I peek over his shoulder and feel my cheeks color as I snap a quick picture for proof that we completed the challenge. At least, that’s what I tell myself. “Well, the good ones, at least.” Saints, do I even dare hope to have a pack like the one pictured? If nothing else, I know what images will feature in my next heat delirium.
And who.
When we “do a good deed” and cart all of Ian’s library holds down to his office, he considers me for a moment, eyes softening when he sees my beaming smile. And that smile only grows when he hands me two volumes, protected in oilcloth. “For your studies.”
Not even Simon’s teasing that I’ve got a crush can bring me down as I dance up the stairs, my nose already in one of the books.
He shakes his head when we get to the doors of the library, carefully rewraps the volume, and slides both into his backpack to protect them from the weather.
“And I thought your propensity for flash cards was bad, you giant nerd.”
I stick my tongue out at him. “Pot, kettle.”
He laughs, bright and boyish, and swings me around in a hug that makes me giggle.
Because Simon will forever and always try to make me smile. And when I fall, I know he’ll catch me.
For the final challenge’s dare, Simon dares me to cartwheel all the way across the quad, and when I do and stumble, dizzy and laughing, into his arms, I feel hope for the first time in weeks.
Hope and lightness and love.
* * *
Over pizza,which Simon graciously buys, we watch all of our clips in the most epic blanket fort ever.
The moment Alyssa saw it, she dove straight into it, immediately cuddling down into the blankets. “I’m not built for the cold! I’m from SoCal!” she complained.
I curl up beside her and am not at all surprised but deeply, deeply gladdened when Simon drops down next to me and cuddles up against my side. “I’m a beta. There’s a cuddle pile. I can’t resist. Betas are touchy.”
Fine with me.
We watch the clips and I laugh more than I have in months. Because Darika definitely mooned the headmaster, who actually got a good laugh out of it too and warned her not to get frostbite on her bottom. And Ellie and Bitsy stuck googly eyes on all the statues they could manage around campus. It makes stealing a few blankets for a blanket fort look like child’s play. Did Bitsy also contort herself into many of the positions she found in the library books? With commentary.
“You guys are too cute,” Alyssa whispers, and I’m glad the low light in the fort hides my blush.
We are, in fact, the only team that didn’t show our bare asses at any point.
“Simon, for the love of the saints, cover your eyes,” Ellie begs as a video pops up on the screen of the sophomore omega being dared to streak through the library. “Thank goodness no one was cramming for finals yet,” she groans as the clip rolls, showing a very naked Ellie dashing through the mostly-empty library.
“You’re looking quite good, Bestest Bells,” Bitsy notes. “Still doing Pilates?”
“I’m going to Pilates you in your stupid face,” Ellie mutters.
Bitsy cackles.
“That was beyond reckless,” Ellie’s honor guard mutters from the back of the fort.
Bitsy rolls over so she can face him. “That’s the point. A big ‘fuck you’ to the assholes who are snatching omegas and trying to scare the rest of us. They wanna capture me? They’ll be so fucking sorry.”
“Ain’t that the truth?” Connor mutters.
“You love me, Connor. Don’t pretend you don’t. I’m the funnest client you’ll ever have.”
“If you don’t force me into early retirement,” he mutters.
“Bro, we’ll be in the home for retired honor guards together.”
“That doesn’t exist, right?” Alyssa ventures.
