the beat of a girl I just met
but have known since the first
second-hand met the first
minute-hand of every timepiece
her eyes a window into
every universe
every second of every hour
and I feel her
here,” he brings his fist to his heart, “thump, thump,
thump, thump
each time the clock
stops.”
The last word rings like a bell, and the entire room collectively holds its breath. Silent as the dawn. They’re frozen. Cosmos is looking at me, and we’ve stopped time again. We froze the world on his last word.
Everything melts away, except him and me.
And the confession in his words.
I was wrong about being his assigned study partner, about thinking he only wanted to experiment with this strange mystery. I don’t understand how he could be attracted to me, but the feelings written on his face have nothing to do with scientific curiosity and everything to do with carnal desire. The same desire I’ve been trying to deny feeling for him.
I swallow and look away, grab my glass, and chug water so fast I choke. Kiara pounds on my back, asking if I’m okay. I quickly recover my breath and jump to my feet. Cosmos is making his way back to the table, and just watching him has my insides coilingtight, an energy with nowhere to go and no clear release.
If I give in to that look in his eyes, I’ll explode. Then he’ll realize what a disaster I am and ditch me like everyone before. I can’t go through that with him.
I need to get out of here.
Swinging around, I crash right into someone. I curse, mumbling apologies.
“Mack!” Ivy lunges, throwing her arms around the guy I just bumped into.
“Hey, baby,” he says and lifts her off her feet, attacking her face with his mouth. It might be the most aggressive public display of affection I’ve ever seen, and now I know for certain Ivy has a tongue piercing.
A throat clears behind me. Ivy laughs, and Mack, who I’m assuming is her boyfriend, sets her down.
“This is Mack, everyone. He’s the lead singer of Frog Fingers. Mack, this is my brother, Cosmos.” She pats Cosmos’ arm. “Be nice.”
“Considering your taste in men, that’s going to be hard,” Cosmos says, smiling, but there’s a bite to his words that makes it clear he hasn’t liked her previous boyfriends.
“Relax, man, I've got a sister, too. I get it.” Mack pulls Ivy into his side. He’s got his hand around her ribs, and his thumb is drawing circles along the side of her breast. Clearly, he doesn’t get it at all.
Without warning, Cosmos turns to me. “Would you give me a ride back to the hospital? I left my car there.”
It’s clear he doesn’t want to hang around and watch his sister get groped. But, I have to give him credit for not trying to drag her out of here kicking and screaming like some white knight trying to protect a woman’s virtue. She’s young, but clearly old enough to make her own choices. Although I have to admit, I feel a slight urge to rip her away from the guy myself. Especially when his hand slips inside Ivy’s tank top right in front of us all. Class act, this one. Ivy seems to love the attention, though, and the expression she’s giving her brother is pure challenge, as if to say,‘I dare you to do something about it.’I’m guessing he hasn’t always let her make her own decisions.
A muscle in Cosmos’ jaw ticks, and I decide it would be a good idea for us to get out of here before his control goes out the window.
“Sure. Let’s go. Just give me a second.” I grab my purse, hug Kiara, apologizing again for not telling her about my mom. Hesitating for just a moment, I bite my lip, then lean close to Kiara’s ear. “Keep an eye on Ivy. She’s been drinking without her brother knowing, and I just want to make sure she doesn’t drive,” I glance at her boyfriend, “or get herself in any other trouble.”
