Page 34 of Sunflower Persona
“That’s awful,” he says.
“Maybe you just have bad taste,” I protest.
“Sure. If that’s what you need to tell yourself, Low,” he says with a hint of a teasing grin.
“Low?”
“Yeah, like Yellow.” His gaze drops to his plate as the tips of his ears grow red.
Butterflies erupt at the unexpected nickname. They twist my tongue into a knot, leaving me completely lost for words. At least it’s better than the alternative. I could get so nervous I ramble nonsense like I did during my first assignment in my public speaking class—
“Oh shit, what time is it?” I jerk upright in my seat as the reality of life beyond these walls crashes into me.
“Almost ten,” he says without urgency.
“I’m late for class.” I start to get up, but he stops me with a firm hand on my thigh.
“No, you’re skipping your classes.”
The sparks are back, and this time, the kindling is quick to catch fire. He’s got some nerve trying to dictate my life.
“What the fuck, Gage. I could miss something important.” I shove his hand away and hit him with a scorching glare.
He scoffs, ignoring my ire.
“Nothing is more important than your health. You were drugged last night. Classes can wait.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t remember putting you in charge.”
“You put me in charge the moment you begged me to stay. Now eat.”
My jaw twitches as I grind my teeth, but I don’t push back further, or I might snap. Following instructions has never been my strong suit. When I was growing up, my parents called it oppositional defiance. They put me in therapy for it and everything. Over the years, I’ve gotten a better handle on it, andmy therapist gave me plenty of coping exercises, but his bossy attitude is hitting all the wrong buttons.
“Yes, sir,” I snip with saccharine cheer as I stab into my fluffy stack with the force of all my pent-up frustrations.
He stiffens beside me and breathes in deep through his nose. For several seconds, he sits there tense and unmoving except for his fingers digging into his leg.
“I’m teaching you self-defense,” he says, breaking the tension.
“What?” The words make sense individually, but I can’t process them together as one statement.
“You heard me. It wouldn’t have changed anything about last night, but I don’t want you going back out until you can protect yourself.”
The nerve of this man is unending.
“I bet you didn’t force Karis to do self-defense lessons so she could hang out with you.”
“You’re right, I didn’t. But she has a brown belt in jiu-jitsu, a black belt in judo, and teaches self-defense seminars at the gym once a quarter. She works with Evelyn and James a few times a month too.”
“So why isn’t she the one who’s going to teach me?” The question drips with my defiance.
“Is that what you want, Kori? Because if it is, I’ll call her right now and get it scheduled.”
His calm, ocean-gray eyes lock with my heated glare as he meets my challenge head-on. Our wills war against each other in a silent battle, but in the end, I’m the one who gives in first.
“No. I’d rather do it with you,” I admit. “I have a condition, though.”
“Hit me with it.”
