Chapter Fourteen
Fourteen
Scarlett
“I’ve never seen you home on a Saturday night,” Sierra says.
That would be because I’m usually at a sorority mixer or tangled up with the first dude who makes me feel something. Though it would be a lot of staring up at the ceiling and doing my best moaning so I could get home and study for my test.
“That’s because life without Panhellenic obligations breathing down your neck is relaxing. I don’t have to go anywhere.”
Sierra offers me some of the trail mix she’s eating and shrugs when I refuse. It’s not even the one with chocolate chips in it; it’s raisins. “Don’t act like you didn’t love it.”
“Sometimes. But if I was in a sorority right now we wouldn’t have this.” I pull her down on the couch with me, not caring that she’s sitting on one of my textbooks. Getaway Island plays on my laptop, and she groans.
“Please just let me watch Dale Thunderman in peace. I can’t stand this show.”
I laugh, letting her go. “You’re lucky he’s hot, or I’d be concerned with how much you watch The Weather Channel.”
She makes a face, then picks up her towel and clothes. “I’m going to the gym.”
“Now?”
She shrugs, heading toward the door. “It’s either I get a hot shower after my workout or I take a timed shower.”
Every other day, Iona has timed showers because of Dalton’s water conservation pledge.
The door closes behind her, and I lie on the couch, watching my show and working on my Research Methods in Social Work homework. It’s only been five minutes when someone knocks on the door. I warily throw off my comforter and crack open the door, peeking out.
“You ready?” Kian’s dressed up, staring down at me as I open the door fully.
“For what?” I adjust my T-shirt as it slips off my shoulder and try not to bring attention to my penguin-themed pajamas.
He walks inside, going straight to the couch where I was just sitting. “We’re going out.”
“No. You’re going out. I declined, remember?”
He thinks for a minute, then shakes his head as if he doesn’t like that answer. “This is lesson three—or is it two?” He scratches his head. “Either way, you gave me the responsibility to ‘fix your reputation’ ”—he uses air quotes—“so I’m helping. But that means we’re going out.”
“I’m not third wheeling your date with Cassie.”
“It’s not a date.”
I give him a look but he doesn’t break.
“It’s not a date. You’re my friend, and I’m asking you to go with me. Please?”
He looks at me with this kicked-puppy expression that’s impossible to refuse. The imaginary boundaries I’m trying to keep in place are flimsy, and the hope shining in his eyes is too bright for me to snuff out. This is supposed to help my reputation, right?
“Okay, fine. Give me a second to change,” I concede.
I head into my room and pull on the first thing I see. At any other time, I would decide on an outfit a day before, and try it on a hundred times to make sure it looks okay from every angle, but not tonight.
When I step outside, pulling my purse onto my shoulder, Kian stands from the couch with a smile, but it disappears the moment he sees my outfit. “What are you wearing?”
I look down at the black jean skirt and baggy brown sweater I threw on.
“Seriously, you’re saying that to this outfit, and not my penguin-themed pajamas?”
He doesn’t smile. “This isn’t you.”
“Well, this is all I’ve got.” I refuse to dwell on what he means by isn’t you. How does he already know what is me?
I used to spend hours getting ready. It was my favorite part of going out. But now I don’t want to seem like I’m trying too hard to impress anyone.
“Nah, take it off,” he says too casually.
I know what he means. I do. But defiance stirs in me, sharp and reckless, because I hate how easily he dismantles whatever facade I try to hold up. So I do—I take it off, just like he asked.
I tug the sweater over my head in one smooth motion, standing before Kian in nothing but my bra and the skirt.
He freezes. Completely. His know-it-all smirk crumbles, and for once, Kian Ishida looks like someone just pulled the plug on his brain.
“You—I…Wh—” he sputters, words colliding in his throat.
I think I broke him.
His Adam’s apple bobs, once, twice, three times.
His eyes drop to my body, but he’s looking at my tattoos.
I’ve got a lot of them—too many to count, according to my parents.
There’s a lotus flower running behind my arm, like a ribbon, in both white and black ink.
The lyrics from my favorite song on the inside of my biceps, and all kinds of animals and dainty things swirled together to make parts of my sleeve.
But it’s the dragon in red ink on my back that’s my favorite.
“Is this better, Your Highness?” I ask sweetly, batting my lashes.
“Perfect,” he whispers, so soft I almost miss it. Then he clears his throat and darts his gaze to anything but me. “Uh, I still think you shouldn’t wear that sweater.”
Giving up, I march into my room, yanking open the closet. A graveyard of tops is scattered across the floor from the last time I was too lazy to hang them up. I start flinging them behind me one by one, fabric flying over my shoulder.
