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awesome.  You have, what do they call it, entrepre neurial spirit?  I love that.”
    “ You don ’ t think it ’ s silly? ” I ask with a small voice, afraid of his impending answer.
    “ Why on earth would I think that ’ s silly? ” Evan asks as he sits up in the bed, glaring down at me.  He looks shocked and I feel exposed.  I suddenly realize just how much of myself I ’ ve revealed in the last few minutes. I want to escape.  I want to run .
    “ I don ’ t know, ” I snap, glaring right back at him.  I can feel myself getting defensive.  My cheeks are growing red with heat.  I can ’t look at him, and I ’ m worried this conversation is headed in a bad direction.  God, I wish I could control my anger.
    “ Please tell me your parents didn ’ t tell you it would be a bad idea .” 
    I ’ m silent for a few seconds before attempting to put on a brave face. “ Whatever, it ’ s fine.  They weren ’ t the only ones.  Other people felt the same way. ”
    “ What other people? ”
    “ Huh? ” I ask, playing dumb.  I ’ m trying so desperately to avoid this conversation.  But, somehow I know Evan won ’ t let this go.
    “ Kate, talk to me, ” Evan insists, stroking my hair. “ Don ’ t pull away, please. ”
    “ Boyfriends, okay?  Every single guy I ’ ve ever dated has thought it was stupid, like it was lofty or something.  They didn ’ t think I could do it. ”
    “ Why would they think that? I don ’ t understand.  Did you show them your pictures? ”   I nod.  Evan is silent and it scares me.
    “ Yeah, well, maybe I ’ m not as talented as I like to think I am, ” I mutter.
    “ Show me something, ” Evan says matter-of-factly.
    “ What? ”
    “ You heard me.  Show me some of your work.  I promise to give you my honest opinion. ”
    “ I don ’ t know, Ev .”  I say, tilting my head in disbelief.  This was new territory. I practically had to beg Shawn to look at my photos.  He never once asked to see them himself.
    “ C ’ mon, I really want to see them, ” Evan urges, practically shooing me out of the bed. I act like I ’ m irri tated with him, but deep down, I want to run to my converted second bathroom.  Instead, I walk as casually as I can, trying not to show how anxious I really am in this moment.  Evan notices the red glow from the room as I turn on the light.
    “ Is that a darkroom ? ” he asks, jumping quickly out of bed and walking towards me in only his boxer shorts.  I am temporarily distracted by his gorgeous body as his perfectly defined abs get closer and closer to me with every passing second. He raises his eyebrows seductively and takes me in his arms.  “ You seriously have a darkroom in your apartment?  You just became even more awesome in my eyes ,” h e says, wide-eyed as he pushes me gently to the side and begins exploring the room.
      “ Seriously? ” I ask in amazement.  Evan looks like a child exploring a toy store as he examines my chemical trays and tongs.  I can ’ t help giggling as I watch.
    “ This is so cool.  I can ’ t believe you didn ’ t show me this sooner, ” Evan exclaims.  “ Now, can I see some of your stuff? ”   His reaction is helping me to relax with each passing minute.  I feel myself becoming less apprehensive.  His enthusiasm is genuine.  I can feel it in my bones.
    “Sure,” I say, crouching down to the lower shelves of the small bookcase in the corner.  Retrieving one of the photo boxes, I gesture for Evan to follow me back to my bedroom.  He sighs as he follows.  H e really doesn ’ t want to leave my darkroom .
    “ Hey, will you teach me how to develop pictures in there? I think it ’ s fascinating. ”
    “ Sure, if that ’ s something you actually want to learn, ” I respond, raising an eyebrow.
    “ Of course I actually want to learn.  I wouldn ’t say it if I didn ’ t mean it, ” Evan says, giving me a look of warning, like I should stop treating him like every