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I turn over my shoulder, the reaction is instinctual because it’s not like I’ll be able to see him.
“He looks like a deer caught in headlights,” Jade chuckles softly. “Oh, wait, he’s coming over.”
He’s coming over?!
I grip the back of my chair, my stomach clenches, palms turn sweaty.
I’m not even sure why I’m nervous. It’s not like this is the first time I’ve met him.
But it’s the first time he’s reached out to me in front of others.
And not just anybody, but my friends.
What is he even doing here? He said he wanted to stay under the radar, and coming to the cafeteria hardly screams low profile. Although, maybe I’m wrong because I don’t remember hearing anybody mention him since the semester started.
I’m not sure what’s the first thing I notice, but it’s like the air in the room shifts when he’s around. I can feel his eyes on me, making the back of my neck prickle with attention, his footsteps matching the hard beat of my heart.
“Hey,” he whispers, his gravelly voice making the tingles run down my spine.
“Hi.”
“Oh my Go—”
There is a softthump,so I imagine either Prescott or Grace kicked Jade under the table to stop her from saying whatever was on the tip of her tongue, which I’m grateful for. I tuck a strand of hair behind my earas if this isn’t awkward enough as it is.
“Umm…” He clears his throat, his voice dropping lower as if he doesn’t want my friends to overhear us. Good luck with that. “I wanted to see if we could talk? Later, when you’re free?”
I remember the way he stormed out of the music room yesterday, not leaving any room for discussion or for me to apologize. It had to be that. Did he change his mind and decide that he doesn’t want to do this any longer? And why does the idea make me unsettled?
You didn’t even want to do this in the first place, a little voice reminds me.
“Yeah, sure, although…” I bite the inside of my cheek, weighing my options as I remember Jade’s words. “Do you want to join us?”
“I…” His words trail off, and I can hear the rustling of fabric as he shifts his weight from one foot to the other. “You guys are busy.”
“Oh, please. The more, the merrier,” Jade chimes in, not even ashamed to admit that she’s been listening to the whole conversation.
“Okay?” The word sounds more like a question than an answer, but the chair next to mine shifts, and I can hear his body move as he takes a seat.
I turn back to the table. “These are my friends: Grace, Jade, and her boyfriend, Prescott. Guys, this is…”
I press my lips together as I try to come up with a way to introduce Sebastian to them. I mean, they know who he is, but he doesn’t know they know, and he said himself that he wants to keep a low profile, so—
“Bash,” he finishes for me. “Birdy and I have a class together.”
“Birdy, huh?” Jade asks, the amusement clear in her voice.
“Jade.”
“What?” she asks innocently. “You didn’t tell us he has a nickname for you.”
“You talking to your friends about me?” Sebastian asks, and I’m pretty sure he finds this whole thing entertaining.
My God, why can’t the ground open up and swallow you whole when you need it to?
“Not really,” I lie, doing my best to keep a straight face, which is hard because I’m the worst liar ever. “You might remember those two since they were gawking at us through the window the day you walked me to Macy’s.”
“Now that you mention it, they do look familiar.”
