Perfect Pet

Ch. 15: Greener Grass

"This reminds me of when we first met." I turned to see Kali looking out the window, a soft look in her eye. "Hard to believe it was a few months ago already."

"Time does fly when you're having fun," I agreed, watching the scenery pass by as we headed to a location unknown. We'd been on the bus most of the day and the sky was beginning to change, pinks and reds slashing through the blue-like veins as dusk settled in. Her remark brought flashes of the ball, classes, and Malik to circle in my head to prove my point. "Still feels like a dream sometimes."

Claire leaned in our direction from the seat she had across the aisle, the other empty thanks to her giving any takers a nasty death glare that had them running. "If only," She snorted with a roll of her eyes.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing." She turned to face the front again, her way of saying that particular conversation was over. Kali frowned at the obvious lie, her denim eyes narrowing behind her glasses. She didn't say anything though, Claire's already prickly nature worse than usual. "How's the deal with your vamp anyways?"

"He isn't mine!"

The words popped out without conscious thought, my defenses on autopilot. And I wanted to kick myself for falling for her ploy hook, line, and sinker.

Whenever the topic came up, I usually found ways to avoid it. There wasn't much to say, or at least I couldn't find the proper words to describe what I feeling. Knowing Claire, she wouldn't miss the opportunity to tease me when I ended up stumbling over my tongue and making a general fool of myself in the process. The last thing I needed. There was also the small part that I didn't want to acknowledge, the one I tried to bury deep, that didn't want to share what I felt with anyone else, even my friends. It was too personal, too intense. The way my heart fluttered like a trapped hummingbird in my chest at the mere thought of him. How my mouth dried up recalling his dark gaze as we danced.

We hadn't even talked since that very first night, the majority of our contact glances when we thought the other wasn't looking. He thought he was being slick but I could feel his gaze on me like a lover's touch, making it damn near impossible not to meet his heated stare with one of my own.

The only thing stopping me was that it would be a very bad idea.

"Sure, hon. Whatever you say."

I scowled but of course, she didn't see it.

"Whatever happened with Aric?" Kali asked, offering a much-needed distraction from Claire's prying. "You never told us."

"He got scared off," I grumbled, my head making a muffled thump when I dropped it against the seat. It was a heavily abbreviated version of what went down but that was another topic I would much rather avoid. I still cringed thinking about it. "A certain someone showed up and ruined the mood." 

"Ooo, lover boy felt threatened," Claire sang, sounding much too giddy at the train wreck that was my first date. Now I understood why some people didn't have friends. "Tell me again how you aren't into each other?"

"Claire,  I swear to God-"

"I'm sorry," Kali intercepted, making a face at Claire's seatback. "I know you were looking forward to it."

She genuinely sounded disappointed for me, making a lump form in my throat. "It's fine. Shit happens."

"You're living the dream, Ed. Most girls would kill to have a guy fight over her." Claire was determined to keep up her running commentary and I was tempted to ask Kali to give her seat a hard kick. She'd never do it but I could dream. Maybe that would shut her up for a bit.