Phoenix

Chapter 24

Body language

Phoenix's POV
I walked out of the cafeteria glancing around, bag slung over my shoulder. Unlike yesterday, dark clouds hovered over the campus, a cool breeze tugging at the trees. The pale morning sun had hidden behind the gray billow, an eerie murk lingering.

My eyes scan the outside eating area, searching for the face I was looking for. I didn't find it.
Instead, my eyes landed on a familiar face sitting lonely at one of the picnic tables. Eyebrows were drawn together, as cobalt blue eyes studied passing faces.

_ "Well that's new." I say, taking a seat beside him.

_ "What is?" The crease between Ian's eyebrows only amplified as I effectively managed to surprise him.

_ "You're not surrounded by a horde today." I chuckle, opening my smoothie bottle.

_ "If by horde you mean irrelevant girls, I'm over that phase." He shrugged, fishing out the blueberries from the remainder of his oatmeal.

_ "I see." I decided not to pry any further. "How about the boys?" I ask instead, trying to make small talk. He shrugs:

_ "Either hungover skipping, or still in class."

_ "Gentlemen." An annoying voice calls out. Without having to turn to face him I greet back.

_ "Moretti." From behind me emerges Grayson followed by a blond. "Armstrong." I nod at Myles. He returns the gesture.

_ "What's up?" Ian engages in a conversation with the two who had just joined us at the table. I sit out, trying to read their body, as their dialogue became muted.

Myles sat tall, his legs on either sides of the bench as he kept glancing away from the boys and into the sea of students. Just by the positioning of his body, his feet turned away from the table, you could tell he wasn't fully committed to the discussion, rather waiting for someone. His shoulders were slightly tense, but the gleam in his eyes read that he was more excited or impatient than nervous. The smell of axe on him and thought put into his outfit made it obvious that the person awaited was a girl that had peaked his interest.

Grayson on the other hand sat still. His shoulders slightly raised and hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket, a faint bruise on his right cheekbone. Despite seeming distant and lost in thought, he held the conversation quite flawlessly. He seemed nonchalant, joking about and making fun of the guys, yet his lack of eye contact was questionable.

The sound of my name pulled me out of my analytic mood.

_ "What?" I ask as I had been unheeding. Ian rolls his eyes, giving me a hint that he was the one posing a question.

_ "I said: speaking of girls... How'd it go with Essence on spring break? I hadn't caught you yesterday, and you've been home all last week." He repeats. I skim around the table at the questioning faces. Way to make it obvious ass hat. "Did you ask her yet?"

As if sent to save me from this awfully uncomfortable situation, the girls appear.
Myles's leg immediately shoots the other way, making space next to him, hitting me in the process. I glare at him as the twenty year old awkwardly grins at me apologetically. Raven takes a seat by him, while Destiny sits besides me, parallel to her gothic friend.

I study both girls. Raven fiddled with her earrings apprehensively, and her body was slightly rotated in Myles's direction. Though the look on her face remained impassive, the slight upward curve of her lips was a sign of amusement. Meanwhile, Armstrong's shoulders were no longer tense, his once fidgety moves now smooth and calculated. There was definitely something going on between them.