Ignite (Midnight Fire #1)

Chapter Six

A week later, Kira opened her locker to see a portrait of herself leaning against her textbooks. She grabbed the small paper that held a close-up of her face, with a dusting of light curls around the edges, and knew it was a message from Tristan. She turned the paper over to read the note scribbled in cursive on the back.

"Meet me in the auditorium at lunchtime."

She noticed he didn’t even sign his name, like he knew she had been waiting for a sign from him. She, of course, had been waiting. But still, the arrogance of assuming he was the only guy who would leave her a note! Kira didn’t care though, because just like in Charleston, Tristan had been the one to break the silence, which meant he really couldn’t resist her either.

"What’s that?" Emma had snuck behind Kira without her noticing.

Kira turned, clutching at her chest. "Good lord, you just gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry," Emma said without really meaning it as she tried to peer closer at the paper Kira had quickly stuffed inside her binder. She didn’t want to share Tristan’s drawing, but she would definitely tell Emma what it said.

"Let’s just say our little scheme worked, and I won’t be at lunch today." Kira tried to play it cool and not give away how excited she was.

"Ooh, scandalous. Was that a love note?" Emma looked dreamy eyed.

"I don’t know, but I’m willing to try to find out," Kira said before slamming her locker closed and following Emma to class where the gossip was quickly overtaken by the need to pay attention to their teacher’s lecture on differential equations. 

When lunch rolled around, Kira dodged the crowd and went in the opposite direction toward the auditorium on the complete other side of the school. She arrived before Tristan and walked past the rows of chairs up toward the stage where the set for the December musical White Christmas was being prepared. Her school in New York only allowed secular performances, and she did kind of like that people got into the Christmas spirit here. Of course, it was the middle of October, so really only the drama crew had reached the point of singing Christmas carols, but she could anticipate how crazy school would be right after Thanksgiving.

In the middle of the stage, a half-painted Christmas tree stood surrounded by boxes cutout like presents, but not decorated. There was a piano in the corner and a costume rack held forties style dresses and suits for the actors. Kira scrambled on stage and walked around the yards of fake pine and tinsel that already covered it.

"Mistletoe?" Tristan called from behind. She turned in time to see him jump deftly onto the stage.

"I hadn’t noticed." Kira tried to play it cool. Tristan pulled a strand of green plastic leaves from his pocket with a smirk. "I knew there had to be a reason you wanted to meet here. But you’ll have to catch me first." Kira teased and started backing away.

His smirk turned into the half-smile she loved and a little dimple sprouted on his cheek. Tristan strode confidently forward, and when he got a little closer, Kira jumped behind the fake tree to use it as a defensive wall, moving left when he did and right when he did. She laughed when his frustration grew and jumped out from behind the tree to try to leap off the stage, moving the chase into different territory. But strong arms gripped around her waist, lifted her off the ground, and swung her around in circles.

"You’re mine now," he whispered into her ear, and Kira couldn’t decide if the shiver that raced down her back was full of excitement or fear. He let her feet drop to the ground, and she turned in the circle of his arms.

"Changed your mind about that we-can-never-be nonsense?" She smiled in victory.

"Not completely, but you are doing a great job convincing me." Tristan lifted the corner of his mouth again and she laid her hand on his cheek, capturing the dimple in her palm, before sliding it up into his hair, pushing his ebony bangs back so she could see his eyes better.