Grasp Heart

Chapter 14: Is Pineapple on Pizza Legal? Only 1 right answer.

The next day, Leo caught me as I exited sixth-period peer-tutoring, quick to herd me toward the parking lot without any specifics. Mason, who'd been leaning against my car waiting, pushed off and surveyed us. Particularly my raised shoulders and taught, short steps.

"Easy there, little brother," Leo chuckled.

Mason's eyes narrowed.

"He's not bothering you, is he?" Mason asked, glaring-down his sibling.

The effort was wasted, of course. Leo towered over the pair of us with a cheeky grin.

"I'm fine," I bit out.

"Leo," a velvety voice called, pulling Leo's gaze around.

Shoulders still raised, I flicked my eyes toward the newcomer. Anne treated the sidewalk as her own personal catwalk; feet pacing in line, hips swaying left to right, shoulders back, and hair swishing with each step. Her eyes, a rare periwinkle-violet scrutinized without furrowing a single wrinkle between her brows. I noticed their silvery starburst as she came upon us.

"Hey, babe."

She glided into Leo's proffered arm, hip sliding smoothly into the space beside his as he wound it around her slim waist. The smile she forced didn't reach her eyes and, in fact, emulated a detached condescension, particularly given the upward tilt of her chin. Even among vampires, she was a rare beauty and she knew it.

That fact made my upper lip twitch with the need to sneer. But the sudden excitement on Leo's face flooded me with wariness instead.

"We're going to go on a double-date," he said, matter-of-fact.

"I need to eat," I stated simply, assuming this would be enough to shut that idea down quickly, however -

"There's a pizza place out on the Spit," he offered and finally Anne's smugness seemed to dim, "Annie will drive us."

"I've got a good handle on my homework," Mason shrugged, glancing over at me.

"E-er, yes," I said slowly, blinking to prevent myself from staring at Leo like he'd grown a second head.

Alcohol was a common comfort to vampires, even coffee, but solid foods? I supposed there wasn't anything particularly harmful about consuming human food, but most vampires didn't bother due to lack of taste.

"I'll just put my backpack in my car," I murmured, feeling a spike of intrigue at the prospect of watching them consume fast-food.

He sprung this on me; was he not privy to the plans Mason and I were sketching out this weekend? What was he doing? Quickly, I fished my wallet out before tossing my bookbag into the cabin of the car.

"Do you want your phone?" Mason asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Won't you be entertaining me?"

He chuckled, mellowed, and hesitantly extended a crooked forefinger. After flipping the Jeep's manual lock, I accepted, linking my finger into his. A low scoff sounded from behind my date, but when I glanced to inspect Anne, she looked away.

"What?" I demanded, unwavering.

"Are you a toddler?"

"Romance isn't really my thing," I shrugged.

She and Leo led the way back to Anne's Prius. They walked ahead of Mason and I, hands wound together such that their fingers looked like a 3D jigsaw puzzle.

"Clearly."

"You have reasonable expectations," Mason soothed, eyes blazing as he stared at the back of Anne's head.