Page 80 of Sombra
She shoves her hands in her jeans. “I’m okay. I’m just beating myself up, I guess. Because I’m normally very responsible.”
“This is being responsible.”
“Yeah, but … I guess I’vetaken some steps beyond my comfort zone.”
My heart drops. “I did not mean to push you. I will never—”
“Not you, Tavo. I loved every second of last night. I guess in the morning light, things look different.” She sighs and stares down the street. “I have to take care of some stuff.”
I take a guess. “Like your boyfriend.”
She nods. “I don’t consider him my boyfriend.”Her eyes draw mine. “I’m not in love with him. At all. But he’s a friend, and I respect him. I told him I don’t want to marry him. It’s driving me crazy that he’s not responding to my messages.”
The jealous beast roars within my heart, wanting to rip out through my chest. I don’t want her to have ties to anyone else. Thank God she’s taken off that ring, finally. But we do need to get thisall straightened out. And I need to tell Sonia, yet again, to quit it. She keeps hanging around, and I don’t want her to think she has any chance.
Because when I look into Kim’s eyes, I’m a goner. I’ll do anything to keep her.
I only hope she feels the same.
While we sitin the middle of class, I surreptitiously rip a piece of paper in half and scribble a note, passing it to Kim under the desk.
Do you like me?
Yes
No
She stiflesa smile with her hand and straightens her face, not giving me a clue. Even worse, she pretends to think about it, tipping her head to the side and tapping her pen to her tongue.After way too long, she hunches down to write.
But she’s not just writing a simple “x.”Why is she writing so much? Does this require such a long explanation? It’s just a yes or no question!
Folding it up, her eyes on the professor at the front of the room, she passes it back to me under the desk.
Do you like me?
Yes X!!!
No
Wantto makeout after class?
Yes
No
Oh,now it’s on. I scribble a note back to her and add a question, again passing it under the desk. When she opens it up, she gulps, then checks the box and passes it back.
Do you like me?
Yes X!!!
No
Wantto make out after class?
Yes xxx
No
