The Fragile Ordinary(27)

“Thank you for walking me home.”

The impatience melted out of his features and his gaze dropped to my feet before it moved up my body to my face in a way that made my skin prickle. Something softened in his expression.

“You’re welcome, Comet.”

I hadn’t been able to get the sound of his voice saying You’re welcome, Comet out of my head as I lay in my bed. It seemed totally unfair that the first boy in real life to make my cheeks warm and my belly fizzle would have to be Tobias King.

Someone so totally opposite me it wasn’t even funny.

And now I had to spend even more time with him.

I became so preoccupied with the thought of meeting Tobias after school and walking to Stevie’s and his flat with him, and then working in close proximity in their bedroom again, I was utterly useless as a friend. I barely had any recollection of anything Vicki or Steph said to me all day, and it became clear to them why when we walked out of school at the end of the day and I told them I had to wait for Tobias.

“So that’s why you’ve been so distracted all day,” Steph said, sounding put out. “You get to spend the afternoon in Tobias King’s bedroom.”

My God, was she jealous?

It sounded like she might be a little envious.

“Oh, Comet, please don’t tell me you like him,” Vicki said, not sounding jealous at all, but very concerned.

“I don’t,” I lied.

“Good. Because he’s a bad boy. And you’re...”

“Comet,” Steph supplied, like that explained everything.

Ugh. It did explain everything.

Total opposites.

“Well, I don’t. Now go, before he thinks we’re standing here gossiping about him.”

Steph laughed and threaded her arm through Vicki’s to lead her away. I gave Vicki a reassuring smile and a wave when she looked over her shoulder at me, still plainly concerned.

“Ready?”

I almost jumped out of my shoes as I spun around to find Tobias towering over me. He was alone.

Hmm.

I’d been partly nervous about meeting him to walk him to his flat because I’d suspected Stevie would be joining us. Relief moved through me. “No Stevie?”

Tobias’s brows drew together. “No. Why would there be?”

I shrugged, confused by his somewhat belligerent response. “You live together.”

“He skipped out after lunch.”

Of course he had. I turned away so Tobias wouldn’t see me roll my eyes. “I suppose we better go then.”

If I’d thought last night’s walk was quiet, this one was positively dead. We said not a word to one another. I was going to start up conversation, attempt to not be socially awkward, but Tobias seemed lost in his thoughts and his silence made me lose my nerve.

“You’re not afraid of me, are you?” He spoke up suddenly, only a street away from the flat.

The question surprised me so much my tongue loosened. “What? Why would you think that?”

“The way you reacted when Mr. Stone made me sit next to you. Your hands were shaking yesterday. You were nervous at Stevie’s flat. The way you’re acting now.”

“It’s not that I’m afraid of you.”

“So you’re just shy as shit?”

What a charming adjective. I wrinkled my nose. “Maybe.”

Tobias chuckled. “You don’t have to be shy around me. Contrary to popular belief, I’m not actually Satan.”

“No one thinks you’re Satan.” I shook my head. “Just...maybe not the kind of boy who would talk to a girl like me. I get that.” I wanted to assure him that I knew we were just presentation partners and not actually friends. “So let’s just get to your place and get our work done.”

“First...go back. The part about me being a guy who wouldn’t talk to a girl like you. Explain.”

I frowned at the demand. “I’m academic. I like school. You...you may be smart, but clearly you don’t like school.”

“I can see where you might think that.” He nodded and then flashed me that boyish grin. “But maybe you’re wrong.”

“Possibly.” I nodded. “I don’t really know anything about you.”

“I don’t know anything about you either. Most girls are pretty talkative about themselves. You’re not. You’re kind of a mystery.”

Tobias King thought I was a mystery.

That made me laugh, and his eyes widened as he watched me, his mouth curling up at the corners in that way it was wont to do in lieu of an actual smile. “I’ve never seen you laugh before.”

Did he think I was some emo, miserable teenager incapable of it? “It’s been known to happen once in a while.”

This time he full-out grinned at my dry tone. “Apparently.”

We turned onto his street and I watched the smile on his face drop as he took in the sight of the building he lived in. “You don’t like it here?” I guessed.

He shrugged. “It’s somewhere to lay our heads, I guess. Mom is looking for a place.”

I wanted to ask all the questions that had built up inside of me since yesterday, but a slight warmth had grown between us and I didn’t want it to dissipate because I was being nosy.