by Leila James
Micah spins me around again.
“Oh my God, I’m going to throw up my hot chocolate all over your back if you don’t put me down.” Thank goodness there is no one else in the coffee shop to witness this.
That’s enough to make him think twice. He shifts me in his arms, and I slide right down the front of every tantalizing inch of him. His chest is rock hard, all of his muscles flexing because he doesn’t quite let me get to the floor. I’m suspended by the band of his arms, which are wrapped around my middle.
I chew on the inside of my cheek before I decide on my next move. I murmur softly as I stare right into his eyes, “You want to know something else? The explosions aren’t realistic either, especially not to that scale. Because if there is no oxygen in space, then where does the fire for the explosion come from? It’d be seriously hard for something like Alderaan to blow up like it does in A New Hope.”
“You’re going to pay for messing with me like this, Daphne.” He dips his head down close to mine. I think for a terrifying second he’s going to kiss me, but he doesn’t. He hesitates.
And I die a little inside. “I’d like to see you try.”
He lets me slide down to my feet. “You already owe me for the library book. You won’t see it coming, but you’ll pay for all of it. Eventually.”
Hearing him say that makes me hot all over, and I don’t even know why. It’s like I’m too close to one of Tattooine’s two suns. Oh God, I am a geek.
We’ve just sat down at the table again to put our notebooks away and take off for home when Micah stops to stare out the window. For several moments, I continue packing up, not bothering to turn to see what he’s looking at. Then the longer he’s still, I realize he’s now staring at me—like he has something to say, but is trying to figure out how to say it.
I set my bag on my lap. “What? Do I have a hot chocolate mustache or something?”
He slowly shakes his head and runs his hand over the stubble coming in on his jaw. “Are you going to the game Friday?”
My brows draw together. “No.” My answer comes out a soft whisper.
He clears his throat. “Why not?”
“Why would I?” I counter.
“To watch me play?” It comes out like a question, and his eyes are strangely pleading. Vulnerable. I’ve always thought his rich brown eyes were pretty, but have never noticed the hazel flecks in them before, and definitely have never seen Micah do anything close to beg. But that’s what it looks like his eyes are doing—begging me to do this thing for him. Why me? I have no idea. He has to know it’s something I’m uncomfortable with. Yet … I don’t know how to say no to this Micah.
I inhale. Exhale. Wait a few seconds and still his eyes haven’t left mine. Anxious, I try diverting his attention to something else. “You don’t seem to be having much trouble with your classes lately. You didn’t even need my help today.”
He grits his teeth and finally looks down to where his hands lace together. His teeth rake over his full, masculine lip. “I told you, remember? I don’t need a tutor.”
My forehead pinches into a crease. “I don’t get you, Micah.”
“Yeah, you’ve said that before. Not many people do.”
“Yet you talk more to me when we’re alone than I’ve ever seen you talk to anyone else.”
“Ditto. You’re usually pretty quiet, too.”
I press my lips together. “Who does understand you best, Micah?” I expect him to say his parents or maybe Alora or Farrah—the girls he’s intimate with. The second the thought enters my head, my stomach curdles.
“Xander and Beau. They’re pretty much the only ones who know the real me.”
Huh. I guess I can see that. I’m beginning to believe Micah is far more complex than I’d originally thought. I debate with myself for all of three seconds before I blurt out, “Okay. I’ll make you a deal. If you pass the physics test with at least a B on Thursday, I’ll go to the game to watch you.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. If you can manage a B, I’ll sacrifice my time with a good book for you.”
Micah leans closer to me, catches my chin in his fingers and stares into my eyes. His eyes flick down to my lips and back up. For a second time today, I think he’s going to kiss me. I hold my breath in anticipation.
But then he lets go of me and edges back in the seat. He appears to give himself a little shake and slaps his hands on his thighs. “I’ve got to go.”
“Oh. Big plans on a Tuesday night?”
