I blink at her. “What?”
She straightens up and folds her arms slowly across her chest, her eyes narrowing with interest. “You said you would check her out,” she says. “After you got done being super awkward about different kinds of romances, you said you’d ‘check her out.’I’ll check her out.That’s what you said.”
I shift uncomfortably and snort. “I said I’d checkthemout.Them. Not her.”
“No,” India says as a smile creeps over her lips, a sly expression I don’t at all care for. “I’m very certain you saidher. So what’s that little Freudian slip about, hmm?” She takes a step toward me as her head tilts. “Who are you checking out, Caine? It wouldn’t be your best friend’s sister, would it?”
My denial seems to be stuck in my throat, lodged in there along with my heart as it thunders against my Adam’s apple.
“Only sometimes,” I find myself saying, the words hoarse.
Time stops as the admission leaves my mouth—it’s just the two of us in the entire world, staring at each other, both of us surprised by what I’ve just said.
India recovers first. “Mmm,” she hums, stepping closer still, her eyes dancing—with humor, yes, but also with something sharper, more aware.
A siren begins to blare in my brain, accompanied by a flashing red light—Warning! Warning!—and yet my feet are rooted to the spot, my body somehow frozen and burning at the same time.
“What are you doing?” I croak as India stares up at me.Be cool!I scream at myself, but I am not cool. I am sweating in places I don’t normally sweat, and I have no idea why.
“Only sometimes?” she says instead of answering.
“Only sometimes,” I confirm, and I’m pleased to find that although my voice is still hoarse, I at least sound more steady now.
“I thought you said I wasn’t your type,” she says softly.
Hmm. I did say that. It was mostly true. I clear my throat and then speak. “You’re not. When I look at you, it’s only as an objective admirer of beauty.” I let my gaze flit over her briefly. “You look good in white. Your hair is pretty. That kind of thing.” I cringe internally as the words leave my mouth, because they make me sound like a middle school kid writing his first Valentine’s Day card.
“Don’t flirt with me, Felicia,” she says with a snort, but her gaze is serious as she goes on, “I don’t want to fall for you again. Got it?”
My brain stills as she steps back.
“Again?” I say.
“Let’s get on with it,” she says briskly. She nods to the camera around my neck. “Do you need to take pictures? Go ask Jess if you’re allowed. I’m going to wait outside.” She swallows and addresses a spot somewhere over my left shoulder. “It’s kind of warm in here.”
INDIA
Me
HELP I think I just told Felix I used to like him
Aurora Borealis
What do you mean, you THINK you told him?
And why would you ever tell him that?
Me
The words I used are all a little fuzzy
Dancing Queen Jules
Ooh, this is exciting!!! What did he say???
Me
Uncertain. I blacked out.
