Counting Down with You(47)

Ace completely ruins the five seconds of peace I’ve acquired when he opens his mouth. “Wasn’t yesterday fun?”

Yes, I want to say. I wish we could have lived in that moment forever.

Instead I sigh, sliding The Great Gatsby across the table. “I guess, but we have to study, Ace.”

“Oh, so you’re back to being boring,” he says with a pout, but there’s a teasing light in his eye.

“Shut up,” I say, tapping the book pointedly. I can’t think about the fact that, every time I look at him, my heart skips a beat. “You have to pass the English Regents.”

“After all the hard work you’ve put in, I don’t see how I could fail,” he says but obligingly takes the book.

“I’ve tutored you for a week and a half,” I say, shaking my head. Saying the time frame puts a lot of our interactions into perspective. I’ve clearly been spending too much time with him. “You’re not ready to pass the Regents if you still can’t focus on a book for more than ten minutes.”

“I can focus on a book for more than ten minutes,” he says. He even has the audacity to look fake offended as he unwraps a lollipop.

“Yeah?” I raise my eyebrows at him. “Prove it.”

“I will,” Ace says, a determined set to his lips. He cracks open the book and flips to the first page while sucking on his lollipop. The first page. Oh my God.

I leave him to his own devices, taking out the study guide I prepared for this week’s sessions.

Ten minutes later, I look up, expecting him to be doodling on the table or staring at me. Instead, there’s a furrow to his brows and his eyes are focused on the page. His lips are moving faintly around the lollipop, as if he’s mouthing along to the words.

I’ve never seen this serious look on his face before. He flips to the next page without glancing up and continues reading.

I look away. If Ace is reading, if Ace is actually studying, this might be the best development yet. I don’t want to ruin it by distracting him.

Another ten minutes pass as I work on some of my own stuff. When I look up again, one of his legs is pressed against his chest, bent at the knee, book resting atop it. He’s reading with a thoughtful expression on his face, stormy eyes narrowed with focus.

I start smiling. I can’t help it. This is the longest I’ve seen Ace pay attention during our tutoring sessions and the most earnest I’ve seen his efforts.

As if he can feel me watching him, he looks up, and our eyes lock across the table. There’s a moment of strange silence where we’re just gazing at each other, but then he smiles back at me. His eyes are warm and familiar, and his grin is wide and sweet.

He’s beautiful.

Oh. Oh.

Oh no.

My cheeks burn, and I look back down at my work, trying to temper my expression, but it’s not going well. I glance up surreptitiously for half a second and find that his attention has turned back to the book. It’s almost worse than if he was looking at me.

We’re fake dating. I know that. It’s all a pretense.

And yet, despite knowing that, I think I might have feelings for Ace Clyde. Real feelings.

This is really, really bad.

At the start of English, Ace passes me a brown paper bag. I look inside curiously, only to find a slice of cheesecake.

My lips part, my heart caught in my throat. “When did you get this?”

He shrugs, which almost certainly means he skipped part of his last class to get me dessert. There’s something seriously wrong with him.

Yet my skin is warming all the same.

“Consider it my late promposal,” he says, grinning. “Have to convince you to go past three weeks, right?”

There isn’t enough air in my lungs.

“Right,” I echo.

Nandini and Cora sit in front of us now that they’re aware of the whole situation, but when Cora catches sight of me blushing, I wish they were anywhere else.

“Group chat, now,” Cora says, and I sigh as I slip out my phone, hiding it behind my binder.

Ace doesn’t seem to notice, his eyes focused on the whiteboard for once. Ugh, of course he is. Why is he doing this to me? For some reason beyond my understanding, him paying attention to school makes me feel strange.

Cora Zhang-Agreste:
KARINA IS BLUSHING WHAT IS HAPPENING
Nandini Kaur:
WHAT
Nandini glances back at me, and my cheeks burn even more, blood rushing up so fast that I have to suck in a deep breath to keep calm. Ace looks me over, his expression twisting with concern, and he rests a hand on my elbow.

I don’t want to admit it, but his concern kind of helps. I offer him a small, grateful smile, and feel both Cora and Nandini’s gazes sharpen on the side of my head.

Welp.

Me:
STOP STARING AT ME OMG WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU BOTH PAY ATTENTION TO THE LESSON
Cora Zhang-Agreste:
wHY ARE YOU BLUSHING? WHAT’S IN THE BAG? DID HE BRING CONDOMS?
Me:
WHAT? oh my god no he did not bring CONDOMS what is wrong with you we’re FAKE dating
Nandini Kaur:
so What’s In The Bag
Cora Zhang-Agreste:
I’ve legit never seen u blush this is wild UR LITERALLY TURNING RED???
Me:
omg stop please tell me ur joking
Nandini Kaur:
well...
Me:
he literally just brought me cheesecake!! it’s not that deep
Cora Zhang-Agreste: