Little Spark

15 - Mixed Signals

The following afternoon, I sit—visibly agitated—with Candis, Apollo and Luca at Common Grounds after school. I haven't seen Reign since yesterday in the woods.

"You alright, Bliss?" Luca says, attempting to read my face. "You look a little ruffled..."

"Oh, she's fine," Candis answers for me. "There's just a smorgasbord on her mental plate, right, Bizz?"

I give her a weak smile. If only she knew.

"Shouldn't you know that, Miss 'all-seeing-eye'?" Apollo says.

Luca punches him. "Hey, I've got a number of things on my mental plate too... I'll admit, I'm a bit 'out of tune' if you catch my drift. My focus has been elsewhere. And besides, that whole "mind-reader" thing is totally a myth—"

"Oh, wonderful." Candis' face darkens. "The cavalry's here," I follow her gaze out the window and see Lylah gesturing excitedly with her hands. Duff, Reign, and Cary are with her. The moment Reign and I make eye contact, I push back from the table and walk outside, completely ignoring the "Where are you going?" from Candis.

He stands with his hands in his pockets, grinning smugly as I close the final few feet between us. I step so close to him, I can feel his cold breath on my forehead. He looks down over his nose at me, completely unfazed.

"Why have you been following me?" I ask.

He leans forward so our noses almost touch. Everything, everyone, even time itself vanishes. There are only his green eyes, staring into my brown ones, his scent—like coffee, fresh pine, and the dying embers of a campfire—and the barely audible sound of electricity buzzing between our two bodies. "I don't know what you're talking about, I-uhh."

Liar.

I narrow my eyes to slits. "Yes..." I poke him right in the center of his chest. "You do." My finger sparks—very loudly and brightly. I freeze, too panicked to even breathe.

His eyes dart apprehensively toward his friends, but he recovers quickly. "You should go back inside to your buddies now, New Girl," he says. "We all know you're into me, but you're not really my type."

I feel my jaw unhinge, and no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to pick my chin up. I hate to admit it, but the rejection feels like a punch to the gut. I glance at Lylah; she looks absolutely euphoric as she taps away on her phone.

My arm is grabbed from behind, and I'm pulled backward. "Stay away from her, Reign," Candis barks, letting go of me and stepping between us. A wild ferocity plays on pretty features, and I'm stunned by her boldness—she barely comes up to his chest, but she's got her finger right in his face. "Stay. Away."

"Don't get your panties in a wad, Cornwell," Reign retorts. "She came out here. Perhaps you should tell her to stay away from me." He looks me over and smirks again.

"Whatever, Reign. You heard me. Let's go, Bliss."

I throw an angry look over my shoulder as we walk away, and he has the nerve to smile and wave at me.

Luca and Apollo are already in Apollo's car. "Well that was bold," he says as we drive out of the small parking lot. "Inadvisable, but bold."

I shake my head, confused. "Why is it 'inadvisable' for me to confront someone I caught spying on me in the woods yesterday?"

Luca whips around in the passenger seat with her eyes wide. "What did you say?"

"I said I caught him spying on me. That's why I confronted him. I wanted to know why."