Elite (Empire High, #2)(84)

Finally a smile spread over his face. “Newb, I came over to apologize to you. Not the other way around.” He stopped asking for a dance and just grabbed my hand and pulled me into his chest.

The way he was staring at me made my heart race. I needed to focus. And not on the way his body felt pressed against mine. “I like being friends with you,” I said.

“You’re not looking at me like a friend,” he said.

“Yes I am.”

“No…you’re not.” He tilted his head a little lower to mine.

I closed my eyes to drown out the image of him in front of me. “Felix Green, it’s true, I am attracted to you. And I love talking to you. You have no idea how much I missed our conversations this week. But none of that matters because I’m so confused that my head literally hurts. I’m a freaking mess.”

“You’re not a mess. You’re beautiful.”

My stupid stomach betrayed me by feeling butterflies. “You weren’t here a few minutes ago, but I freaking kissed James Hunter because he made me feel like I owed him. And that Matt deserved it. Or something. I don’t even know why I did it. That’s how big of a mess I am. That’s what caused the huge fight. Me. All of it’s my fault.”

“Don’t you see what’s happening? Those boys are messing with your head, newb. They don’t care about anyone but themselves. They don’t care about you. But I do. I’m not one of them. You and I aren’t like them.”

I opened my eyes again. “I’m a Pruitt.” The name felt gross on my tongue.

“No.” He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re a Sanders. Always and forever.”

Always and forever. “I also sleep in my bodyguard’s bed most nights because I’m terrified of the Pruitts’ apartment and he’s kind and lets me cry in his arms.”

“That Miller guy?” Felix laughed. “Isn’t he a little old for you?”

That Miller guy. Oh God, I didn’t even know Miller’s first name. And I didn’t know how old he was either. I pressed my lips together.

“So you ran into another man’s bed because I wasn’t talking to you all week,” Felix said. “That’s kind of on me.”

Or did I do it because I’d iced out Matt all week? My head was spinning. What was Operation Felix again? “Do you know who’s not a mess? Kennedy. She’s not a mess at all.”

“You sure about that? I mean…aren’t all three of us a mess? We’re all going to a school we don’t really belong at.”

“Kennedy belongs at Empire High. She’s so smart. And you belong here too. It doesn’t matter that you’re not old money. You belong here, Felix. With Kennedy.”

“With Kennedy? Are you dropping out or something?”

Why wasn’t he getting this? “No. I mean you should be with Kennedy.”

He looked at me like I was crazy. “Kennedy hates me.”

“No she doesn’t.”

“Are we talking about the same Kennedy? Kennedy Alcaraz? She’s literally told me she hates me on several occasions. Sometimes she yells at me in Spanish and I don’t know what she’s saying, but I can tell from her tone that it’s not very nice.”

“Well you should read between the lines.”

“There’s probably knives between the lines.”

“She doesn’t hate you.” But it was true, usually the things Kennedy said in Spanish were not the kindest. I was still wondering what a puta mierda was. But I figured it wasn’t good because of the tone she’d used.

“Well, we can agree to disagree on that one,” Felix said. “Besides, it doesn’t matter. Because I’m pretty sure I’m addicted to you. I tried to stay away, yet here I am. Do you think I’d ever be caught dead at a freaking homecoming dance if it wasn’t for you? This isn’t exactly my scene, newb.”

Like participating in gym class wasn’t his scene. I’d known that when I fell into his arms. He wouldn’t have ever come to this dance if it wasn’t for me. It was sweet and…damn it! I wasn’t supposed to be confused about this.

“And if you’re still up for kissing people to make Matt jealous, he’s watching right now.”

Oh no. I looked over my shoulder to follow Felix’s gaze. Matt was staring at us like he was about to internally combust. I was surprised I didn’t see steam coming out of his ears. He downed a cup of punch in one gulp. Did he not know that it was double spiked?

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said and turned back to Felix.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. I only just got rid of my last black eye.”

“I’m so so sorry about…”

“You already apologized. And I already told you, I’m the one that needed to apologize. Which, I still need to do. And no, I’m not going to sing about it and get chased by Coach Carter.”

I laughed.

“But I am sorry. You told me you were confused. You told me you needed time. And I took it personally that you were spending some of that time with Matt. When I never made it clear that I still want us to be official.” He cleared his throat. “So, newb. That’s what I want. When you’re ready. I want you to be my girlfriend.”