Kiss Cam

by Kiara London

  Jasper’s hand squeezes mine over the armrest of his car while I stare out the window, letting L.A. become a blur as we drive through traffic. Lenny’s crammed in the back, laptop out, grumbling about how little legroom he has.

  We come up to a giant white building with grand windows and an arch over the doorway. We’ve finally reached our hotel. For a bunch of silly Internet people, this hotel feels like too much for VlogIt to provide us.

  “This is it,” Jasper says.

  “This is it,” I repeat. I feel my stomach knot. I make myself smile, and it helps. I can feel the tension, the nervous flutters dissipate.

  Lenny pulls himself up between Jasper and me and stares out at the hotel. “Guys . . . we’re actually here again.”

  I glance back up at him and smile. “I know. Crazy, right? Who would’ve thought we’d be here again?”

  We all go silent and reflective, looking back at all the things that have gotten us here. Suddenly, Lenny’s arms slide between the car seats and squeeze our shoulders. “I love you guys.”

  After we park, we enter our hotel behind a group of vloggers. When we pass through the tall, weighted doors, we are immediately overwhelmed by loud squeals and clapping rising from every corner of the lobby. The hotel is bustling with incoming vloggers. Some fans are sitting in the lounge, videotaping us. Like the previous meet-and-greet, this feels unreal. Seeing so many people who look at all of us vloggers as inspiration, hope, friends— it makes a person feel very small and humbled.

  As I’m taking it all in, my stomach flutters in excitement and my face heats. Suddenly, there is a high-pitched shriek. A group of girls a few years younger than Jasper, Lenny, and me ambush us, cameras bouncing off their fingertips.

  “Kiss Cam!” a short, dark-haired girl gushes. Her face is flushed, and I can tell it took quite a lot of courage to confront us by the nervous glint that flashes across her eyes when we look at her. Her friends giggle and clutch at one another behind her.

  Lenny looks between us with a slight smirk.

  “Well, isn’t that funny,” Jasper muses. “They’re taking matters into their own hands now.”

  “When the fandom takes control,” I say with a wide grin, pushing my confidence, “there’s no going back.”

  One of the girls behind the dark-haired one pipes up, her nose wrinkling when she says, “Kiss Cam!” She points to Jasper and me. “Kiss each other and it confirms Jasiper is real.”

  I see the look in her eyes; it’s something close to daring. They’re done with the games we’ve been playing. As our relationship became harder and harder to hide, it turned into a running gag for WereVloggingHere. We turned to teasing them and purposely displaying our half-heart jewelry. Lenny took that as his cue to become the ultimate fangirl.

  These girls are waiting for cannons.

  “Well, in that case,” Jasper says. He points to the camera in the dark-haired girl’s hand. “Ambush Kiss Cam—Kiss June, confirm Jasiper. Status . . . pending.” Then he turns to me. I raise my eyebrows, and he raises his back.

  “Status,” I say to him with an impish grin, “in progress.”

  With that we meet each other halfway to confirm Jasiper in a firm lip-lock that sends warm jolts of excitement throughout my body, pushing goose bumps to the surface of my skin.

  The girls before us begin shrieking and jumping up and down, and somewhere in there Jasper and I start laughing through our kiss.

  “It’s real!” they repeat over and over.

  As we pull away, Lenny pushes between us, wrapping his arms around our shoulders with a victorious grin. “All right, girls, I own this ship. I claim captain!”

  “We’re vlogging here!” Jasper tacks on, waving at the camera. I bury my face in Lenny’s shoulder, trying to mask my blush. It comes into my mind suddenly that this all started with Kiss Cam. We started with Kiss Cam. Twice. The first time gave us the push we needed; the second announced it to the people that started it all—our viewers. I shake my head a little and glance past Lenny at Jasper, who is already gazing at me with a soft smile. He winks like he knows what I’m thinking.

  “Status,” I yell over the madness, “completed with success.”

  It’s one of our better ideas.

  First and foremost, Jean Feiwel, thank you so much for the opportunity to write for you. I can’t express enough how grateful I am. You’ve made my biggest dreams come true. For that, I’d probably do anything you asked (no, seriously).

