My eyes comb over the crowd behind her. Mortals and magics mixed, and I know now isn’t the time, not here.
I catch sight of my father, and the pit in my stomach with his name on it grows.
“Good luck.” I look down to find her staring up at me, her eyes clearer than I’ve seen them since the night of the showcase.
I’m not sure what it is, but I watch her push up on her toes, and I dip as if under someone else’s control, and fuck, whoever it is can do what they want with me because she leans in, pressing her lips to my cheek. Suddenly, I’m glad I haven’t changed yet; there would be no hiding the tent I would have pitched in my bathing suit.
I groan, unable to help it, as I stand back up and once again look down at her, a sly smile on her face that tells me she knows exactly the effect she had on me.
“A dangerous game, Trouble.” The nickname rolls off my tongue as easily as her own name would, and damn if it isn’t so very fitting.
Her smile grows, and yeah, I know that’s going to stick.
“Or wonderful motivation…” She steps back out of my range before turning away and all but runs up the bleachers to join the others. I watch her every step before pulling myself away, but only just barely.
I swim in three races and break my own personal record each time.
Motivation indeed.
The week after the showcase, there aren’t any classes, and while I’d hoped Wren would take that time to rest, I fear she’s done anything but.
The only plus was that Nolan brought her bag for her to get ready before his competition, and she’s stayed in my apartment since then.
Never mind the fact that the rest of them have, too. After that first night, I offered her my bed and took the couch. I don’t think I could stomach waking up to see her wrapped up with Julian or Nolan again.
Joke's on me, though, because now Julian just crawls into the bed with her every night, going so far as to take Titus with him.
I don’t deserve a spot beside her yet.I remind myself as I watch Titus groan about being put in bed with the girl I’d kill people to get to hold through the night.
“You need to sleep, love,” Julian says with a pout as he moves behind her to wrap his arms around her waist. She’s sitting at the kitchen table with her books and a million assignments scattered over every square inch of available space.
“Ineedto ensure I pass,” she argues, giving him a look over her shoulder that tells me she isn’t impressed by his pouting.
“You could close your eyes and pick random answers on all of your finals and still pass,” Gavin says from the living room without looking up from his own homework. Shockingly, I don’t hear a bit of his usual resentment.
Wren looks taken aback by that as well, looking to me and then Julian, but neither of us can do more than shrug.
It seems to do the trick, though, because with a sigh, she gives in, allowing Julian to pull her into my room. A second before she disappears, she looks back at me, and I see the sadness in her eyes. I feel the distance between us every moment, and I’m not sure how to fix it, but I know I’ll damn well figure it out if it’s the last thing I do.
Wren never does fall asleep. I wait, my beast reaching for her in sleep as her emotions run wild. I lay on the couch, feeling everything with her, wishing there was a way to help her.
“She’s resilient. She’ll get through this.” I look over to find Gavin up with a book in his hand.
I know he’s right, but I don’t want her to have to be.
“Why aren’t you asleep?” I ask, my inner parent kicking in.
“I haven’t been tired lately.”
Weird.
“Your powers?” I ask, ensuring I keep my voice down since she’s still awake.
“No,” he pauses, thinking for a minute. “I don’t think so.” He shakes his head, and I watch his nostrils flare, and his pupils dilate before he scratches at his neck.
Note to self: keep an eye on Gavin.
Not much was known about his mother; she dropped him off at the compound when he was two, and we never saw her again.
