Like I was showered with blessings I wasn’t sure I deserved.
Naomi went ahead of us into class, grabbing the cupcakes from me with a wink. I hovered by the classroom door, taking in the deep sapphire glow in Gavin’s eyes.
“I’ve got track practice today, but I’ll come by Lilura’s afterwards and walk you home.”
“Okay.” My voice was so soft, my words barely audible. Because I knew he was about to kiss me.
Though I made it a point not to engage in unnecessary amounts of PDA at school, I took one greedy moment as a birthday favor to myself and let our kiss linger a few seconds more. The hot press of his lips against mine sent a shiver from my shoulders to my toes. I grasped my books tightly to keep from grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer.
He flashed a knowing smile as our lips parted and ran his thumb down my cheek before he left. My sigh was cliché, but I didn’t care. I floated into class and glided into my seat next to Naomi. She shook her head at me and snickered just as the bell rang. Since school was out in just a few weeks, I tuned out the teacher and daydreamed about Gavin’s kiss—and the many kisses I hoped would follow—during the entire algebra lesson.
Daydreaming seemed to help the hour go by, and soon I was welcomed to History class by a familiar face. Ice-gray eyes framed by light brown lashes stayed on me as I dropped my books on my desk and set down the cupcake container. He didn’t smile, but I was used to that. Chase leaned back in his chair, his long legs stretching out in front of his desk, and raised his brows as if waiting for me to speak.
“Cupcake?” I said. “Naomi’s mom made them.”
“No, thanks.”
“Are you sure? Only two left.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You’re not going to skip out on training today just because it’s your birthday, are you?”
My cheeks felt hot. I tucked a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. “What? No. You, um, you knew it was my birthday today?”
“It’s my job to know these things.”
“Oh, right.”
Our teacher entered the room in a huff about some scratch he found on his car. One brown-nosing student approached him with a sympathetic ear.
I looked back at Chase. “Of course I’m going to train today.”
“Good. Because I have something special planned.”
“Oh? What?”
Chase nodded toward the teacher. “Class is starting.”
I gathered my things as soon as the bell rang forty-five minutes later. I didn’t rush out though, because I still wanted to know what Chase had planned for my training session. I lingered by the door, waiting for him to catch up to me. His face was stoic as he joined me in the hall.
Chase rubbed his chin, not looking at me. “So, is Gavin taking you to prom?”
I was caught off guard by his question. With my birthday and curiosity about Chase’s special training idea, prom was the last thing on my mind.
“Um. Well, we haven’t exactly talked about it,” I replied.
“Hmm.”
I blinked at him. “What?”
“Nothing.”
I grunted. “You must have meant something.”
“Not really. Just…hmm.”
I clutched my books and sneered at him. “He’ll take me.”
“I’m sure he will.”
“You don’t think so?”
“I didn’t say that.”
I resisted the urge to stomp my foot. “Why are you being such a jerk?”
“Why are you getting so upset?”
I scoffed, and immediately one corner of his mouth inched upward. Why did he enjoy getting me so worked up?
He was about to walk away when something occurred to me.
“Chase, wait. I have to tell you something.”
He stopped and turned slowly, his hands planted in his trench coat pockets.
“Last night I had a…dream. At least, I think it was a dream.” I closed the distance between us and lowered my voice. “I was staring at a Reaper. He looked like he was about to attack me. But then suddenly, his face changed.”
“Changed how?”
“Well, he sort of shifted. Turned into…me.”
Chase studied my face. I
Naomi went ahead of us into class, grabbing the cupcakes from me with a wink. I hovered by the classroom door, taking in the deep sapphire glow in Gavin’s eyes.
“I’ve got track practice today, but I’ll come by Lilura’s afterwards and walk you home.”
“Okay.” My voice was so soft, my words barely audible. Because I knew he was about to kiss me.
Though I made it a point not to engage in unnecessary amounts of PDA at school, I took one greedy moment as a birthday favor to myself and let our kiss linger a few seconds more. The hot press of his lips against mine sent a shiver from my shoulders to my toes. I grasped my books tightly to keep from grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer.
He flashed a knowing smile as our lips parted and ran his thumb down my cheek before he left. My sigh was cliché, but I didn’t care. I floated into class and glided into my seat next to Naomi. She shook her head at me and snickered just as the bell rang. Since school was out in just a few weeks, I tuned out the teacher and daydreamed about Gavin’s kiss—and the many kisses I hoped would follow—during the entire algebra lesson.
Daydreaming seemed to help the hour go by, and soon I was welcomed to History class by a familiar face. Ice-gray eyes framed by light brown lashes stayed on me as I dropped my books on my desk and set down the cupcake container. He didn’t smile, but I was used to that. Chase leaned back in his chair, his long legs stretching out in front of his desk, and raised his brows as if waiting for me to speak.
“Cupcake?” I said. “Naomi’s mom made them.”
“No, thanks.”
“Are you sure? Only two left.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You’re not going to skip out on training today just because it’s your birthday, are you?”
My cheeks felt hot. I tucked a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. “What? No. You, um, you knew it was my birthday today?”
“It’s my job to know these things.”
“Oh, right.”
Our teacher entered the room in a huff about some scratch he found on his car. One brown-nosing student approached him with a sympathetic ear.
I looked back at Chase. “Of course I’m going to train today.”
“Good. Because I have something special planned.”
“Oh? What?”
Chase nodded toward the teacher. “Class is starting.”
I gathered my things as soon as the bell rang forty-five minutes later. I didn’t rush out though, because I still wanted to know what Chase had planned for my training session. I lingered by the door, waiting for him to catch up to me. His face was stoic as he joined me in the hall.
Chase rubbed his chin, not looking at me. “So, is Gavin taking you to prom?”
I was caught off guard by his question. With my birthday and curiosity about Chase’s special training idea, prom was the last thing on my mind.
“Um. Well, we haven’t exactly talked about it,” I replied.
“Hmm.”
I blinked at him. “What?”
“Nothing.”
I grunted. “You must have meant something.”
“Not really. Just…hmm.”
I clutched my books and sneered at him. “He’ll take me.”
“I’m sure he will.”
“You don’t think so?”
“I didn’t say that.”
I resisted the urge to stomp my foot. “Why are you being such a jerk?”
“Why are you getting so upset?”
I scoffed, and immediately one corner of his mouth inched upward. Why did he enjoy getting me so worked up?
He was about to walk away when something occurred to me.
“Chase, wait. I have to tell you something.”
He stopped and turned slowly, his hands planted in his trench coat pockets.
“Last night I had a…dream. At least, I think it was a dream.” I closed the distance between us and lowered my voice. “I was staring at a Reaper. He looked like he was about to attack me. But then suddenly, his face changed.”
“Changed how?”
“Well, he sort of shifted. Turned into…me.”
Chase studied my face. I
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