“What?” He flung his arm up in the air and let it fall against his thigh. “You said you accepted my apology and there was nothing wrong.” His voice got louder with each word.
“Don’t.” I bit my bottom lip to keep from saying more.
“You didn’t mind it Saturday.” He moved closer. I put my hand on his chest to stop him. He dropped his backpack, put his finger around my belt loop, and pulled me closer. I felt his heartbeat beneath my hand. It was strong and… fast. It increased the closer we came to one another. My heart was racing, my breathing quick and shallow. His matched mine. It was the first time I realized I had the same effect on him that he had on me. Our gazes locked. Warmth grew in my chest and spread through my body.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured and leaned in closer still. His thumb caressed my lower lip, pulling it from between my teeth. An avalanche of butterflies tumbled in my stomach. I couldn’t contain my small sigh.
The student parking lot grew crowded. The buses had arrived, and students walked around us, bumping and pushing past, as we stood toe-to-toe.
Chay’s hand cupped my cheek, his thumb under my chin. He angled my face upward and let his gaze roam across my face until he came to my lips. His gaze darted quickly to mine before he looked at my lips again. He tilted his head.
A group of giggling girls bumped into us. “Oops. Sorry!” one called as they were swept away in the crowd.
Chay cleared his throat, dropped his hand, and jammed his fingers through his hair.
“Chay… we really need to get to class.”
“Yeah.” His voice sounded strained. He gave his head a shake and flexed his fingers. “Here, give me that.” He slipped my bag off my shoulder. Grabbing his bag, he threw both over his shoulder, and we walked toward the school.
***
I slid into my assigned seat in calculus later that morning. “Pretty dirty trick this morning.”
“Yeah. Sorry, but he knew you wouldn’t ride with him any other way.” Muriel shrugged a shoulder and doodled in her notebook.
“Ever think there was a reason for that?”
“Have you thought there may be a reason he wants to spend time with you?” She stopped doodling and chewed on the end of her pen. All her pens had teeth marks. She was like a puppy with a chew toy.
“Yeah, I’m not supposed to be alone,” I grumbled and had the fleeting thought that I sounded like Ben when he acted bratty. I decided not to examine that too closely.
“No. If that were it, he’d have let you ride with me. Give him a chance, Milayna. He seems like a great guy, even if he’s the dark and brooding type.” The cap of her pen pressed against her full bottom lip as a slow smile curved her mouth.
“Oh, shut up.” I couldn’t help my giggle. I was still pondering the potential awesomeness of a relationship with Chay when Muriel’s elbow jabbed me in the ribs.
“Ow! What?” I snapped.
“I asked for your answer to number three of yesterday’s homework assignment, Ms. Jackson,” my calculus teacher said in his annoying, nasally voice.
Aw, really? Dude, I have demons after my soul. Can’t I get out of homework for, like, ever?
Three weeks, six days until my birthday.
I bolted upright in bed, covered in a cold, clammy sweat that made my pajamas stick to my skin. When I started to climb out of bed, my cell phone vibrated, skidding across the nightstand. I caught it just as it fell from the table.
I looked at the screen and smiled, pushing the button to read his text.
Chay: Are you okay?
“Yes,” I said as I punched in the letters and hit send.
Chay: Then why are you awake?
Me: Why are you?
Chay: Nightmare, huh?
Me: Yes.
Chay: You wanna talk?
I surprised myself when I answered yes, almost dropping my phone when it rang seconds later. I answered before it woke my parents.
“It’s three o’clock in the morning, Chay. I thought you meant text, not actually talk on the phone,” I whispered.
“But then I wouldn’t hear your voice,” he said simply. My insides melted into goo.
“Um.” I had no idea what to say to that. “Why do you want to hear my voice?”
“I like it.” His voice melted over me, relaxing muscles I hadn’t realized were tensed.
I sighed and looked at the ceiling. “That’s not an answer.”
“Yes it is.”
“Okay. Fine.” There was no use in prodding for more information. He probably wouldn’t give it, and I’d probably end up saying something embarrassing.
“Can I pick you up tomorrow?”
“Yes.” I picked at the edge of my blanket. “I was hoping you would.”
“Hmm, that makes two of us. Goodnight, Milayna.”
Oh, wow. Really? I like that. A lot.
“Goodnight.”
I clicked off the phone. “Yeah. Like I’m going to sleep now,” I grumbled and got out of bed, wandering downstairs to the kitchen. I looked out of the window over the kitchen sink. Every few minutes, I was certain I saw a little red menace running through the moonlight.