“Try this,” Kian says from behind me.
I turn to find him grabbing the shirt that must have landed on his shoulder when I threw it behind me. It’s a brown top, square neckline and sleeveless.
Kian’s eyes stay well above my neck, and when I snatch the top from him to put it on, he turns away. I bite my lip to keep from laughing. “Well, now I have to put on makeup.”
I expect him to groan or tell me I’ve got a limited amount of time, but he nods, plopping onto my bed with his arms behind his head, watching me.
Although he doesn’t rush me, I apply some makeup quickly. Concealer, blush, eyeliner, and some gloss. When I start curling my lashes for mascara, I glance at Kian through my vanity mirror. “Sorry, I’ll just be one more minute.”
He shrugs. “Take your time. I like watching you.”
There’s a flutter in my chest when I pull my gaze from him and finish up.
The drive to Starlight is quiet but it’s comfortable, especially with the soft sound of Laufey playing through the speakers. When he parks, he comes around the car and opens my door before I even have the chance. It feels awfully like a date. Not that I would know.
A date with you could never be a pity.
What the hell did he mean by that? Those words are nearly engraved in my memory.
I focus on my shoes as we step inside Starlight, and it’s like standing next to a celebrity. Everyone we pass stops to talk to Kian, wanting to have a full-blown conversation. Kian leaves them all smiling. Happy.
Live music hums inside, the strum of a guitar, and I notice Cassie onstage. I smooth down the fabric of my skirt for the tenth time, my palms slightly clammy.
I scan the lounge and see Mac McCormack ordering a drink at the bar. My entire body tenses, feeling the way his hand squeezed my arm at the Beta Phi welcome party.
I whirl around and slam straight into a hard body. All six foot two inches of Kian Ishida crowd against me, and for a terrifying second I’m sure I’m about to topple over. But then his arm snakes around my waist, steadying me with ease.
“You okay?” he murmurs, his breath brushing my ear.
I don’t miss the way his gaze lingers on me for a long minute.
“I don’t know if I told you earlier, but you look—”
“There’s my date!” Cassie cuts in, pulling Kian in for a tight hug. I move out of the way, letting the two of them come together. With my glare, I’m burning holes into Kian’s head and his insistence that this isn’t a date.
But then Cole walks in and pulls me right to his side. “You made it! Did you miss me?”
I let out a weak laugh, moving away from his touch. Cole’s a nice guy, and I can see he’s only here for a good time, but I don’t want anyone to get any ideas.
So I step to the side, follow the group to our seats, and purposely sit at the edge of the table, facing the stage.
I’ve just sat down when Kian touches my wrist. “I was trying to say you look beautiful, Scarlett,” he says to me, quietly enough that I don’t know if I heard him right. “Do you want a drink?”
That I hear loud and clear. I nod, and he doesn’t ask me what I want, but as I’m watching the performers onstage, a vodka cranberry appears on the table in front of me.
I look up at him. “How did you know I wanted this?”
“That’s what you were drinking at the Beta Phi welcome party.”
How does he remember what I was drinking? I’m blinking up at him in surprise when Cassie comes to our table again.
“Okay, I’m up next, and then they’re going to play a game with the audience so I’ll have some time to hang out with you.” She tells this to Kian before walking off toward the stage.
She sings an original song, and I’m blown away by her voice. The girl is seriously talented, and I finally understand why Kian likes her. She’s pretty inside and out, and there doesn’t seem to be a single flaw on this girl.
When I glance around the room, everyone’s swaying to the sound of her delicate voice and the love song she’s singing.
Cole is filming the whole thing. But when I turn to Kian, his eyes are on me.
He gives me a smile and a thumbs-up as if to ask if I’m having fun.
I give him one back and turn to the stage again.
She sings two more songs, and each one has the crowd hooked.
When Cassie walks offstage, the host climbs up, talking about some game for which he needs audience members to volunteer. A group on the far side of the lounge cheers when they send up a couple. One more finds their way up and then someone shouts for Kian.
He waves, smiling at the people in the crowd who urge him to join. The host seems to recognize him, too, and then Kian’s not saying no anymore. The guy is incapable of denying people a good time.
Cassie comes up. “Okay, let’s order some food.” But she notices all the eyes on our table and Kian staring at her now.
She laughs. “Oh, no way. Not again. Take Cole.”
Kian’s gaze falls to Cole, who’s a few drinks deep and paying attention to no one but the server, who comes over with another glass of some fruity drink he seems to be loving.
That’s when he looks at me, his hand outstretched. “Come with me?”
And stupidly, or hypnotized by Kian Ishida’s eyes, I press my palm to his.