Page 29 of Movers and Fakers

She nods ever so slightly. I brush back a strand of hair that escaped from her ponytail. Aurora stiffens.

“For our audience,” I whisper, then wink.

Her lips twitch like she wants to smile, but she doesn’t. The professor begins his lecture, and Aurora pulls back to focus on the screen. I drop my left arm over the back of her chair, making sure to go beneath her long ponytail so I don’t accidentally pull on it. The dark locks shine in the light streaming through the windows, a stark contrast against the pale gray hoodie I’m wearing. I consider running my fingers through the strands, wondering if I’d lose my hand for it.

“Pay attention,” Aurora scolds in a whisper. “I don’t date failures.”

I press my lips together to stifle a laugh.

“It’s your fault for distracting me,” I murmur.

Her gaze cuts my direction, and I notice she looks more flushed than usual. She gives a little shake of her head and looks pointedly in the direction of the screen. I chuckle under my breath and set my gaze ahead.

A few minutes later, I risk it and act on my impulse, sifting my fingers through the ends of her hair. I don’t look her way to see her reaction, but she doesn’t stop me. So I can only hope that she’s a fraction of how distracted she makes me.

Chapter fifteen

Rule Number One

Aurora Driscoll

Hayes isn’t waiting for me in the library like I expected. He’s usually early. To class, to our first tutoring session. For someone so casual about, well, everything, he’s overly punctual. Except on the day we’re supposed to talk about the scheme he concocted.

“Figures,” I grumble, and drop my backpack on the table, then sit down.

In the past, it’s annoyed me to find Hayes waiting for me around every corner. But today, it was welcome. Not because I want to see him, but because it means we can get everything settled quicker. I have a feeling this is going to be absolutely miserable, and the sooner it’s over with, the better.

A sigh falls from my lips. I tuck my hands in the pocket of my burgundy hoodie and turn up the classical music flowing through my earbuds. Tchaikovsky doesn’t just soothe me; his work reminds me of what I’m working toward. My ballet intensive. Becoming a principal dancer. Making my family proud.

I’m reviewing a part of my winter performance in my mind when someone slides into the seat across from me. Someone who is decidedly not Hayes Rosewood.

Mckinleigh smiles at me and motions to her ear. I frown and slowly take out one of my earbuds.

“I thought I’d see you here,” she says brightly. “But Hayes isn’t here. Did you two break up already?”

The hope in her voice is simultaneously laughable and unsettling. It’s only been a few days since the party. Maybe Hayes was right. She’s stalker material.

“No.”

Mckinleigh blinks her long lashes, waiting for me to elaborate.

I do not.

She lets out a fake laugh. “That’s so great! He must be running late. I’m sure he was busy working out or got held up in traffic, and not with another girl or anything.”

I press my lips together. Clearly, she thinks this will get under my skin. Maybe if I were actually dating Hayes and cared if he was with another girl, it would. Unfortunately for her, I’m not.

“Is there a reason you came over here?” I ask.

“Oh, um—” She shifts in her seat. “I wanted to see if you wanted to come to a little get-together this weekend.” Her words come out quick, as though she didn’t plan to say them. “The events are usually reserved for sorority sisters, but if you came with me, you’d be allowed.”

I don’t have anything against sororities. My mom was in one and has a lot of great friends from those days. I considered rushing for her sake, but I felt like the process would be too stressful. Some people definitely take it a little too far, though, and I think Mckinleigh might fall in that category. She probably thinks she’s superior to me because she got accepted into one.

“No thanks, I’m busy,” I say, and go to put my earbud back in.

Mckinleigh sputters. “With Hayes?”

I can’t help it, I let out a little laugh. Gotta hand it to the woman, she knows her priorities. I wonder what she could do if she channeled all this energy into something productive.