Chapter 33 #2
My face scrunched up as I tried to unravel what the fuck that meant. She thought of her mother when she saw me? That was weird as fuck and totally not what I wanted.
“Was your mom a teenage mother or something?” I scowled.
“What?” Mustang’s eyes widened.
“Is that why I remind you of her?” I spat, crossing my arms over my chest. Maybe I’d take her to the roof and shove her off it. A win for me, and no one would know I had?—
“No.” Mustang rolled her eyes at me. “She was a bipolar chronic liar who tried to commit murder-suicide with me last year to prove she was some psycho’s idea of a great mother and a hero.”
I blinked slowly.
And here I thought her dad was the only issue she had in life. I’d wondered where her mother was but never imagined that.
“And I . . .” Quinntessa sighed while I struggled to look at her. My stomach stabbed with guilt. “It’s not you. It’s the song. I hate my mother. I don’t hate?—”
“I’m sorry.” I threw my hands up. “I-I thought you were implying that I . . . It’s been a rough morning for me too.” I just scrubbed dead guy out of my favorite bra. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. You didn’t deserve that.”
Quinntessa’s soft eyes brightened, a smile pulling shyly over her lips.
“It’s okay,” she tried to reassure me, but I wouldn’t accept it.
I had been in a horrible mood since last night, and it wasn’t her fault. None of this was her fault.
“It’s not.” I shook my head and lowered my gaze. “I have to work on my anger.” My eyes inched up to hers. “You make me want to work on my anger.”
How fucking corny. Vomit. This girl literally was turning me into something I hated.
“Perhaps you should, Rockstar.” Quinntessa shrugged, looking disinterested at my words.
I squinted, my brow twitching in dismay. She really baited me into sounding like such a wimp, only to turn back around and expect me to take her playful behavior. Where was her balance of confidence and fear of people? Obviously, there wasn’t one!
“Hm.” I pursed my lips and tried to contain my smile, but a blushing grin ripped over my cheeks. The more I replayed her voice in my head, the worse it became. “Rockstar? I could get used to that.”
“Dang.” Quinntessa shoved her hands into the back pocket of her jeans. “Well, now I’m not going to call you that.”
Her playful tone and slight hip check made my heart sputter.
“Oh really?” I asked.
She bobbed her head adorably. “Oh yeah.”
“Yeah?” I released a small laugh, grinning when she joined in.
“Nope!” I stepped toward her as she smiled up at me. “Not going to call you that no more.”
I stuck out my bottom lip and slid even closer. Her eyes grew large, flickering between my lips and the hand that traveled through my hair.
Without thinking, I leaned down to kiss her. Panic flooded her eyes before I could get too close, so I turned my head and pressed my lips gently to her cheek. She gasped softly, eyes filled with a pleasant mix of disappointment and surprise when we finally stepped apart.
“Are you skipping class?” I gently asked, cheeks burning.
I’ve never had someone be so affected by me without sex. It felt a little weird, but I liked it. I liked flirting with her and not knowing if she’d blush or toss some attitude back at me.
“Uh—” She blinked frantically and looked toward Mr. Evers’ clock. Her stare made me concerned. Suddenly, I wondered if I had the power to make her forget how to read a clock. “N-no, I was on my way to class. I heard you singing.”
Quinntessa chewed on her bottom lip and turned back to face me.
I smirked, feeling pride swell in my chest that this girl was so unorganized because of me.
I loved it. I loved watching her trip over her feet at the sight of me, her tongue caught in a billion ties when I knew she was caught off guard by my touch.
“I should go since I have class.” She nodded to the door and stared at me with her big brown eyes. “And . . . I have class.”
She was so fucking adorable.
“You said that.” I leaned back against the piano and tried to play it cool, but really, my heart was thumping. I wanted to touch her again, feel her go limp in my arms and whimper at my lips against her skin. “Go on, nerd. Get to class then.”
Quinntessa didn’t move, and I was glad for it.