  This book would not be as pretty and perfect as it is without my editor, Holly West. I might have written the story, but she helped buff and polish it to the manuscript you have before you now. All of my people on Wattpad, you will see and understand that firsthand. So thank you, Holly! Really. Where would I be without your keen eye and incredible support?

  Also, Lauren Scobell is the reason you have an extra Kiss Cam scene in the back of the book. So thank her for that extra-brilliant idea. Alex Rodriguez and A. Olivia Smith, thank you for the prompt that inspired the bonus scenes.

  All of you who helped make this story what it is over at Swoon Reads, I cannot thank you enough. From the wonky word fixes to the cover to the marketing, I am extremely amazed by your dedication and love for each and every single book that has required your attention. I couldn’t ask for a better team of people.

  Thanks to my little sister, Isabel, who read anything and everything I threw at her. Sorry for the “does that sound okay?” question a hundred times in ten minutes. You’re a star. You deserve an Oscar for all those dramatic readings you presented me with. Mom, she is the real MVP. You were right about us being friends someday. You were also right about putting myself out there. Thank you for giving me the confidence to go after whatever I dreamed. As all the adults in my family say, “Storytelling runs in the family.”

  As for my writing family . . . my Wattpad people . . . you are the reason this book exists. You are the reason I finished it. You are the reason I took a chance on Swoon Reads. I am eternally grateful for that. I’ve grown up with you. You’ve seen my writing mature. You’ve always believed in me. I have the best writing family in the world. So, big hugs all around. And an especially big hug for Stephanie, my first fangirl and best friend. She truly understands how much I hate editing, and she got an earful every time I hit a wall. I would be a head case without her. So thank you, Stephanie, for your unfailing support and kindness.

  And finally, a giant thank-you to all the fangirls, fanfiction, and ship wars that have ever occurred on the Internet for my eyes to see. It inspired this crazy story, and you’ve given me more than enough material to work with. Never stop supporting the things you love.

  Kiss Cam started out as a little story I posted on Wattpad, and WereVloggingHere’s viewers were based almost entirely on my own readers as they became invested in the story of Jasper and Juniper and their kissing escapades. So what better way to thank you for all your support than one last Kiss Cam? And an extra-special thanks to Alex Rodriguez for this ship-tastic Kiss Cam request!

  “I Miss You”

  I flop onto the lumpy bed in my dorm room with a defeated sigh and pull the covers over my face. Few Valentine’s Days will ever compare to the one I experienced last year with Jasper and Elaina, but that doesn’t mean this one has been much better.

  It’s one thing to look longingly at the person you love be with another person, but it’s another thing entirely to have the person you love and still not be able to be with them. Long distance really sucks.

  I guess the worst part about it is that Jasper was supposed to be here. He was supposed to come see me this weekend. But when you live six hours away from each other, things don’t always go according to plan. Jasper got stuck in a group project that’s due tomorrow, and there’s no way he can spend twelve hours traveling to see me and get that done. Even though he assured me that we will be able to see each other next weekend, it didn’t make today any easier.

  You know how Valentine’s Day is. It felt like every boyf
riend on campus was giving his girlfriend flowers or oversize teddy bears. I have to have seen every couple sharing kisses and holding hands. And now my roommate has come in to get ready for her date.

  “Hey, June,” she sings as she waltzes by, searching for the heels I said she could borrow.

  “Hi, Alex,” I mumble, sitting up.

  She glances over, noticing my frizzy hair and tired expression. Her dark eyes soften, and she stands, my heels dangling from her fingers by the straps.

  “Oh,” she says sympathetically. “Rough day?”

  I shrug. I really like having Alex for a roommate. We’ve gotten close, and I consider her to be one of my best friends. And being this far away from home, I really need one of those. But it’s nothing like having Allison, or Lenny, or . . . Jasper.

  “I’m sorry,” she says, sitting down beside me. “Here I am being all chipper and you’re having a bad day—are you sure I can still borrow these?” She lifts up the shoes.

