22
The train car is nearly empty when we board.
B LINE TO BOSTO COLL GE
We take seats next to each other. His thigh presses against mine.
Somewhere on the edge of my consciousness, the train screeches mercilessly along its track.
This is almost something. Very, very almost.
This is Arlington, an automated voice says.
This is Copley.
This is Hynes Convention Center.
I place my right hand on Andy’s knee, squeezing once.
Andy places his hand atop it, lacing our fingers together.
This is Kenmore.
I let my thumb start to move, tracing small, slow circles across his thigh.
This is Blandford.
I should say something.
This is Boston University East.
I should definitely say something.
This is Boston University Central.
“You know it’s funny…” I say, rotating my hand up until my palm is flush with his, then locking our fingers together. “I feel like you know a lot about dates I’ve been on, but I barely know anything about yours.”
“Is there…” He clears his throat. “Is there something you want to know?”
My thumb starts moving again, back and forth over his.
“Yeah…” I reply.
“What?”
“It’s not exactly the kind of thing you just ask someone.”
“I don’t mind.”
I look at him out of the corner of my eye, then quickly back down to where our hands are joined.
My pulse is racing. Or is that his? I can’t tell anymore.
“I guess I’m just wondering where you see tonight going. Or… how far.”
Next to me, Andy stops breathing.
This is Armory Street.
I rush to explain, “Because we live together, so I’m going home with you, obviously, but I don’t want you to feel like you have to do anything you don’t want to do just because I’m there and I want to. I mean,
I’ve never done the whole ‘dating your roommate’ thing and I feel like all the signals I would normally give as the green light are just inevitable because I live there, so I guess I just wanted to explicitly give a green light, but also if you don’t want to give a green light that’s totally fine.
Whatever you want. That’s all I—”
“Sophie.” Andy drops my hand to take hold of both sides of my face. He looks straight into my eyes and says, “Green light.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
This is Babcock Street.
I try to control my smile as our hands clasp again, a new energy buzzing there.
This is Packard’s Corner.
This is Harvard Avenue.
By the time the train doors opened at our stop, we’re already waiting by the door.