“I’m sorry to interrupt. There’s a party this Thursday at Rose Grove. You can bring your girlfriend too.”
I’m about to open my mouth to correct him that I’m not his girlfriend when Victor’s hand grabs my knee and shakes it gently. My eyes snap his way. Oh, this man confuses me.
“We won’t make it. I’m busy on Thursday nights.”
The guy shrugs his shoulders, waves at him goodbye, and leaves.
My curiosity is killing me. What’s he doing on Thursday night? But then I remember it’s none of my business. Or at least it shouldn’t be. I wait until the guy walks away.
“Why didn’t you want me to correct him about me being your girlfriend? That’s lying,” I tease him.
“It’s not a lie if it’ll happen in the future.”
Victor grabs his cookie and bites two thirds of it. With closed eyes, he moans so loudly that the students at the next table turn their heads. I laugh out loud. When he opens his eyes, I find nothing but green, bright color full of desire. My laughter gets stuck in my throat.
Then it hits me. Being out and about with Victor increases the chances of Charlie finding me. My mouth goes dry. My gaze flits around the cafeteria. Charlie’s deadline looms over me like an avalanche ready to flow down a slope.
Eighty-three days to his deadline.
“Maybe we should head back.”
Victor stuffs his mouth with the rest of the cookie and offers me his bag of chips, which I gladly take. Life’s short. If I want to eat chips, I’ll eat the damn chips.
We walk back to the apartment, and I steal glances at Victor, wishing I could steal a lot more.
Once the apartment building comes into view, I spot them. My knees are weak. I won’t make it to the door.
A large bouquet of red roses in a crystal vase sits on the welcome mat. I know they are for me. I know who they’re from. And I know the message that’ll come along with the beautiful flowers. The message won’t be so beautiful.
Victor scrunches his eyebrows. “Are you okay? You’re pale.”
I want to turn around and hide, but where? I glance around the building, but there are only a couple students rushing to go wherever they are going. No creepy lurkers. As far as I can tell. Is he watching me?
I don’t want to read the card, but I have to know. Maybe they aren’t for me. Maybe they are for Victor, from a fan. Or better yet—Abi sent them to Alek for their anniversary.
Victor lets me walk in front of him. I bend down to pick up the card sticking out of the vase. My hands shake as I open it.
I’m so sorry for scaring you. I promise it won’t happen again. Come back to me, Firefly.
My knees hit the cold cement and I steady myself by holding the door frame. Victor crouches next to me.
“What is it?” His voice is full of concern.
My breathing is restricted. When I don’t say anything, because I can’t, he pulls the card from my grip and reads it. His eyes snap to mine and study me. His lips press together and his jaw muscles twitch. A tiny twitch that I bet only I can notice.
Victor puts my arm around his shoulders and holds my waist as he gets my sagging body inside the apartment. He deposits me gently on the couch and goes back for the flowers. As he places them in the middle of the kitchen table, I stare at them as if they’re about to release a poisonous gas in the air.
Charlie knows where I am.
“Breathe, Tia.”
Victor sits next to me on the couch with arms open, leaning in to hug me. But the front door squeaks open, Victor retreats, and Abi and Alek walk into the living room.
Alek’s eyes bounce from me to Victor and he dashes to my other side.
“What’s wrong? Did he do something?”
“Seriously? Dude, I’d rather die than let a hair fall off her head.” Victor raises his hands in defense.
