Chapter 27
JAHNVI
All I could think about was Everett.
As I had lay in the dark, I watched out my window as his bedroom light illuminated and turned off a bit after. And then I couldn’t sleep. I watched the half-illuminated ceiling all night knowing that I needed to be up soon for speech and that I needed to sleep.
It’s not that I was only thinking about the kisses I’d just had (even though that was on my mind too). I was also worried about what was next. Was I just supposed to be all over him tomorrow? What if he wanted to keep it casual for a little? What if...he was embarrassed of me in public?
Oh my god, and Rose! What was Rose going to say—?
“Hey.”
“Oh my—” I startled when I felt Everett slide into my seat. “C-could you give me a warning next time?”
“I did! You seemed out of it though.” He smiled, smoothing his blinding neon-green tie down.
I smiled, not even trying to hide my relief. “Sorry, I was completely zoning out.”
“Something on your mind?”
“Nothing in particular.”
Everett smiled, hand now off his tie and holding the seat in front of us. He bent down to my ear to whisper, “Some one on your mind maybe?”
I heard giggles. I caught a glimpse of some freshman behind Everett’s back that were giggling.
Ugh, I bet they were eating this up. I’d made sure to make it completely clear that Everett was my biggest enemy at speech tournaments by flinging insults and taunts any chance I got.
And all of a sudden, he’s sitting next to me, close enough to count my eyelashes?
I tilted my head toward them and whispered back, “Rumors are gonna fly by the first round.”
His eyebrows furrowed. “Does that bother you?”
I paused before I spoke, and not because I had to think about my answer. The answer was on the tip of my tongue; I was just surprised by it. “No, not at all.”
His smile made his eyes close. Sitting up straight again, he leaned back against the seat as the bus started moving. “Jahnvi?”
“Everett.”
“I’ve always wanted to tell you something.”
“And, what’s that?” I asked, well aware that the entire bus was listening to our conversation.
He smiled, his hand suddenly reaching out to grab mine. He spoke absentmindedly, looking at my hand. “Remember when I stole your state ribbon last season?”
“And you made me chase you down four flights of stairs to get it? Of course I remember.” I rolled my eyes.
“You know why I did it?”
“Anthony had given you five bucks?”
“Nope.” He shook his head, raising my hand to his lips. His voice got lower. “Guess again.”
“To watch me struggle to run that far?”
“Not even close?”
“Then, why did you do it?”
He smiled, giving my hand a little peck with his lips.
Leaning toward me again, he whispered, “I was waiting for you to get close enough so that I could smell your perfume because it drives me insane. Your perfume”—I heard him take a sharp inhale—“smells so good. I can’t describe it.
Maybe since Mason has been so focused on our private conversation, he could help me out.
” He looked behind him at Mason, who had literally been craning his neck to hear Everett.
“W-what?”
“Give me a word, Mason. What does she smell like you think?”
The poor guy was sweating. “Um, er, sweet?”
“Nope. Mason you’re no help, so maybe put your headphones back on and mind your damn business.” Everett waited until Mason fumbled getting his big blue headphones on and made a show of staring out the window passionately before telling me what he thought. “You actually smell exciting .”
“Really?” I said, leaning against his shoulder. “I didn’t know people could smell like emotions.”
“Then you’re wrong. Whenever I smell your perfume, I get excited because I know you’re here or that something is yours. That smell indicates you, and that sends shivers down my spine.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “I mean, if you say so.”
“It’s true!”
“Okay, okay, I believe you.”
The entire situation was making my heart melt. I think he knew what I was scared about, and he was trying his best to make sure I knew I wasn’t embarrassing him. It showed in the way he was messing around, making sure people saw.
My head was fully resting against his shoulder now. He inched down so that he could put his head on top of mine in a gesture that was just so pure. “Ugh, Jahnvi, I’m exhausted.”
“Why?”
“I was up all night trying to plan out supplies for the wedding order. I need to figure out what else to buy.”
“Well”—I checked my phone for the time—“you have an hour before we get there, so that’s plenty of time for a quick nap.”
“You’re right.” Everett scooched farther down his seat. Grabbing my arm and interlocking it with his, he rested his head on my shoulder. “You mind?”
“N-no.”
“Goodnight then,” he muttered, and after a final adjustment of his head on my shoulder, his breathing became steady and he fell asleep almost instantly. I adjusted his head so that it didn’t fall off, and I’ll admit my fingers stayed on his forehead for a second longer than needed.
And with a smile that just didn’t seem to stop, I turned to look out the window.