Day Zero
Page 24
I had so much more in common with him than with my fellow international students. They had college application essays to fill out; I had sai training. They wanted a diploma; I wanted icons.
“Those tickets must’ve cost you plenty for a view this grand.”
“Fine. You really want to know how I paid for them?” At his nod, I told him the truth: “I marched into the guys’ locker room at the dojo, snapped a photo of this one bully’s junk, and blackmailed him.” The guy had been so furious, I’d provoked him to charge me. At the last second, I’d stepped aside; he’d rammed a locker headfirst. Then I’d plucked a hundred from his wallet. “Let’s put it this way: you and I are having pizza after.”
I could all but hear Joules’s thoughts: I canna tell if she’s kidding. Please, Jaysus, let her be kidding.
I shrugged. “See? That’s why you have to stay in New York. To keep me out of trouble.”
More and more often, I’d broached the subject of his staying. At home, Diya was putting all kinds of pressure on me to solidify this alliance: “Bring him back to the apartment. I’ll stay out all night. Get this boy locked down, Calanthe!”
Now he sighed. “I wish I could. But me mam has enough trouble with me hellion brothers.” Five of them. “I should not add to her worries. Plus, I’m skint.” At my frown, he explained, “Out of money. And I canna work in this country.”
“You could borrow from me.” Not that my sister and I had much to spare.
He scowled again. “Never’ll happen.”
Seeing he wouldn’t be moved—for now—I said, “Then we need to enjoy every minute together.” I’d been an hour early tonight, but he’d already been waiting for me.
His face had lit up when he spotted me, and he’d trotted toward me like a whipped puppy. Then, seeming to realize how silly he looked, he’d slowed and played it cool.
I tilted my head at him. “I’m the first girl you’ve gone out with, aren’t I?”
His cheeks heated. He was cute when he blushed like that. I found myself teasing him a lot, just to get a blush out of him.
Instead of blustering (which he also did a lot), he grew solemn. “Because I had not met a lass as fine as you are.”
After a few moments, I blinked, surprised that I’d been staring into his eyes. “Um, let me show you my favorite spot.” I steered him to gaze out at the approaching storm. “Up here, there’s all this static electricity. Can you feel it?”
His expression was excited. “I can. Is it supposed to give you a high like this?” Thunder rumbled, and a laugh escaped him.
“Hmm. Maybe some of us more than others.”
A bolt of lightning flared in the distance, and he was riveted. “I’ve always fancied lightning.”
“Have you? You’re like the electrical guy from my sister’s Tarot legends.” I’d told him that Diya used to entertain me with tales of the Major Arcana. Easing him into my world—our world—I’d explained the basics of the game and most of the twenty-two players.
“The one called the Tower?” He grinned. “I thought I’d be Death for certain. Where’s me scythe?”
I shivered at the mere mention of Death.
Joules gazed out as more lightning struck. “Cally, I’ve never felt more alive than I do right now.”
“Then take a pic with me.” I pulled out my phone. When he moved in closer, I put my arm around him and hammed it up for the shot.
He murmured at my ear, “Will you blackmail me with pictures too?”
I faced him. “Of course. You’re going to have to stay with me.”
He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off my lips, so I licked them. But he didn’t move in for a kiss. He’d definitely never had one before.
I said, “So young.”
His eyes went wide. “No younger than you are!”
“Prove it. Kiss me.”
He gazed around. “Here? Tere’ll be cameras,” he said, accent thickening.
“Nobody else cares.”
Joules looked like he’d rather eat nails than kiss me here. But he let me maneuver him until I stood between him and the camera.
“Don’t you want to kiss me?”
“O’ course I want to, but it might lead to other tings, and I’m waiting till I’m wed.” He was serious! “Cally, wait with me—”
My hand dipped down, and the almighty Tower gave a whimper. I rested my palm on the front of his jeans.
His voice broke higher as he said, “Jaysus.”
When I moved my hand, his eyes rolled back in his head. A bolt struck nearby—as if from his emotions—and he groaned.
“Nobody waits anymore,” I murmured.
“I’d always p-planned to.” Another groan.
“I think you’re just throwing out excuses. Maybe you don’t want me to be your girlfriend.”
“To have you as me lass?” He tried to steady his gaze, to meet mine, as if he was about to give me a promise. “Tere’s nothing I want more! From the first second I saw you, I knew you were the one!” Though his body was shaking with need, he tugged my hand away—so he could hold it with both of his own. Gods, he was so sincere, so virtuous. “You’re to be mine?”
A traitorous thought arose: What if I am his?
