Not only had he managed to get between my head and the window, but his other hand was on my thigh, pinning me in place.
I exhaled shakily as my brain tried to process the near miss.
Loud laughter and catcalls filled the bus as everyone else reacted the same way they always did to this sort of thing. I barely heard them over the pounding of my pulse in my ears.
Piercing green eyes searched my face. “You okay?”
Unable to speak, I nodded.
“Good.” His arm moved from around me as he glared at the driver. “Twat needs to pay more attention.”
Our knees were pressed together now, the heat almost tangible as it passed between us. That was the least of my concerns.
Not when Dominic’s hand was still on my thigh.
He didn’t remove it for the rest of the journey.
And I didn’t tell him to.
We just sat in silence, both of us refusing to acknowledge it.
Just as we were refusing to acknowledge everything else between us.
11
Ryan
Dominic stood up before the bus even came to a full stop outside college, striding down the aisle and waiting by the doors. He was the first one off, not looking back as he ran down the stairs.
I stayed sitting, letting others rush off first, their chatter blowing past me.
To be honest, I needed a minute. A few seconds when I could sort through the chaos in my mind. That wouldn’t be enough time though. Wasn’t sure eternity would be long enough to sort through the tangled web I was weaving with Dominic.
It didn’t feel like we were becoming friends. I didn’t both dread and desperately want to see my friends. My pulse didn’t race at the sight of them. If they held on to my leg for the best part of a bus journey, I’d definitely be shoving it off.
And yet…it didn’t feel like I hated Dominic either. Sure, he irritated the shit out of me. There was no one else who could make my temper rise as quickly and efficiently as he could.
So what was it? What was going on between us?
I dragged a hand wearily over my face. The only plus side of this was that Dominic seemed just as fucking confused as I was.Possibly more so. He was the one who kept doing or saying weird shit before running away.
A shadow fell over me as someone stopped next to my seat. I looked up to see Max glaring down at me. “What?”
“What did you say to him?” he demanded, nostrils flaring.
“Nothing.”
“You must’ve said something. He took off out of here like a bat out of hell.”
I shrugged, busying myself with picking up my bag and slinging it across my body. “Didn’t say anything. Maybe he’s pissed off at you because you made a scene about not sitting with him.”
Colour flushed over Max’s cheekbones. “I didn’t make a fucking scene.”
I shoved past him into the aisle, calling back over my shoulder. “Looked that way to me. Funny, I never thought I’d see the day you treated Dominic as badly as you treat me.”
I didn’t know why I said that. Was it to piss Max off? Or because I felt the urge to defend Dominic?
It had to be the first one. Had to be.
