Infini (Aerial Ethereal #2)(91)

Immense, boundless affection swells inside my body, and I inhale a deeper breath than before. “Thank you,” I say in a whisper.

Luka cups my cheek, not resisting anymore. Lips to my ear, he murmurs, “I’m here for you. Whatever you need, I’m here, Bay. It’s not a dream. It’s real life.”

I try to believe in a reality where we can touch in front of people.

And hold one another.

It’s happening right now.

It’s happening.

I breathe easier, and I lift my head to see all three girls trying not to gawk. But they see us. Luka kneeling on the floor. Clasping my cheek with tenderness and care. Me gripping his waist like I’m afraid he’ll leave soon.

I’m the first to reluctantly let go, and he slowly follows suit. His gaze travels with mine to Thora, Camila, and Katya. I don’t know what to say, but I rise to my feet with Luka, our fingers the only part of us that consistently touch.

Camila is the only one who doesn’t know the “cocaine” rumor, so I’m not surprised by her curiosity. “You’re really not together?” she asks while untying her messy bun. Curly brown hair cascades down her chest.

“No,” Luka and I say in unison.

He’s less tense than me. Casual. At ease. He stuffs his hand in his jean’s pocket. “We used to be best friends.”

“Best friends who kiss, right?” She wears a teasing smile.

Katya, sitting cross-legged on her desk chair and clutching the wardrobe box, interjects, “They couldn’t; Aerial Ethereal has a huge rule about minors not being allowed to date or hook up inside the company, and they were friends as teenagers.”

Technically I’m still a teenager at nineteen, but thankfully an adult in the eyes of society.

Camila recoils. “What kind of rule is that?”

A terrible one.

Luka and I stay absolutely silent. Like our secret history is seconds from being broadcasted. In this room, no one knows that we’ve confronted this rule.

“It makes sense,” Katya says. “They employ kids, and they want everyone underage to focus on the profession, not hooking up. It doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen in secret, but everyone who’s been caught has been fired. So most don’t even try.”

Camila has her chin in her palm, looking between Luka and me. “Why’d you two stop being friends?”

I can’t tell if she’s connecting all of these tiny pieces together and finding the real picture that we’ve been sworn to hide forever.

I open my mouth, but I notice Katya pondering so hard that her brows pinch together. Just as I’m about to say our lie (drugs), she swivels on her chair to Luka.

“You two…you never secretly dated, did you?”

He has to lie.

He can’t tell the truth.

Luka shields most of his heartbreak, but I see it shatter in the creases of his eyes. I know that pain. I feel it every single time I lie to Brenden.

Meeting Katya’s gaze straight-on, he says, “Never. Baylee and I were only just friends. Nothing else” He goes even further. “I promise I would’ve told you…” if he could have.

It hurts to hear him lie to someone he loves.

Katya nods, believing him without falter. “That’s what I thought.”

Luka swings his head to Camila. “We stopped being friends when we were caught doing drugs.”

“Wow.” Camila has nothing else to add but that, and I try to compartmentalize my feelings. I pick up Rudy and place him on my windowsill. All the while, I feel the heat of Luka’s gaze.

I nudge Katya’s chair with my foot. “You can open your present from me.”

Katya slips off a tiny card beneath the bow. Flipping the card, she laughs and flashes the script to everyone. I wrote: For Posh Spice.

Then she begins unwrapping the purple paper.

I still feel Luka staring at me. It makes me curious. I’m supposed to be the observer here.

Maybe he’s wondering how I am. I take a breath, and I brave a glance his way.

Luka leans coolly against the wall, a Nova Vega show poster hung above his tousled dark hair. The longer I observe him, soaking up his features—his nonchalant, relaxed posture and radiant eyes—the more his lips upturn.

And then he mouths, I love you.

I feel my smile emerge, and I press my fingers to my lips. My eyes dart cautiously to the other girls, but their focus isn’t on this captivating, heartbreakingly gorgeous guy.

Luka acts like he’s invisible, but I see him. All of him.

His earnest grin grows brighter. Like a shooting star across blanketed, quiet night.

Katya gasps, and our gazes break.

She springs to her feet, eyes big. Tissue paper flutters to the floor, and a sequined, gunmetal gray dress is draped over her arm.

With shaking hands and fixated eyes, she reads a birthday card from the designer of that particular dress.

“What is it?” Camila asks.

Katya tries to play it cool, but she’s almost hyperventilating. “Rose Calloway wrote me a birthday note. She’s my…” role model. “She means so much to me.” Katya sniffs loudly, stifling tears. “She wrote ‘Katya, confidence starts within, and I believe this dress will help add fire to your strut. Be you. Be proud. Happy 17th Birthday, from one powerful woman to another.’” Kat looks to all of us. “Rose Calloway called me powerful.”