Willing me to spit in his mouth.
I stare at him, fighting against myself not to take the challenge, not because I want to win so desperately, but because to my core… I want to know what it’s like.
I want to know how he’d react.
And that’s dangerous.
Heat curls in my belly, and I gasp, shoving his face to the side, roughly. I launch myself backwards to put distance between us.
I never should have let myself get that close.
“Be gone before I get up in the morning,” I dismiss him, slamming my bedroom door.
* * *
12 years ago…
“Do you want me to wait until you’re finished so I can give you a ride home?” Noah asks me as he logs out of his computer. He’s been staying after school most days, like me, to work on college prep.
We sit in near silence most days, focusing on our computers, and sometimes he will share his snack with me, but this is the first time he’s ever offered me a ride.
“No, you go ahead. I’ll catch the city bus, it runs in an hour.”
“You sure?” He asks kindly.
He smiles at me, but I don’t think he’s flirting with me. I’m not used to anyone paying me any attention, so sometimes I’m not sure.
It doesn’t matter, though. Boys at school have never given me butterflies like Jensen does.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” I smile at him as he throws his backpack over his shoulder and says goodbye to Mr. Arkett at the front of the computer lab.
Once Noah leaves, Mr. Arkett leans back in his chair to look at me. He’s my chemistry teacher, but he picks up theextra shift in the evenings to monitor the computer lab for students like me who don’t have internet access at home.
“Always the last one standing, Livvy.”
“I know,” I giggle. “I can leave now if you’re ready to head out.”
“No, I don’t have anything to get home to.” He stands up from his desk and stretches his arms above his head. It pulls his school polo up just a bit, exposing his flat stomach.
Mr. Arkett is only 26. He’s a graduate of our high school and started teaching here right out of college. He teaches my chemistry study group, too, so I see him more often than my other teachers. And most Saturdays.
He’s really quite handsome. His dark hair is always tousled and kind of messy. There are a few girls in school who signed up for Chemistry just because he teaches. I didn’t, I needed the extra science credit to graduate with honors, but I don’t blame them.
“Well, I’m just going to submit this scholarship application, and I’ll be done.”
He sits down at the seat next to me, where Noah was sitting, and spins the chair to face me. “Take your time.”
It’s hard to focus when I know he’s sitting so close. His knees are only a foot away from the side of my chair as he swivels back and forth on his wheels.
“You’re a smart girl, I think you’ll do great things in college.”
“Oh, thank you.” I feel the blush creep up my neck at his compliment, but it only worsens as his attention stays on me.
“You’re pretty, too. The boys will love you.”
I’m not shocked at his words because he’s complimented me before, but I’m still unprepared with a response.
No one ever says things like that to me, aside from Hayes,but he’s different. He made it firmly known that I was his best friend, and he’s not willing to be more than that. The disappointment of that stings badly, and I’ve decided to stop hoping he’ll change his mind.
