When she says that, Mathias glances around, almost as if he's forgotten the party. But the smoked beer is still in his other hand, dangling from between his fingers and there are people moving around them and even though there's still time before the count down, he can see people beginning to pair off, finding the person they'll want to kiss when midnight comes around. The night she tells him on doesn't matter. He expects the conversation would have gone the same no matter when they had it.

"It's fine," he assures her. It isn't fine, exactly, but he doesn't think the timing will make much of a difference. And he understands her desire to have something like this out in the open as soon as possible. It's easy to feel like you're lying to a person even when you're only waiting for the right moment.

"I mean, I understand," he continues. "It's sometimes better not to wait." And he's glad he's told her now, too, that hopefully it will prevent her from feeling too guilty. That isn't what he wants at all.