Page 55 of Follow My Voice
I’ve never eaten so fast in my life, the excitement making my hands so clammy that I have to constantly wipe them on my sweatshirt. I glance over at Kang and catch him already looking at me. Our eyes communicate but no one around us has any idea that we know each other and talk all the time on the phone. It’s our secret.
I give Kang a head start to avoid suspicions from Perla, then I leave the cafeteria a few minutes later, feeling nervous as I make my way to the auditorium. And there’s Kang, leaning against the wall, his hands in his pockets. When he sees me, he pushes himself away from the wall and stands to face me.
Breathe, Klara.
“Hello, Klara with a K.”
“Hello, Batman.”
He smiles. I think the dimples in his cheeks might do me in.
“Again with that?”
I shrug. “I’m not going to leave you alone until you tell me the story behind the maskandlet me see you play.”
He purses his lips. “Are you twenty-one all of a sudden?” he asks, pointing out the obvious.
“I will be… soonish.”
“Okay, we’ll just explain that to the doorman when he asks for ID.”
“You’re annoying.”
Kang bites his lower lip and takes a step toward me. “Oh, yeah?”
I swallow and lift my face to look up at him. Having him so close is hard to handle. Did I mention how good Kang smells? It’s soothing, like a mix of gentle laundry detergent and something sweet.
Calm down, Klara, you’re almost salivating.
He reaches toward me cautiously, as if afraid of scaring me away. With his eyes fixed on mine, he places his hand on my cheek and caresses it with his thumb. His touch sends shivers through my body, and my knees threaten to give way beneath me. How can such a simple gesture feel so intimate, so consuming, as if he’s unraveling me with just his fingertips?How can I have missed you so much when we’ve only met once?I open my mouth to say something, but just then a group of girls walks by, laughing, and I quickly step back, breaking off all contact.
Kang blushes and clears his throat. “Hey, so, it’s almost time for my next class. If you’re going to be on campus for a while, I could drive you home after.”
Surprisingly, my first thought isn’t about staying on campus longer than I need to. Instead, it’s about how I explain that to Kamila. “Um, let me check with my sister. I’ll text you.”
“Okay.”
We part ways, grinning at each other as we wave goodbye. I’m smiling so hard my face hurts when I open the entrance door and run straight into Diego.
“You might want to look a little less in love, Hoodie,” he says.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Diego smirks, shaking his head, as he continues on his way.
I make an effort to keep my smile in check when I receive Kamila’s response saying she doesn’t mind if I ride home with a friend.
I’m going to be alone with Kang…
24Destroy Me
I NEVER IMAGINEDI could go from feeling so excited and happy to being so completely knocked down to size in a matter of minutes. Over all the months I stayed locked up inside my room, I never experienced such abrupt changes in mood. I guess it’s because there are fewer variables at home; I can control things. But in the outside world I’m at the mercy of other people. I learned this in the worst way possible.
“Hey there.” It’s the tall, gorgeous, black-haired girl from my class blocking my path, her two friends lingering close by. She’s even prettier up close, with full lips and a thin nose. Her face is contoured to highlight her striking features, but I’m sure she’s just as beautiful without any makeup.
“Yes?” I answer politely, a little nervous since socializing with strangers is something I haven’t quite mastered.
She gives me a warm smile. “We haven’t been introduced. I’m Liliana, but everyone calls me Yana for short.” She takes my hand and I tense, but I don’t pull away. I don’t want to seem unfriendly.
