Page 172 of Rock Me All Night
I turn my attention to my finance homework, but the uneasy feeling in my gut remains.
* * *
Aknockon my bedroom door cuts through the music.
"Kara," Nadeen says. "Your boyfriend is here."
"I don't have a boyfriend," I yell back to her.
"Then what is he doing here?"
I push out of my chair and open the door. Nadeen is staring at me with an irritated look on her face. Almost like I'm the one trying to kick her out of her apartment.
I follow her into the main room.
Drew is here.
A lightness returns to my body.
"So, you know," Nadeen says. "You could ask him about moving in."
"He's not my boyfriend!"
Drew shoots me thatare you okaylook. I motion to my room. I'm not discussing anything in front of her.
He pushes past Nadeen like she isn't even there. "Come on." He grabs my hand, pulls me into the bedroom, and presses the door shut behind us.
"What's with her?" he asks.
I shrug like I don't know.
"You're so full of shit."
"Some people would consider that allegation rude," I say.
"Lucky for me you're not some people." He takes a few steps toward me. "You want to tell me why you're upset?"
"I'm not."
His eyes narrow. Not angry. Just serious. "You keep bullshitting me and I'll be the one who is upset."
"Good for you." On my computer, I pull up a PowerPoint presentation. It's Thursday's finance lecture.
I'm turned away from Drew, but I can feel him staring at me. His gaze is penetrating. It exposes something in me. Something I'd rather keep hidden.
I keep my eyes on the screen, like this is no big deal. "How can you care so much about other people minding their own business and be so willing to get in my business?"
"That's different."
"How?"
"I care about you. The guys are just creating gossip."
"They care about you too." Deep breath. My body is trying to react to this wholeI care about youthing. It overreacts.
"It's not the same."
Okay. Body going into overdrive. My heart beat picks up. My mouth goes sticky. Does Drew even realize what he's doing to me? He must not. If he does, he's pure evil. There's no other plausible explanation.