It gave me a moment more to memorize the way her checkered white and pink vans matched the pinkness of her lips and the bunny earrings hanging delicately from her ears.
She usually wore studs, but from time to time, I noticed she ventured off in another direction with accessories.
I copied the way she usually tilted her head and offered her a small smile. I wondered if she was nervous about walking the halls after this morning.
“Or . . .” I looked to the door then back to her.
“Or?” Her brows bunched together.
I pushed my boots along the tile and slid toward her. She watched me closely, a little tense until I gave her my signature smug smirk.
“Or I could walk you to class?” I suggested.
Despite knowing who I was, what I had done last night, I didn’t have much confidence she’d accept my invitation. She seemed surprised. Her cheek was sucked in like she was chewing on it, debating on my question.
“I don’t know.”
I knew. I tried my best not to look disappointed, but I knew she saw the dip in my head as my eyes fell to the floor.
“You drag your feet a lot in those heavy boots. I might not make it to class on time if we walk together.”
My eyes shot up to see her smiling playfully at me. I snorted, shaking my head at her skillful way to make me self-conscious. Not many people could do that to me.
“Is that so?” I chuckled.
She didn’t need to know my feet stung each time I put my full weight down. The burns on my feet weren’t the worst I’d had, but I knew the scars would tell another story.
“You . . .” She inhaled deeply. “You might want to walk me to the period after this so I won’t get lost. We can take our time since you’re slow.”
Oh?
Ohhhh.
Careful, babygirl. This devil has a pretty face.
I smiled wide, my tongue stuck between my teeth. I shook my head and laughed—I understood what she was convincing me to do. I’d obviously help her skip class to walk the halls together, especially if it meant she’d talk to me more.
Hey, maybe she’d give me information on her dad. That was why I wanted to talk to her. I needed more information. Nothing more. Nothing less.
It didn’t matter that Mustang’s curls were making my fingers itch to dig my hands in them.
It didn’t matter that I wanted to kiss her neck and shove her against the wall until she whimpered again.
And it definitely didn’t matter that I wanted to hug her until she felt safe enough in my arms to melt against my chest, snuggle under my chin.
It didn’t matter.
She didn’t matter.
I tugged on the cross around my neck and turned toward the door. If I looked at her too long, my insides might tangle tight like old bundles of Christmas lights.
“Come on then.” I paused by the door. “Let me show you were the library is. You can read for the last thirty minutes, and I’ll be silent.”
Quinntessa liked that proposal. She hummed and fluttered her lashes at me as she glided in my direction. I could see right through her innocent yet flirty smile.
“On the other side of the school? Isn’t that away from the senior classes?” she asked.
I toyed with my necklace and tugged it sharply enough that it dug into the back of my neck. It helped me push away the sight of Simon’s brown eyes when looking into her rich honey soul.
“Yeah, um, I’m not sure,” I lied. “I don’t really go to class much.”
Quinntessa rolled her eyes at me and walked through the doorway. She looked back over her shoulder and snuck me a smile before acting just as annoyed with me.
I licked my lips, practically bouncing on my heavy-toed boots. She made me excited. It was an odd feeling, something that kept me fighting off the urge to smile and scream simultaneously.
“You coming?” Quinntessa did a small twirl on her toes, something I had seen through the cracked windowpanes of her home.
“Yes,” I exhaled, practically pulled by an invisible string out the door after her.
My fingers brushed her arm as I slipped from behind her to take her hand. I bit my lip and spun her, pushing her into another spin.
Quinntessa giggled through her confusion, taking her hand back from me and putting a little more room between us. I thought it bothered her at first, but she eventually leaned into my side as we walked, a smile painting her lips.
She sent glances in my direction the entire quiet walk to the library. I politely pretended not to see them, or the way she nervously played with her heart necklace.
It was with great difficulty I was able to hide my smile. My mind continued to replay the way she twirled, delicately holding my fingers in hers, the way her hair fell over her shoulders and her eyes brightened; it was hypnotic. Euphoric, even.