The Elusive Heart of Nova Hart ✔

33// no means no

For RoseKyle1 because of all the love you've shown this story <3

NO MEANS NO

    Nova smiled at Graham's response, hoping that he didn't misinterpret her offer to help. She really, really hoped he wasn't one of those guys whose minds only ran on one track.

    "So..." He trailed off awkwardly, "you wanna leave now?"

    Nova shrugged. "Sure, I've got nothing else on my party to-do list."

    He cracked a smile at that and any uneasiness between them vaporised into thin air.

    "Alright then," he set the red cup down on a shelf nearby, "lead the way, Hart."

    Nova shook her head with a tiny smile and turned around. She'd only taken a few steps forward when her chest bumped with Jasper's and then the smile completely dropped from her face.

    "THERE THEY ARE!" A female voice Nova didn't recognise yelled and then few people around them hollered and began cheering.

    What the hell was going on? Nova looked around in a clueless manner.

    "YOU'RE IT! YOU'RE IT!" Somebody else was chanting. "THE THIRD MISTLETOE!"

    Oh hell no.

    Nova looked up with dread, the action taking way too much effort than it should. And when her head tipped back fully and her eyes landed on the sprig of white hanging above hers and Jasper's head, she wanted to throw up.

    "No," she shook her head vehemently as her head lowered and she met Jasper's cold eyes, "no way, buddy. It ain't happening."

     The crowd that had gathered around them booed.

    "Shut up!" Nova snarled at them but it was only met by a collective groan and disgruntled comments.

    Jasper was thoroughly enjoying her discomfort, if the infuriating smirk on his face was any indication.

    "Come on, Nova," he drawled, the look in his eyes rubbing her the wrong way. "Its just a kiss. I'm not asking you to sleep with me; don't be a drama queen and make a huge deal out of nothing now."

    "Its not nothing, you obnoxious pig," she seethed, "I don't want this. So move."

    Jasper's eyes narrowed into slits, the fury at being publicly rejected showing now. "Right, I forgot, only those who send you secretive notes like cowards are worthy of your time."

    "Dude, come on," Graham was speaking now, his tone bored but there was a certain undercurrent that Nova couldn't pick up on. "She said no. No's a no, yeah? Take it like a man, alright?"

    Jasper's lips curled into a sneer as his eyes stayed fixed on Nova but his words were directed at Graham. "What'd she do for you, Miller? Was she that good a lay?"

    Nova's ears and neck burned with the mortification of his implication, aware that people were going to believe what they wanted to believe and this kind of scandal was exactly what they were waiting for. Any excuse to point fingers and look down their noses at her.

    "I'm sorry if that's what you need to do to get people to stand up for you, Jasper," Graham said sincerely, but Nova noticed a certain glint of anger in his eyes that she'd never seen before. "It must honestly suck that the only thing you've got going for you is your pull-out game in bed... Or is that not working anymore either?"

     It took everything in Nova not to burst into laughter as she saw a vein twitch in Jasper's temple, his face going almost purple with barely contained anger.

    Nova didn't protest when Graham's hand wrapped around hers and he began walking away, pulling her along with him.

    "That." Nova breathed out once they'd left the house and were walking towards her car, "Was. Priceless!"

    Graham chuckled and shook his head muttering a "yeah, yeah" as he dropped her hand and tucked both of his into his pockets.

    And for the first time, Nova watched him — really watched him — as they walked together.

    She took in the lean, tall frame that walked confidently under the black starless sky; she took in the way the lamppost cast an ethereal glow to his finely sculpted face and that jawline that could cut through steel; and then she took in his eyes.

    Those green, green eyes. The kind of green poets would sell their souls to be able to describe.

    There was a ping from her phone, but for once all Nova could do was notice Graham Miller.

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i wanted to update much later but honestly, you guys give the best freaking feedback and i couldn't restrain the excitement to share yet another part of this story with you ❤❤