31. a kiss on the palm. - from jed
spots to kiss flori // @wclfout (jed)
âoh no, i---iâm not... no,â floribeth tells jed. âiâm not a singer. or a performer.âÂ
he pulls a face and she giggles as she shakes her head. âbesides, why are you helping an enemy faction? shouldnât you be, i dunno, with rafael and brock and the others? brainstorming?â
âshouldnât you be with kaleb and mg?â jed shoots back. floribeth shrugs. âweâll probably do another sit in protest. i know how to sit still for long periods of time. they donât need me to practice that.â
jed wastes no time and gives her a wide grin. his eyes sparkle and sheâs come to know the look on his face as the âiâve got an ideaâ look. âpick a quiet song, flori. a song where you wonât have to move around a lot.â or at all.Â
âbut what if i freeze up?â the words are a whisper on her tongue.
jed gives her a kiss on her palm. âlook at me. flori, look at me. listen. when that happens, find me in the crowd. iâll be there. the wolves are last to perform this year, anyway. just pretend youâre singing for me instead. just for me. no one else.â
floribeth takes a moment to mull it over and then she smiles, nods her head. âokay.â
âyeah. iâll do it. and i do like birdy. sheâs got new songs. nice songs. quiet songs.â quiet laughter escapes her lips. âi think iâll work my way up to a cover of ok goodnightâs awake.â
âwho?â jed asks, and instead of answering, floribeth moves off of her bed, and gently pulls him along with her, towards the door. âiâll make you a playlist,â she promises, âafter iâve signed up for the talent show.â