No, the game made that impossible. I hesitated, then lied: “I am.”
“Those tickets must’ve cost you plenty for a view this grand.”
“Fine. You really want to know how I paid for them?” At his nod, I told him the truth: “I marched into the guys’ locker room at the dojo, snapped a photo of this one bully’s junk, and blackmailed him.” The guy had been so furious, I’d provoked him to charge me. At the last second, I’d stepped aside; he’d rammed a locker headfirst. Then I’d plucked a hundred from his wallet. “Let’s put it this way: you and I are having pizza after.”
I could all but hear Joules’s thoughts: I canna tell if she’s kidding. Please, Jaysus, let her be kidding.
I shrugged. “See? That’s why you have to stay in New York. To keep me out of trouble.”
More and more often, I’d broached the subject of his staying. At home, Diya was putting all kinds of pressure on me to solidify this alliance: “Bring him back to the apartment. I’ll stay out all night. Get this boy locked down, Calanthe!”
Now he sighed. “I wish I could. But me mam has enough trouble with me hellion brothers.” Five of them. “I should not add to her worries. Plus, I’m skint.” At my frown, he explained, “Out of money. And I canna work in this country.”
“You could borrow from me.” Not that my sister and I had much to spare.
He scowled again. “Never’ll happen.”
Seeing he wouldn’t be moved—for now—I said, “Then we need to enjoy every minute together.” I’d been an hour early tonight, but he’d already been waiting for me.
His face had lit up when he spotted me, and he’d trotted toward me like a whipped puppy. Then, seeming to realize how silly he looked, he’d slowed and played it cool.
I tilted my head at him. “I’m the first girl you’ve gone out with, aren’t I?”
His cheeks heated. He was cute when he blushed like that. I found myself teasing him a lot, just to get a blush out of him.
Instead of blustering (which he also did a lot), he grew solemn. “Because I had not met a lass as fine as you are.”
After a few moments, I blinked, surprised that I’d been staring into his eyes. “Um, let me show you my favorite spot.” I steered him to gaze out at the approaching storm. “Up here, there’s all this static electricity. Can you feel it?”
His expression was excited. “I can. Is it supposed to give you a high like this?” Thunder rumbled, and a laugh escaped him.
“Hmm. Maybe some of us more than others.”
A bolt of lightning flared in the distance, and he was riveted. “I’ve always fancied lightning.”
“Have you? You’re like the electrical guy from my sister’s Tarot legends.” I’d told him that Diya used to entertain me with tales of the Major Arcana. Easing him into my world—our world—I’d explained the basics of the game and most of the twenty-two players.
“The one called the Tower?” He grinned. “I thought I’d be Death for certain. Where’s me scythe?”
I shivered at the mere mention of Death.
Joules gazed out as more lightning struck. “Cally, I’ve never felt more alive than I do right now.”
“Then take a pic with me.” I pulled out my phone. When he moved in closer, I put my arm around him and hammed it up for the shot.
He murmured at my ear, “Will you blackmail me with pictures too?”
I faced him. “Of course. You’re going to have to stay with me.”
He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off my lips, so I licked them. But he didn’t move in for a kiss. He’d definitely never had one before.
I said, “So young.”
His eyes went wide. “No younger than you are!”
“Prove it. Kiss me.”
He gazed around. “Here? Tere’ll be cameras,” he said, accent thickening.
“Nobody else cares.”
Joules looked like he’d rather eat nails than kiss me here. But he let me maneuver him until I stood between him and the camera.
“Don’t you want to kiss me?”
“O’ course I want to, but it might lead to other tings, and I’m waiting till I’m wed.” He was serious! “Cally, wait with me—”
My hand dipped down, and the almighty Tower gave a whimper. I rested my palm on the front of his jeans.
His voice broke higher as he said, “Jaysus.”
When I moved my hand, his eyes rolled back in his head. A bolt struck nearby—as if from his emotions—and he groaned.
“Nobody waits anymore,” I murmured.
“I’d always p-planned to.” Another groan.
“I think you’re just throwing out excuses. Maybe you don’t want me to be your girlfriend.”
“To have you as me lass?” He tried to steady his gaze, to meet mine, as if he was about to give me a promise. “Tere’s nothing I want more! From the first second I saw you, I knew you were the one!” Though his body was shaking with need, he tugged my hand away—so he could hold it with both of his own. Gods, he was so sincere, so virtuous. “You’re to be mine?”
A traitorous thought arose: What if I am his?
No, the game made that impossible. I hesitated, then lied: “I am.”
