Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 88305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
I place a hand to my hip. “Do you have a point?”
“Save me a piece when he’s done with you.”
“Josh…” Lucy trails off on a reprimand, her gaze flitting between the two of us.
“Come on, we all know it’s all a lie.” He sizes me up in a sleazy kind of way that makes my skin crawl.
My best friend’s face contorts and she looks like when she used to have her intense periods that left her feeling crippled.
Or when she saw Prescott making out with a sophomore the other day.
I place a hand on my hips. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“You’re so stupid, you don’t even realize it.” Josh shakes his head slowly. “Or maybe you’re blinded.”
“Off you go, Josh.”
Our attention turns to Reina, who waltzes to the middle of our small group with her imaginary queen bee crown on top of her head.
She’s wearing a stunning pink leather skirt and a peachy-colored top with lace sleeves. Her knee-high boots give her a sophisticated edge only she can pull off.
Josh throws his hands in the air with a surrendering gesture. “I’m just counting the hours.”
“Go,” she repeats, adding a subtle motion with her chin.
He shrugs and wets his lips. “I want to be next.”
And with that, he heads down the hall.
Lucy releases an audible breath while she stares at Reina as if searching for her holy approval.
Our captain’s attention is on me as she says, “Go first, Lucy. I need a word with Naomi.”
“No, thanks.” I flip my hair back. “We’re not exactly besties and last time I checked, we don’t have alone time.”
My friend, however, smiles. “Just cool down, Nao. I’ll be inside.”
She’s my bestie and I love her, but she needs to drop the pacifying manner where everyone needs to come out as the winner.
Once it’s only Reina and me, it’s like the walls are slowly closing in on me. Still, I summon my bravado. “What now? Are you going to threaten to kick me off the team?”
“Why Sebastian?”
Her question takes me completely by surprise. The way she speaks is detached, cool-headed, which is what I’ve always loathed about her. Or maybe admired, as Akira eloquently put it.
I’m so surprised that it takes me some time to answer. “What type of question is that?”
“One that’s simple enough. You always put yourself one step ahead of everyone, so how come you’re falling for Sebastian?”
“I’m not falling for him!”
“I might believe that if I hadn’t seen the way you look at him. It’s like you’ve waited your entire life for him.”
Shit. Shit. “That’s not true.”
“And now, you’re just denying it and it’s pissing me off.”
“Oh, I’m pissing you off? Good. So how about you take the hint and leave me alone?”
“You can easily get rid of me if you tell me, why him?”
“I didn’t really have a choice. He pestered me.”
“So you wouldn’t have agreed under different circumstances?”
“Of course not. He’s a shallow quarterback with nothing behind his physical appearance. He’s not my type.”
She smiles as her gaze breaks from mine and flits behind me. “Hear that, Bastian? You’re not the lady’s type.”
I swallow as his scent invades my nostrils. Reina gives me a condescending stare before she steps past me into class.
Wincing, I turn around to face him. His features are a makeshift mix of emotions I’m unable to peer through.
In my attempt to shove Reina off my back, I spoke against the thoughts I hold in my very core.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper. He doesn’t usually come to our department.
He reaches into his pocket and gets out a bottle of apple juice, my favorite, and throws it in my direction. I catch it between clammy fingers as his detached voice wraps a noose around my throat. “I thought I’d come see you since we didn’t have lunch together. I was in for a surprise, apparently.”
“About what you heard…”
“Oh, you mean the fact that I’m a shallow quarterback, who’s not your type?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Do you always say what you don’t mean?”
Yes, and that’s why he calls me Tsundere. But there’s nothing playful about him right now. If anything, he seems to have taken it personally.
And I hate that, somehow.
I especially hate the monotone way he’s speaking to me. As the beast, he’s all growly, rough, and demanding. As the man, he’s witty and playful. An asshole sometimes, but never this closed off.
When I don’t say anything, he turns around and leaves.
“Wait…” I stumble over my words but can’t find the right ones.
His broad frame slowly disappears down the hall and my jittery insides catch fire. It’s like a part of me is disappearing with him.
Or maybe it’s a part of us.
I barely chance a glance at the classroom and the decision to ditch it comes so easily. I’m half-jogging in my attempts to catch up to Sebastian.