Heartbeat [Alec Volturi]

Eager

They really were quite predictable. "You guys do not have the attention span to shit talk," I commented boorishly. Alec smirked, my support adding to his glory.

I had earned myself the role of being the new target as Demetri pointed accusingly at me. "I want five sentences before I kick both their assess in this game, or it's detention for you, kid." Ignoring both Alec and Felix's protests against the claim, I grinned smugly.

"Deal."

Easier said than done.

~•~•~•~

It was all Alec's fault.

Stupid face Alec only needed one hand on the controller, and when I felt the first few taps below my knee, I knew I was screwed. I kept my head buried in the book, trying to ignore his roguish nature and the sparks that lit from every tap of his fingertips. But he was ingenious about it, timing them with every time I switched my gaze from my paper to the book and even as I tried to write. I shot him a glare, but he feigned ignorance, eyes focused on the screen.

Finally, his hand paused against my skin. His fingers glided like spiders to wrap around my ankle. I swallowed. It sent me spinning. Felix and Demetri were none the wiser to my erratically beating heart. Surely they would have said something by now if they weren't so invested in their game.

Alec began to caress his thumb back and forth over the thin fabric of my tights. I kicked my leg, trying to get him to knock it off, but he only tightened his grip. My complaint caught in my throat as his eyes demanded mine.

"Alright," Felix declared, tossing his controller to me. I hardly caught it, tearing my eyes from Alec as the action sent the Italian to English translation book and my papers to the floor. "My bad, kiddo."

Demetri stood as well, stretching his arms over his head.

"Where are you two going?"

"To work," Demetri stole my work from the ground, scrutinizing my progress. "Which is not your forte."

Instead of arguing, "I'll tell you where Heidi's furniture is if you tell Caius I did it all."

"Nope."

"Perhaps you two are merely poor instructors." My eyes shifted to see Alec's smug smirk as he stole the fairytale book, the one thing that remained on the couch.

"And you could do better?"

Jeering, Alec determined, "She needs stronger motivation, clearly."

"Oh yeah," Felix snorted. "I'm sure you could find a few ways to keep her motivated –" Even I was not so naive as to miss the innuendo. I retaliated before Alec could, snatching my legs off his lap and tossing the remaining couch pillow at Felix's head. He dodged it with a knowing grin. "There is nothing wrong with a little support between mates."

I scoffed, my slight embarrassment pushing me to stand and steal my work back from Demetri. "Just because you've got that dumb betting pool on us –"

"FIYA," Demetri hissed, but I had already realized my mistake. I'd told Alec the topic but not the stakes they'd placed on our 'first' kiss.

Alec was now standing too, and the worst part was – he didn't look upset.

"Saffiya?"

I assumed he asked me to keep himself calm if he didn't like the answer. But I stumbled because 'betting pool' was pretty straightforward. And even if I did manage a believable lie, I didn't want to lie to him. Especially not in front of other people.