Page 93 of Firestorm
Skye sat down on an empty bench, and patted the open seat before I slid in next to her. We settled in with our trays, and I found myself watching her still, waiting for her to eat first.
“What’s your deal, fireball?” she asked, finally looking me in the eyes.
“Deal? I don’t have a deal. I’m just happy to be here.”Holy. Shit. Pathetic.
But Skye grinned before giggling again. She leaned in slightly, placing a hand on my chest, and I held my breath. I wondered if she could feel how hard and fast my heart was beating. It felt like it was about to burst through my ribs.
This was not the kind of hard and fast I wanted associated with Skye.
When had this happened? When had I gone from mildly interested,maybe slightly charmed with this girl, to feeling like I’d pass out just from her touch? I’d been following her for days since we made up, and somehow I hadn’t actually touched her that much. I’d been respecting her space, giving her time, blah blah.
“I’m happy you’re here, too.” she whispered.
My mind went blank. I smiled shyly, truly not knowing what to say back. Skye’s hand brushed along my chest up to my cheek, and I leaned into her touch like a cat, shuddering like I was about to burst into flames. My eyes darted down suddenly, and thank God, my arms weren’t glowing. I settled my gaze back on Skye’s face.
“I like you, Aiden. I like that you hang out with me.”
“I like you, too. I like that you’re patient with me.” I whispered in reply, covering her hand with mine.
A strange feeling of safety washed over me. I’d never felt this way before, not even when I was a child in my mother’s arms before she decided I was a disappointment. Something about Skye was comforting and safe, and I never wanted to leave. I wanted to wrap myself up in a cozy Skye blanket.
That was not a normal thought to have.
“So, you’re feeling better?” Willow’s agitating voice burst the bubble that Skye and I had been enjoying, and it made me want to growl.
Skye’s hand left my cheek, leaving my skin cold. I sighed deeply before looking down at my tray of food, surprised that Skye had managed to select things I liked. I ate quietly, trying not to stare at Skye while Willow and Mia spoke with her.
I was completely out of my element. I was usually the center of attention, making everyone laugh and keeping the conversation going. Sitting silently while the girls chatted was strangely relaxing. I liked not having to think so hard to keep things moving. Having the attention off of me was…nice.
Before I knew it, we were making our way back across campus. It was growing dark, the sun just dipping below the tree line, leaving a thin orange haze across the horizon. Then, Skye was saying goodbye, and the besties were shooting me glares before heading off in the opposite direction, hand in hand.
Chapter 29
Aiden
We were alone.
“What should we do?” Skye asked casually, reaching for my hand again and making my blood pump faster.
In one place, specifically.
That place being my c–
“Do you like gardens?”
I blinked. That wasn’t where my thoughts were going.
“Do you?” I countered. Real smooth. Answering a question with a question.My only line of defense.
Skye giggled again, and I decided it was my favorite sound. “Come on.”
We made our way across the dusky landscape, my heart pounding so hard I thought I’d pass out while Skye kept her firm grip on my hand.
We made our way into the woods but didn’t go far. We ended up stopping in a small meadow, though it was quickly obvious this meadow was unnatural. The clearing in the trees wasn’t too large, and wildflowers and roses of all kinds filled the empty space.
“How did you find this place? It’s beautiful.” I said, stepping intothe clearing. The moon was rising slowly, nearly full. The pale glow lit up the area, making the white flowers glimmer as if under a blacklight.
“I don’t know,” she replied, stepping in after me and hugging my arm. “I found it my first week here. I was really lonely and I went wandering. It’s like it called to me.”
