Counting Down with You(34)

“Good morning,” I say to my friends, finally pulling down my hood. As I predicted, no one casts me a second glance aside from Nandini and Cora, who stare at me like I found the cure to cancer. “How were your weekends?”

“If you don’t explain what the hell is happening right now, I’m going to pour my orange juice down your shirt,” Cora threatens pleasantly. “I should not have to find out from Facebook that you got your first boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I say, exasperated. “He’s just being stubborn.”

Nandini shakes her head. “I’m with Cora on this. What is going on, dude?”

“I wish I could tell you, but I don’t even know myself.” I scratch the back of my head. “He didn’t tell me he was going to do that. I honestly don’t have a single clue what he’s up to.”

As if I’ve summoned him, Ace suddenly appears behind Nandini. Never have I more fully believed in the phrase speak of the devil.

“Morning,” Ace says, setting down a paper bag and coffee cup in front of me. “Have a good day, sweetie. I’ll see you later.”

Then he kisses the top of my head, his lips warm against my hair, and casually walks away like I’m not having a heart attack.

What. The. Hell.

Nandini and Cora are staring at me with wide eyes, and I open my mouth, but I don’t know what to say.

“I—” I shake my head, at a loss. My heart is beating too fast. “I’ll be back.”

I grab the breakfast he got me and hurry after him, ignoring my friends’ loud protests and all the eyes burning holes into the back of my head. The head that Ace just kissed. What the hell.

I don’t see him in the hallway, so I aim for the chemistry wing, hurrying up the steps. People are giving me odd looks, but I don’t care. What was Ace thinking? In what world is it normal to come up to your tutor and her friends, bring her breakfast, and then kiss her on the head before disappearing?

I find him standing at his locker, sifting through his things. “What is wrong with you?”

Ace looks at me, frowning. “Did I get your coffee order wrong?”

I splutter. “My coffee order?”

He grabs the drink from my hand and takes a sip. “Milk with three spoons of sugar, right?”

“I mean. Yes. But no! Forget the coffee! What are you doing?” I try not to think about how Cora still gets my coffee wrong but Ace remembered after I told him my order once.

Ace gives me a curious look. “Talking to you.”

“Okay, smartass,” I say. “You owe me an explanation, remember?”

A look of understanding settles over Ace’s expression. “Ah, that.”

“Yes, that!” I move to close his locker but catch sight of a notebook still encased in plastic and fall short. “Did you buy a notebook?”

“You said to,” Ace says and reaches behind his ear. I didn’t notice but there’s a pencil tucked there. “I even brought something to write with. Are you proud of me?”

I stare at him blankly. I am, oddly, kind of proud of him, but I can’t make myself say that when I’m still righteously indignant.

He smiles. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

When he grabs my hand, I don’t refuse and let him lead me to the stairway.

As we’re walking, we run into Xander, and all three of us stop to look at each other. My skin starts itching nervously as Xander’s gaze drops to our hands, still interlocked.

“Good morning, Karina,” Xander says, his gaze rising to meet mine. He’s calmer than he was Friday night.

I offer him a small smile. It feels stretched too thin on my face. “Good morning, Xander.”

“I see you’re still...dating my brother.”

I laugh nervously and look at Ace, who looks completely tuned out. But his grip on my hand is tighter than ever, making it clear he’s not as relaxed as he looks. “It seems so.”

Xander tilts his head. “Have you met our mom yet?”

“Mom’s in Italy,” Ace says darkly, his first words to his brother. “How would Karina have met her?”

Xander’s smile stretches wide. “Surely, you’ve introduced them through FaceTime or Skype. I can’t imagine Mom wouldn’t want to meet your first girlfriend.”

Ace’s grip tightens on my hand. “Worry less about my relationship and more about yourself.”

“I’m always going to worry about you, Alistair,” Xander says, reaching forward to pat Ace’s shoulder. “Isn’t that what big brothers do?”

“And big sisters,” I add, pulling the attention away from Ace before the two of them can engage in an all-out brawl in the middle of the stairway. “Speaking of which, I actually need to find my little brother. You don’t mind, do you?”

Xander considers me for a moment before he nods. “Of course. I was heading to class anyway. Unlike my brother, I prefer to arrive in a timely manner. I’ll see you around, Karina.” He inclines his head toward Ace. “Alistair.”

He disappears through the door, and I can’t help but mutter, “I sincerely hope not.”

Ace laughs under his breath, his grip loosening. “Come on.”

We continue up and up the stairs until we reach a locked dead end. There are no other students here, giving us a semblance of privacy.