And he desperately wanted to be normal.
Pushing open the front door, he inhaled the familiar scents of family and home. Here was the only place he could truly be himself and let go. No worrying about accidentally slipping up, doing something at uber speeds or hiding the hurt of rejection. Here with Lex and Chase, he was Travis without labels.
“And where were you?” Lex asked, watching him shed his coat. “Wait I already know. Creeping around Emma Deen’s no doubt.”
“No,” he replied, grinning. “Well not the whole time, and I’m not creeping.”
She folded her arms and pursed her painted lips.
His sister could be such a pain in the tushie when she wanted to be. “Fine, whatever, so I’m a peeping tom now.”
“Really Travis. And dad says I’m the dramatic one. I heard a rumor today,” she taunted him in her singsong voice.
Running an irritated hand through his hair, he replied.” Lex I don’t have time for your games.”
She turned, putting her arms on the back of the couch loving every second she tortured him. “Oh but this one is about your little obsession.”
“Lexi,” he growled.
“For God sake,” Chase rumbled from the stairs. “Everyone at school is buzzing about Emma asking you out today. Apparently the two of you were seen at the Village Diner.” He lifted his brow, daring his cousin to deny it.
Lexi pouted. “Chase,” she whined. “You stole my thunder.”
“It was nothing,” Travis grumbled.
“Real-l-y,” Lexi dragged out. “So you didn’t almost kiss her in the parking lot?”
“What is with you two?” Travis complained.
Chase leaned against the arm of the couch smirking. He loved to see his cousin squirm but enough was enough. This had to stop before it got out of control. “Look now you have had your little fun. It’s time to let it go before things get dangerous.”
He knew his cousin was right, but the idea of not seeing her again was like asking him not to breathe. There was just no way he could do it. It was probably a good idea to keep that little bit to himself. Who the hell knew what his cousin would plot.
“I told you it was nothing. There is no need to get all parental,” Travis insisted.
Lexi didn’t believe a word he said. She knew her brother, and he wasn’t about to let this go. You don’t spend the last six months spying on a beautiful girl for nothing. What a wad of crap. Either her brother was stupid or lying.
She was going with liar.
And she wasn’t the problem. Chase was going to be Travis’s obstacle here, not her, and she definitely didn’t want to be around when that demon storm struck.
Zipping to his room, he left the two of them scowling behind him. He knew they meant well and worried about being discovered, all Divisa’s were. With Emma, his gut was telling him that she was different; she was more than just some girl.
Today was a day he never thought would happen. Not once had she shied away from him, she wasn’t afraid. Never had this happened, not that he had ever heard of. Divisa’s do not intermingle with humans. They were too afraid of the demon that lived within them. There was an internal warning that made people leering of them. It affected Lexi the most. His sister longed for people interaction, and it broke his heart that she was so lonely.
Staring at the ceiling, he cursed the all demons from hell and for being crapped on by them. Not only did they not give two shits about them, they also frequently tried to kill them. Talk about dysfunctional family.
Fisting a handful of sheets, Travis realized he had to find a way to be with Emma and keep her safe. The alternative tore him to pieces.
*
Emma felt a zing brush over her shoulder and spread through her limbs. Glancing to her right, she almost dropped her tray as her eyes stumbled into Travis’s gemstones.
“Here let me take that,” he offered, taking the unsteady plate from her grasp.
Her eyes widened in surprise. A nice surprise. “What are you doing here?”
Balancing one in each hand, he maneuvered around the tables, choosing one in the corner away from all the cafeteria noise. “I had to see you,” he grinned, rocking her world.
She needed to sit before she fell off her feet. Her legs had suddenly gone to water. Dropping into the seat, she fumbled with the stem on her apple, giving her jumping heart time to relax.
It had been only an hour since she had seen him at the end of study hall, but she knew what he meant, just being near him felt right. Like the universe was in perfect alignment.
“You skipped class to see me?” Her voice sounded astonished. She was flattered and extremely happy he had.
“I hope you don’t mind.” There was this rushed feeling inside him ever since study hall. He just had to see her face. See her smile. Smell her. Now that she was right in front of him, he wanted to be anywhere but here, in front of hundreds of prying eyes. A quick scan of the room, and he was shot flaming daggers by Chase, and Lexi just looked pleased.