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Chapter Ten
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“Happy Birthday!” Ijump when Alec appears next to my car, seemingly out of nowhere.
“What the...” I hold my chest, feeling like I might have experienced a mild heart attack.
I shift the strap of my book bag up onto my shoulder and shut my car door before turning to face him, noticing the small cupcake he’s got in his hand.
“Alec.” I smile, feeling the familiar flush of heat to my cheeks.
“It’s not nearly as good as your macarons, or anything else that you make, but it’s the best I could do on such short notice.” He extends the chocolate iced cupcake in my direction. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me today was your birthday.”
“Sorry.” I take the baked treat from him. “I don’t usually make a big deal about my birthday.”
“I totally get that. But you think you might have at least mentioned it. You know when my birthday is.” If he didn’t look so damn cute I might think his feelings were actually hurt.
“So,” I hold the cupcake up for inspection as Alec and I make our way toward the building, “am I to understand thatyoumade this?” I throw him a sideways glance.
“Does it count if I helped?” He chuckles, tugging open the door for me before following me inside.
“That depends. By help do you mean you supervised?”
“Something like that.” He winks, knocking his shoulder against mine.
I won’t lie and say my feelings for Alec have gone away. If anything, they’re stronger than ever. But the pain that accompanied them has lessened. Either that, or I’m getting used to living with it. I think it’s the latter.
“Well, thank you,” I say as we reach my locker. “I don’t think anyone has ever brought me a cupcake to school before.”
“Anything for you, Russell.” I’m not sure when he started calling me by my last name, but he calls me Russell more than he calls me Hope now. “I’ll see you at lunch, yeah?”
“Sounds good.” I offer a small wave before watching him walk away.
Per usual, my heart protests the sight of him leaving.
“Yay! You got it!” My attention is pulled in the opposite direction when Lulu comes skipping up next to me moments after Alec disappears around the corner.
“Let me guess, you made it.”
“Guilty.” She grins. “But in all fairness, it was his idea. That man just doesnotknow his way around a kitchen. I think maybe you should take him under your wing.”
The thought of them laughing and cooking together flashes through my mind and threatens to dampen my decent mood. I push it down deep. Along with all the other thoughts and feelings I’ve buried over the last few weeks.
“Not likely. But I appreciate you guys doing this for me.”
“Oh, that’s not your present from me.” She smiles, pulling a gift bag out from behind her back. “This is.” She extends it to me.
“Lu.” I look from her to the bag. “You know you didn’t have to get me anything.”
“Oh, hush. Open it already.” She shoves the bag into my hands and grabs the cupcake.
“Okay. Okay.” I laugh. “So pushy.”
Moving the tissue paper to the side, I reach into the bag. I give Lulu a funny look as I pull out something made of a silky fabric, discarding the bag onto the floor before holding it up in front of me.
“A dress?” I say, not sure how to react.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s a gorgeous dress. A sleeveless, deep blue, floor length gown, with a low V down the back and a risqué dip in the front covered by a thin strip of lace. I just have no idea what I could possibly wear this dress for.