He grabs the back of his neck, eyeing me in a way that makes me think I’m not going to want to hear his answer, much less like it. “I told Alora I’d swing by when we were done.”
“Oh.”
“See you at school?”
I swallow. “Yeah. Sure. See you tomorrow.”
Chapter 20
Once Micah walks out, I stand on unsteady feet, clutching my bag to my chest.
Kendra shuffles out of the back of the coffee shop. “Are you heading out?”
“Yeah. Thank you for not minding when we hang out here for hours on end—especially me. I know I’ve been here a lot lately.”
“It’s no problem at all, sweetie.”
It’s exactly what I’d expected her to say. Kendra has always been nice to me. She and my parents are friendly with each other as shop owners in the same town.
Lifting my bag to my shoulder, I’m about to say goodbye when she holds up her hand. “Wait. Can I ask you something?”
I walk toward the counter and set my book bag down on it. “Um. Sure.” There’s something about the look on her face that makes me a little nervous.
“Do your parents know what you’re doing?”
My eyes flick to hers and hold there. “What do you mean?”
Her brows raise as she glances to the table that I’ve come to think of as ours.
“I’m tutoring Micah.”
Kendra clears her throat. “You’ve got a mad crush on him.”
“I don’t,” I deny, shaking my head.
She rears her head back. “Could have fooled me. And I’m pretty sure the feeling is mutual.”
Exasperated, I gesture toward the door. “He just went to hang out with one of the girls he’s dating.”
“One of them?”
My eyes slam shut. I shouldn’t have said that. With my teeth clenched tightly together, I acknowledge what I’ve been trying to ignore, even though I know it to be true. “He plays the field.”
Kendra takes a deep breath and crosses her arms over her chest. “I know I’m not your parent, but are you about to get caught up in that? It doesn’t seem like you at all.”
“I … I don’t know.”
“What do you like about him, Daphne?”
I squirm. “When we’re alone lately, he’s nice to me. And …” My face flushes bright pink.
She snorts a little. “It’s okay, you can say it. He’s a good-looking guy, Daphne.”
“Yeah. Okay. He’s attractive. And smart, actually.” I swallow, unsure if I should admit anything else. It could easily come back to bite me right on the butt if she says something to my parents.
“I just want you to be careful, okay? Just be aware. Don’t get in over your head, honey.”
I nod. “I hear you.” As if anything she’s said isn’t stuff I haven’t thought myself a hundred times in the last couple of days … The only thing she hadn’t outright asked was why I thought he’d be interested in someone like me in the first place—because that particular question has been running on a constant loop through my head.
I jerk my thumb over my shoulder. “I should get going. Mom and Dad will be expecting me home for dinner.”
“Okay. Tell them I said hello.”
I give a wave and hurry from the coffee shop. Out on the sidewalk, I stop and sit on a bench. What the hell am I doing? Why can’t I stop thinking about him? Because one minute, I’m fantasizing that maybe he could really like me, and the next he’s going to see
Alora. I should probably seek professional help for whatever’s wrong with me.
I tuck my hand into my pocket, pulling out my phone.
Me: I have no self-respect.
Scarlett: What the hell?
Max: Whoa.
Me: I’m just going to say this, and then I need for you to tell me I’m an idiot.
Me: Because, clearly, I can’t—won’t?—listen to my own good judgment.
Max: What do you mean?
Me: I might kind of have a thing for Micah.
Scarlett: And I kind of saw that coming …
Max: Yeah, I didn’t want to say anything, but …
Scarlett: You say he freaks you out, but every time he’s in the same room, you can’t peel your eyes away from him.
Me: Am I that obvious?
Max: In a word, YES.
Scarlett: So, why’d you bring this up?
Me: We were having fun at the coffee shop.
Max: You mean, “I was tutoring him at the coffee shop.”
Me: Well, I was. But we were having fun.
Me: And we kind of made a bet.
Max: Ohhh. Nooo. No, no, no.