  I nod, and she sets them in her lap.

  “I’m fine, really,” I insist. “Just miss my boyfriend. He was supposed to be here.”

  She places a comforting hand where my shins are under the blanket and squeezes. “You guys video-chat a lot. Why don’t you call him up?”

  “He’s got this huge thing he’s supposed to have done by tomorrow. I don’t want to bother him,” I tell her. “I watched his last vlog about ten times yesterday just to hear his voice. All of us vlogging separately for the channel was a really good idea, but it’s not enough sometimes. I miss Lenny, too. I just wish I could actually see them again. Everyone’s just so busy. . . .”

  “I’m sorry, hon,” she says, and I know she means it.

  When I met her for the first time, she immediately knew who I was from WereVloggingHere on VlogIt. That was bizarre, but cool, too, because she completely understood what it was like for me to be away from Jasper and Lenny. And she was the first viewer I met in real life who treated me like a real person, and not a celebrity. I could talk about them and she didn’t try to pretend that she knew everything about our lives.

  “Gosh, I’m such a Debbie Downer,” I scold myself, and wave her away. “Go, get ready for your date!”

  She grins and stands up to change into a skintight red dress that complements her olive skin. While she’s touching up her makeup, I check my phone to see if Jasper has tried to get ahold of me. Nothing. Alex notices in the mirror.

  “C’mon, June. Do you honestly think Jas is too busy right now? He’s up to something.” She smiles reassuringly.

  I shake my head, wanting to believe her, but knowing the truth.

  Alex yanks on my shoes and grabs her purse off our futon. “Well, in any case,” she says at the door, “you have the room to yourself. I won’t be back tonight.” She winks at me, and I can’t help but laugh at the insinuation.

  “Use protection,” I warn teasingly.

  “I’m not stupid,” she reminds me as she slides out the door. “Oh.” She pokes her head back in. “If he doesn’t call by ten, you call him. There’s no excuse at that point.”

  “All right, all right,” I say, motioning her away with an airy laugh. “I gotcha. Go have fun.”

  The door clicks softly behind her, and I fall back against my pillows with a groan. I check my phone again. Still nothing, but it’s only six thirty.

  So I try to do what most people without a date do on Valentine’s Day. I avoid romantic movies on Netflix and watch a good sitcom instead. I have half a mind to loot Alex’s wine stash or finish off the opened box of Pop-Tarts, but I’m too lazy to get out of bed. So I bury myself deeper under my blankets and start to drift off, ignoring the urge to blast a Taylor Swift CD.

  I’m not that sad yet.

  I jump so violently I nearly fall out of bed when my phone starts to ring, blaring the chorus of “Drops of Jupiter.” I haven’t been asleep for very long—my alarm clock says it’s only five past ten. Knowing that “Drops of Jupiter” is Jasper’s ringtone, I quickly answer.

  “Jas?”

  “Why, hello, Juniper darling. How was your day?”

  There’s a sense of relief at hearing his voice, and my heart flutters excitedly. The little things matter when you’re in a long-distance relationship.

  “Now? It’s perfect. I’m so happy you called. I didn’t want to bother you,” I ramble. “God, I miss you.”

  I can hear the smile in his voice when he speaks next. “Of course I called. It’s Valentine’s Day, and I love you.”

  I feel my face warm and my skin tingle. I just want to jump on him, The Notebook–style, and never let go. It has been nearly two months since we’ve seen each other in person.

  “I love you, too. I really wish you were here,” I tell him longingly.

  He chuckles and then clears his throat. “Juniper, look out your window.”

  My brows furrow, and I sit up in bed, throwing the covers off. “What?”

  “Look out your window right now.”

  I feel my heart begin to pound so hard it’s making my legs shaky. I’m suddenly very aware that my curls are chaotic and my makeup is probably smudged and that my clothes are rumpled from sleeping, but it doesn’t stop me from walking to the window and yanking the curtains open.

  My mouth drops open when outside on the lawn Jasper is standing with his phone at his ear and his video camera in hand, staring up at me with a huge grin while Lenny is bouncing up and down beside him with a sign that says in big, bold letters I LOVE YOU TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY.

