Luke slid his arm around the back of my chair and nodded toward Kai. "You two know each other?"
"Kind of." There was no need to turn and see the contempt on Kai's face.
Luke's eyes narrowed. "He's into you."
"No." I shook my head even as shivers ran...
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Apparently my classmates were obsessed with my ability to get a bloody nose. It was as if it somehow transformed me back into a human.
"Great game, Bailey!" Renee high-fived me and sat next to me in Spanish.
"Way to beat those Bobcats, Tucker," someone yelled down the corridor.
"Did you really play with blood running down your face?" That I was asked several times. Nobody even made fun of my black-and-blue nose.
Outcast one day, hero the next. I kind of liked it better when they ignored me. Who knew how long it'd last. I didn't even care.
All I could think of was Kai and Sage melting into each other. I couldn't believe - refused to believe - they were actually getting married. Although they'd make beautiful Ute babies and ensure the continuation of the tribe, I felt like throwing myself off a cliff.
When I walked out of school into the slushy parking lot, Luke was leaning against his Challenger. I stopped mid-step. Was he going to be angry, or apologetic? Could go either way. He slowly walked up to me. I covered my nose with my hand.
He drew my hand away. "Bay." Then he pulled me against him and spoke into my hair. "When I heard a basketball player got it in the nose, I just knew it was you."
But did he know why?
I tentatively relaxed against his chest. He felt wonderful, like acceptance and warmth. I realized in that moment that I loved him. A soft, cozy love. He had no issues with my visions. Had no tribal constraints. He'd dropped all his other girls for me, and cared about me no matter what.
"So," he whispered. "Kai's girlfriend can kick butt, too?"
I sucked in my breath and tried to back away. "What?"
"Word travels fast."
Doesn't it, though?
Luke held my hands. "I'm going to prove I'm the better man."
"I already know you are," I said. And I meant it.
"Is that because he has a girlfriend?"
I shook my head. "When we're apart, it's like part of me is missing." That was the truth. Luke left a void.
"So." He tilted his cute head. "Will you go to the Christmas dance with me?"
I gestured toward my face. "Looking like this?"
"Hey, we'll match." He pointed to his purple nose and lip. "Maybe I'll take some private lessons from Sifu, too."
"Kai takes private lessons?" It hurt to say his name.
Luke nodded. "Never saw him work out, but apparently he's got some skills."
All along I'd been worried that Luke would kick Kai's butt. I blinked away Kai's memory and reached toward Luke's purple nose. "Does it hurt?"