Do they think I really am crazy? Maybe. Do I feel crazy? Definitely. Finally, I quickly type out a response.
Me: I knew I shouldn’t have said anything.
Scarlett: Wait, wait. I want to hear what the bet was all about.
I take a deep breath. Look around. It’s not a big deal.
Me: I bet him that if he got at least a B on his physics test on Thursday that I’d go to the game to watch him play.
Scarlett: Huh. Interesting. Well, I’ll be going, so we can stick together.
Scarlett: Do you think he’ll be able to do it?
Scarlett: Although I’ve heard his grades are shit right now, I don’t think he’s stupid.
Me: Yeah. I think he’ll do it.
Max: And what if he doesn’t?
Me: That’s a good question. We didn’t discuss what happens if he doesn’t get a B.
Max: You should bring it up.
Me: Okay. I guess I’ll shoot him a text.
Shit. I can’t believe it didn’t occur to me that there should be something for me if he messes it up. Flipping over to the text thread he’d started the other day, I stare at the screen for several seconds before I get enough courage to send him a message.
Me: I think we need to clarify the finer points to our bet.
The dots start jumping almost right away and my heart gives a little leap. I guess he’s not too busy with whatever he’s doing with Alora to text me. That shouldn’t make me happy, but dammit, it does.
Daph’s Dream Dick: Be more specific.
Me: Well, we said I’d attend the game on Friday if you passed with at least a B.
Me: But we never said anything about what happens if you don’t.
Daph’s Dream Dick: Interesting.
Me: What?
Daph’s Dream Dick: I just didn’t take you for one to bet against me.
Me: Micah, that’s not what I meant …
He doesn’t respond. Oh, man. Way to stick your foot in your mouth, Daphne. I totally did not mean that I didn’t think he’d do it. More of a this is what will happen if you don’t kind of incentive. I’m busy chastising myself when another text comes through a few minutes later.
Daph’s Dream Dick: If I don’t pass, instead of going to the party after the game, I’ll read or watch a movie with you instead.
Daph’s Dream Dick: You said that’s what you like to do on Friday nights, right?
My eyes widen. Like … here? Micah in my house?
Me: Deal.
My text comes across way more confident than my thoughts. I’m anything but sure of myself where someone like Micah is concerned. At the same time, I yearn to spend more time alone with him. Whether that’s because of the ease of our conversations or how he makes my body quake, I can’t say for certain.
I have to admit, though. I’m kind of dying to find out.
Chapter 21
On our way out of the cafeteria Wednesday afternoon, Scarlett, Max, and I get waylaid by a wall of cheerleaders blocking our exit. This causes a backup of immense proportions, not to mention draws a ton of attention to us, considering there are only two sets of doors out to the hallway. I cringe, silently praying for them to let us through and leave us alone.
No such luck. Our classmates pile up behind us and have begun to wonder aloud what on earth is going on. And the second they sense drama about to unfold, everyone pauses. No one is going anywhere now, despite the fact that there is another exit.
From beside me, Scarlett huffs out a breath as she locks eyes with Aria. “Could you let us through? We’re going to be late for class.”
One look up at Max and I see he’s scowling pretty hard, trying to assess what’s happening here and how we can make our escape. I take a half step to the side, partially hiding myself behind him.
Because I’m totally silent. I wish I were invisible. I don’t want any part of this. None at all. I’d rather tunnel through the floor at my feet and dig my way underneath them than find out what they want. What Alora wants, if I’m not mistaken, though she hasn’t said anything yet.
Aria and Scarlett are still studying each other when Scarlett raises her voice to be heard over the commotion developing behind us. “Look, I don’t know what the problem is, but could you call off your dogs, please?”
Aria’s eyes glitter with some unknown emotion, then she flicks her long blonde ponytail behind her as she looks all of us over. Her brow quirks up as her gaze shifts to Alora. With an eye roll, she refocuses on Scarlett. “I don’t control them. Peace out.” She makes an abrupt about-face, sashaying away and leaving several of the cheerleaders looking after her, confused. There’s a good amount of anxious rumbling through their group and even more noise from the crowd of students behind us.
