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He didn’t need a reminder of that. Nick picked up his slice of pizza to spare himself the need to say anything.
“Where is the old ball and chain, anyway?” said Gabriel.
“She had some kind of group project for French.”
They sat in silence for a long moment. Nick knew he should say something— anything—but he was so worried he’d open his mouth and tell Gabriel everything.
“It’s not just your test,” said Gabriel. “What else is up?”
I spent half the night with a boy and I can’t stop thinking about him. “I’m just tired.”
Gabriel didn’t respond, but Nick could feel the weight of his eyes.
“You guys are getting serious, huh?” Gabriel said.
“Maybe.” Nick chewed his pizza and fought with his brain as it helpfully supplied him with thoughts of Adam. Adam’s apartment. Adam dancing, driving his body into a powerful routine. Adam touching him, first the light brush of his fingers, then stronger. Adam, Adam, Adam.
“Who are you doing tonight?” said Gabriel.
Nick choked on his pizza. He coughed hard and needed a drink of soda to get it together. “What did you just say?”
“I said, what are you doing tonight? You’re so frigging keyed up. You have plans with Quinn? Want to go out?”
Nick shook his head. “Yes. No. I mean—I don’t want to go out. I’ve got to study.”
Gabriel’s hand closed over his forearm. “Seriously,” he said, his voice a touch lower. “You all right?”
emed ridiculous, but all Quinn could think was, I always liked her highlights. “I thought she was one of the students who died in the carnival explosions.”
“We don’t know what happened to her. When Silver came after us, we found the middle school Elementals, but not her.”
He shrugged. “Maybe she ran.”
“And Silver is one of the Guides that are trying to kill you guys, right?”
“Right. But he’s in prison.”
“When will they send a new one?”
“Eventually.” He brushed a finger across her cheek. “How’s that feel?”
Her eyes, normally so bright, were shadowed in the darkness.
“Much better,” she whispered. “Thanks.”
Then, without warning, she shifted up and pressed her lips to his.
For a second, Nick didn’t resist. He’d kissed girls—lots of them—and he knew how to respond. If that girl Courtnie had ambushed him with her lips, he probably would have kissed her back without thinking about it.
But this—this was different. Quinn knew. And this wasn’t like earlier, when she’d been giving him a cover.
He’d never shove her away, but he stiffened and drew back.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“It’s okay,” he said automatically.
But it wasn’t okay. He felt like he was hurting her, when he hadn’t done anything.
