Page 23 of Infinity Chronicles 1
“It's really beautiful, I bet you'll win.” My words flow out easily. Not just a compliment, but full honesty.
His head turns, and his eyes meet mine and he looks sad, almost troubled. His mouth parts on an inhale before he whispers, “I thought I wanted that.”
“But?” I ask when it seems like there is one.
“But I'm not so sure anymore. It doesn't feel important anymore, ya know?” His words are softly spoken, like he's not sure he should even say them out loud.
“I think it's important. What you can do... the way you can make it looks so real. It's really a gift. Something you should be proud of.” I don't know where the words come from, but they're the truth. He is gifted.
“Thank you.” He sounds a little surprised.
The bell rings and neither of have returned our stuff to the back of the room. As the other students start to scatter, I look away from his amber eyes and rush through sorting my things.
When I return to get my bag, he's still standing at the table, waiting for me. I look at the empty doorway, expecting to see Delaney slithering through any second.
“Ready?”
I nod even though I'm not. My tongue feels thick in my mouth when I mutter, “I'll just meet you, go on ahead.”
Dante's brow furrows. “I thought we’d just walk together.”
“Aren't you meeting Delaney?”He looks shocked for a brief moment.
“No, why would you think... never mind. Let's get out of here.”
I follow him from class, still nervous we might be seen together. I feel guilty the whole way because Delaney has every right to not want me hanging out with her boyfriend. Not when he makes my heart beat so fast, and how hearing him speak is like being covered with a warm blanket.
Dante leads us through the quickly emptying halls, past the old gym and to a set of taupe double doors. Pushing through, sunlight pours in, brightening the dim corridor.
When my eyes adjust, I see the back parking lot of the school. Several cars are still parked out here; a few of them seem rather nice for a bunch of high school students.
I spot Ollie's light hair as he stands looking in our direction. He's positioned in the open passenger door with his elbow propped on the roof. Looking at him gives me the same dip in my stomach I get when I see Dante.
Guess I haven't let go of the crush yet, seems I have a thing for unavailable boys.
A sly smile lights his face as we approach. “I was sure we'd have to hunt you down girl.” Hisvoice is light, teasing even. Without any real answer I give an uncommitted shrug, pulling the strap of my bag higher on my shoulder.
A heavy silence settles over us as we cluster around Dante's car.
I hear Milo nearing moments later, his feet crunching over the broken blacktop as he hurries over at a near jog.
“Hey,” he pants, not really out of breath, but I can tell he rushed to get here. The butterflies get impossibly stronger and my cheeks heat with something almost like embarrassment.
The way I’m surrounded by these boys makes me feel different, and not in a bad way. But in a way I'm completely unfamiliar with. I'm tempted to run.
Why am I here? Why are they even talking to me, and why, after all these years of never getting close to anyone, do I want to be here with them?
Now that Milo has arrived, Dante walks around the back of the car and opens the trunk. The hinges whine in a way only older cars do as he holds up the hatch. His black t-shirt rides up, giving me a view of his side and a glimpse of his stomach.I look away quickly, embarrassed how it makes me want to see more.
He tosses his bag in and the other two boys do the same. I grip my shoulder strap tighter, not ready to let go of it. Dante looks over at me, and his eyes slide down to my hands where they clutch my bag over my chest. Without a word he lets the lid go, and it drops down with a harsh slam.
“Shotgun,” Oliver exclaims, butMilo jabs him with an elbow and nods in my direction. “Oh yeah, Laura you want front or back?” he asks, not missing a beat as he nears the passenger door.
I don't know why, but it’s at this moment it actually sinks in that I might leave school with them. I never really thought about where we were going to talk.
Dante speaks up, “I thought we would head over to my place. No one else is there, but if you'd rather go to your house, we could do that.”
“No,” I whisper. “My place… it's not... we can't really go there right now.” I lie.