Alora crosses her arms over her ample chest, sniffing like she smells something terrible. “You know what’s coming up, Daphne?”
My head whips up, my hand clutching the sleeve of Max’s blazer as I peek around him. With as much confidence as I can muster, I firmly say, “I don’t, and I’m guessing I probably don’t care.”
One of the girls to the left of Alora gives a startled laugh, surprised at my tone, if I have to guess.
“Who’s your date to homecoming?” When I don’t immediately answer, she smirks and continues, “Tickets are on sale this week—which you’d know if you’d been at the committee meeting. I guess you’ll have to buy your own and go all by your lonesome, sorry, little self.”
My mind whirs. She’s right. I don’t have a date to homecoming—but that’s because I’d never intended to go in the first place. Honestly, it never even crossed my mind. It’s not my scene. “I—”
Max puts his arm around me, resting his hand on my hip. “She won’t be buying her own ticket because I’ve already asked her to be my date.”
I look up at him with a soft smile, not even surprised in the slightest at the blatant lie that fell from his lips. Max always comes to my rescue. I blow out a relieved breath. No one would dare accuse him of telling an untruth. He’s one of those guys who is genuinely likeable. And there’s one thing I’ve known since the first week I arrived at Rosehaven Academy: Max always, always has my back.
It doesn’t hurt that he’s five foot ten and seriously nice to look at with wavy sandy-brown hair and dreamy hazel eyes. He’s not quite as brawny as the football playing crowd, but he can hold his own. And the most laughable part is that if Alora thought he had any interest in her at all, she’d be all over him.
She looks him up and down. Her lips twist as she aims her sick smile at me. Not a single person says a word as she considers which needle to jab into me next. “So, the only guy willing to go with you is Max? I’m sure there are a few people who will be disappointed that he didn’t ask them instead. Tell us, do you have a teeny, tiny dick that he’s interested in, Double D?”
> There are a few murmurs and stifled laughs behind us. We stand stock-still, a united front, Scarlett and Max lending their support on either side.
Scarlett gives Alora a disgusted look. “You’re honestly the biggest bitch I’ve ever met. Daphne’s never done anything to you.”
Alora shrugs and narrows her eyes on me. “Well, good for you, Daphne. At least you’re going to the dance. I have to say, I’m kind of impressed. I thought you’d be spending the night alone with your books and, you know, maybe a cat.” She wets her lip, her eyes boring right into mine. “I guess I’ll see you there. Micah asked me last night.”
My throat goes as dry as the desert and my heart takes a tumble into my stomach. He left me at the coffee shop to ask her to homecoming?
Scarlett snorts, shaking her head. She gives me a reassuring look. I can tell by the set of her jaw, she’s about to go to war for me, and she’ll do it gladly.
But if there’s one thing I know, I can’t let her. I have to fight my own battles. I hold my hand up to Scarlett and cock my head to the side, studying Alora. I put on the best damn act I can. “What about Beau? How exactly do you, Farrah, and Danica decide who gets which guy for the night? Does the short straw have to stay home like a loser? Is one of the guys going to take turns with more than one date?” Fuck, maybe I should have joined the drama club.
Scarlett covers her mouth, a laugh bursting from between her lips. Max hugs me to his side and winks.
The crowd of students behind me snicker. Apparently, more than one of them has wondered the same thing.
Alora holds her head high, but daggers shoot from her eyes as she says, “I can only speak for myself, but Micah and I always attend events like this together. You can ask him. He’s right back there.”
Slowly, I turn my head just enough to see Micah furiously whispering something to Beau. When he sees me looking in his direction, he straightens up before running a hand through his hair. With a shake of his head, he stalks toward Alora, grabs her by the arm, and pushes through the doors behind them.