  “Oh my God,” I say, and I hear Jasper’s laughter in my ear.

  Adrenaline and excitement are bubbling up inside me, and the next thing I know, I’m ending the call and making a mad dash out of my dorm. I don’t think I’ve ever run so fast in my life—not during gym class, not when Lenny and I were being chased out of the school by Jasper, not when I thought I was being followed on my way home from a party.

  My head begins to spin with unanswered questions—did he lie about the group project, did he get done early, is he ditching, did Alex know, how did he get Lenny here, too, am I dreaming?

  But then I’m running across the lawn, and they are both so close, and I’m laughing and crying a little bit, too. Lenny has the camera now, and Jasper’s arms are wide open, and when I collide with him, it’s a running jump. Then he’s spinning me around and we’re kissing. I’m squeezing so tight I don’t think I’ll ever be able to unwrap myself from him. Lenny is cheering like a fangirl, and I feel like I could live in this moment forever.

  When Jasper and I pull away, we’re out of breath, and I begin giggling. I point toward the camera.

  “Is this a Kiss Cam?”

  Lenny nods vigorously.

  “Kiss Cam!” Jasper announces suddenly, like he forgot. “Also, I love you! Happy Valentine’s Day!”

  “We’ve been planning this for weeks. Transportation was the easy part. Jasper went back home to grab his car and then pick me up. The hard part was coming up with a believable lie so that we could surprise you,” Lenny says. “We even got Alex in on it.”

  “Ah! This is so crazy!” My voice is strained from the excitement. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  Jasper loosens his grip on me, and I immediately go to wrap my arms around Lenny. He gives me the best bear hug he can manage while holding a sign and a camera.

  “I’m so happy right now,” I say contentedly as I release Lenny and back up into Jasper’s arms again. He presses a kiss to my cheek. “WereVloggingHere is reunited.”

  “It’s magical,” Lenny agrees.

  Jasper nuzzles his face into my neck. “I’ve missed you like crazy. You smell so good. I’m never leaving.”

  I laugh and turn my face so that he can kiss me again.

  “All right, while these two get a room, I’m gonna end this vlog . . .” Lenny laughs. “Thanks for tuning in. We’re vlogging here!”

  Forget what I said. This is the best Valentine’s Day.

  A Coffee Date
r />   with author Kiara London and her editor, Holly West

  “Getting to Know You”

  Holly West (HW): What was the first romance novel you ever read?

  Kiara London (KL): I never read anything that was exclusively romance when I was younger, because I was always worried about getting teased by my peers for reading “kissy, girly books.” So, it wasn’t until Twilight that I read anything specifically centered around a romance—and I definitely tried to hide it, ha-ha.

  HW: Do you have an OTP? Who do you ship?

  KL: I ship Bellarke (Bellamy and Clarke from The 100) so hard. It’s the only ship I actually track on Tumblr, ha-ha. Those characters deserve nice things, and I just want to lock them in a room together until they figure out that the nice thing they deserve is each other. I also ship Dramione (Draco and Hermione), but that’s another thing entirely. . . .

  HW: Where did the idea for Kiss Cam start?

  KL: I admit it, I’ve got my obsessions when it comes to YouTube and vloggers and blogging. But goodness, has anyone ever read the comments underneath this stuff? You put a couple of friends together in a video, and all of a sudden there are ship wars going down in the comments. It is chaos. And, oh my God, do not insult someone’s ship unless you want to be publically dragged on the Internet.

  All of this got me thinking. Hey, I wonder what all this looks like from the vlogger’s perspective. What do they think about all this shipping? Would they be willing to humor their viewers? Is there something secretly going on between some of these people? And that, my friend, was what inspired Kiss Cam.

  HW: Have you ever had a vlog yourself? Where can your fans find you online?

  KL: I’ve actually never had a vlog. Lots of people assume I do because of Kiss Cam, but the truth is I may have been living vicariously through my characters. (Whoops!) You can always stalk me on Tumblr, though (wink wink) . . .