Page 24
“How’d you know?”
Spreading his lips in a broad smile, he taps the notebook clutched in my arms.
“Oh.” I let out a nervous laugh. “Yeah. Spangler Hall.”
“Cool. I’m one building over . . . in Bennett. How about I walk you?”
Butterfly wings flutter behind my rib cage. Maybe Nicole was right. Maybe Elijah did have a thing for me. “Uh, sure.”
“So . . .” Elijah’s arm brushes mine as we walk, sending a thrill down my spine.
My breath hitches. “Yes?”
He stops and rubs the back of his neck. “I have something I’d like to ask you, but I honestly don’t know where to begin.”
“Let me guess. You heard the rumors?”
His cheeks turn pink, and he chuckles. “Are they true?”
I consider lying, but it’s too late, thanks to Tyler and his big mouth. As dates go, last night was legendary. In a bad way. “Yes.”
His eyebrows shoot up. “Wow. That’s . . . I’m impressed.”
“Trust me, there was nothing impressive about last night.”
He shakes his head. “Tyler’s an idiot.”
“I can’t blame everything on him. He doesn’t control the weather.”
“Still.” Elijah leans in and whispers, “Dick move on his part.”
His scent, all watermelon Jolly Ranchers and minty soap, surrounds me.
“I’m a little late asking, but . . .” Around us, there’s a mad dash to make it to class, and we reluctantly start walking again. “I’d like to take you out sometime.”
“Why?” The question tumbles out before I can stop it. One guy asking me out can be chalked up to a coincidence . . . maybe two. But three? No way.
He cocks his head and blinks a few times. “Why wouldn’t I? I’ll admit I’ve been an idiot to wait this long, but honestly, I didn’t think you’d say yes. But when—”
“Tyler.” I groan. I don’t need to hear more. Suddenly everything makes sense. My newfound popularity all boils down to Tyler asking me out on Monday.
“I wish I’d asked you first.”
I gaze up at him from beneath my lashes. “Me, too.”
“Now that we have that settled . . . Go out with me.” Elijah stills.
“I-I’d like that.”
He exhales in a gust. “How about Saturday night? I’ll pick you up at seven?”
I grin like a fool, mesmerized by his widening smile.
“I’ll see you then.” Elijah walks me the rest of the way to class, then heads back the way we came.
Unable to concentrate on a single word of Professor Breen’s sociology lecture, I slip my phone out to text Nicole and realize Saturday is Valentine’s Day.
Nicole never responds to my text. And she doesn’t show up for lunch. In fact, I don’t see her for the rest of the day. I do see Caleb in calculus, but we have a test, so we don’t get a chance to talk until class is over.
