Page 137 of The Casualty of Us
He tries to smooth his face out, taking a deep breath. “I–I don’t—”
Failing miserably when he can’t even get any more out than Marley did before a sharp laugh escapes him.
“I hate you both.”
“I think you’ll be a good cheerleader, O.”
I turn my head to look at where Holden’s giving me a small smile, the sight of an ally making me return the gesture. “Thank you, Holden.”
At least one of us does.
“Fuck.”
My eyes snap to Hayes’s at the soft rasp, immediately wanting to defend myself. “I mean, I’ll give you that I’m not the most coordinated, but I don’t think I’m going to, like, take out the pyramid.”
“No, O.” He shakes his head, leaning so far across the table that his head is almost to my mug before trailing off. “This is going to be…”
And it’s not until his fingers land on the inside of my thigh that I get it, my breath immediately hitching in my throat with a soft, “Oh.”
Right. Because this just throws us together even more often but with way less clothes than usual, or at least that’s what I’m guessing by the heat in his eyes.
“Oh, fuck.”
“Dude!” Ollie snaps. “I’m really trying to be cool here, but that is my foot! Not hers!”
Hayes leans back instantly, eyes flashing with amusement, and a quiet snort leaves me as Marley eyes us all suspiciously. No doubt planning on grilling me the second we’re alone about what exactly is going on here. Meanwhile, Holden is completely missing it and staring across the cafeteria with a dazed look in his eyes.
We all finish up breakfast pretty quickly after that, though, learning that the boys will be with us in poli sci this morning before we don’t see them until the glory that is athletics on Friday. Well…besides me and Hayes, who also share advanced debate on Friday mornings again.
Because freaking Lisette was right about that as well.
We eventually make the trek over to the arts building together, with Ollie heading up the front of the group and Marley and Holden on either side of him as Hayes and I linger a little behind the others. Walking so closely that we keep making small brushes of contact with each other that leave me wondering when the next will come until he finally snags a couple of my fingers in his when we make it to the top of the stairs.
His eyes catch mine, and the happiness there has me losing the battle with a grin, shaking my head with a soft laugh. “Stop it.”
“I didn’t say anything.” He lifts a brow, eyes dropping to where my tie is done perfectly. “You did it yourself.”
“Didn’t want to be a damsel.” I shrug, mind flashing to the two-minute debate I had with myself in the mirror over it. “Or assume anything.”
“Hmm.” He pulls on my fingers, tossing me a wink right before we walk into the classroom. “Feel free to assume, Freckles.”
My lips part with another barely there laugh as he lets go of my hand, walking a couple of steps ahead of me and heading to where Ollie is standing with horror written all ov—
Wait. What?
My brows fall a split second before a pair of hands cover my eyes, making my whole body lock up as a voice I know but can’t place yet whispers smugly. “Guess who?”
And I can’t breathe for another couple of seconds before the hands jerk away from my face as Hayes’s rough shout fills the air. “What the fuck, man?”
I blink to see his face thunderous, eyes lit up with a rage that I’ve only caught glimpses of before, and darkness seeming to pulse in the air around him. His hand stretched out next to me like he just shoved—
Oh no.
I spin around on my heel, immediately finding the person he shoved a couple steps back from me now and breathing out with recognition. “Kyler.”
Same light blond hair. Same dark blue eyes.
“Kyler?” Hayes’s tense rasp has me flicking my eyes to him quickly, catching the same recognition there because he’s heard the name enough times to know something’s up with it.
