Playing With Fire

CHAPTER XXI (21)

CHAPTER XXI
Solana

For the following week, I'd successfully ignored Jon's snide remarks and Presley's disapproving stares. While I didn't blame them for acting that way, I refused to let Jon control me any further. I wanted Kane to come to New York with me, and he'd have to learn to suck it up.

Amanda thankfully hadn't booked me for the weekend, and by the time I was starting to pack for the trip, I submitted two out of five of my term papers. The last three were due either the last week of November, or the first week of December, so I still had time to worry about those.

I had to learn from mom that Jon wanted to fly out on Saturday, so after talking to Kane, we booked our seats online—so he wouldn't have to endure Jon the entire flight. At one point, I asked Malik if he'd come with us, since Presley was joining Jon on the trip, but he admitted that while we were gone, he'd go to visit his grandmother in Maine.

Jon and Presley luckily explained that they'd be meeting us at the airport, so I didn't have to worry about going through security with the three of them glaring. We only saw them once we were getting ready to board the plane, and even then, I made sure to put our seats far from theirs.

When we landed though, Jon got a text from mom explaining that she sent a car for the four of us. When Kane learned of this, he acted nonchalant and smiled, but I didn't miss the tension in his back before we started walking to the baggage claim. Although, Kane didn't deter from trying to make conversation with me and ignoring Jon, which successfully irritated him.

By the time we were in the car, I'd pulled out my kindle to ignore the awkward tension. I was sitting in between Presley and Kane, with Jon sitting in the passenger seat. Instead of fidgeting or sweating profusely from nerves, Kane cracked the window, hummed and nudged me.

He nodded his head to the kindle, and I rolled my eyes before showing him my screen. The next forty minutes stuck in traffic consisted of us reading the new fantasy series I started reading, and him gently tapping my thigh when he finished the page.

Just as the black car rolled in front of the hotel, staff opened our doors and we all piled out before grabbing our things. Jon and I checked ourselves in and I breathed out in relief when the receptionist explained that we'd be on different floors.

The moment Jon got his key card, he and Presley strode to the elevator, effectively leaving me and Kane in the lobby with our suitcases in hand.

When my eyes rolled, Kane smiled and nudged his head to the elevator. "Ready?"

"Please. Whatever happens tonight, I won't be ready for," I deadpanned but still rolled my suitcase in the direction of the elevator.

He smiled at me knowingly while I pressed the arrow pointing up. "I don't believe that. You're resilient when you want to be."

"And when's then?"

"When you stick up for yourself." His expression sobered for a moment. "When you agreed to date me."

"I did that because I was pissed off," I admitted, just as the elevator doors parted. I shifted my gaze and stepped forward before twisting my back, so I'd lean against the wall. I watched Kane press the button for the seventeenth floor, before the doors slid shut. I continued once his eyes returned to mine. "That doesn't make me resilient. That makes me prideful."