into my room and slammed the door in his face.

HEY PEEPS!! Just finished this chapter. Trying to get my schedule together so there will eb a fixed date every time I publish. So, thanks for reading!!