Chapter 30

Standing just inside the restroom door, Jake looked up at me with an expression I could only describe as perplexed. My lips parted, but no words came out.

Embarrassment wasn't the only reason for my silence. It was the sight of Jake. He looked utterly amazing in dark jeans and a thin dark T-shirt. The cotton fabric clung to the lines of his lean, muscular physique, making me almost forget where I was or what I was doing.

Under any normal circumstance, I would have stopped to watch him. But this situation was anything but normal. If I were still a kid, I swear, I'd have closed my eyes and pretended to be invisible.

But I wasn't a kid, and I refused to look away. Our gazes locked. His dark gaze probed mine with a look so penetrating, I swear, it pierced my soul.

The silence stretched out until one corner of Jake's mouth turned upward. "How's it going?" he said.

"Uh, good." I snuck a quick glance over my shoulder, toward the half-open window. If I crawled out now, was there any chance he'd forget this had ever happened?

I studied his face. Nope. I was making an impression alright. It just wasn't the one I'd been going for.

My feet were still touching the ladder's upper rung, but it was the metal window frame that held most of my weight. The frame dug into my hips, and I wriggled forward just a fraction, hoping to ease some of the pressure.

I glanced at Jake. Shouldn’t he be helping or something?

I envisioned him rushing forward, easing me out of the window and gathering me into his strong arms. He'd kiss my forehead, tenderly at first. And then, his lips would trail downward until they met mine in a long, loving kiss.

That's all it would take. He'd realize that I was finally all grown up. Nothing else would matter – not our age differences, not the fact my sister had warned me to stay away from him, and certainly not the fact that a hundred other girls would kill to take my place.

I gave him a pleading look.

Any minute now.

He didn't move.

A sigh of frustration escaped my lips. "Wanna help me down?" I asked.

The question had barely died on my lips when the door behind Jake started to swing open. My heart jumped, and my body tensed. With barely half a glance, Jake rammed his foot backward, slamming the door shut with a loud thud.

"Hey!" a guy yelled from the other side. "What the hell?"

"Out of order," Jake said.

"But I've gotta go. C'mon!"

"Then use the girl's room," Jake said.

"No way!" the guy said. "There's girls in there."

"Yeah? So deal with it," Jake said.

When the door started to swing inward again, Jake turned around. He opened the door just a crack and stared out at whoever was on the other side. After a long moment, I heard the same guy's voice again. "Uh, I'll come back in a few. Sorry, man."

Wordlessly, Jake slammed the door shut yet again. Slowly, he turned to face me. His face had lost any trace of good-humor. "Time for you to go," he said.

I stared down at him. "What?" I said. "No way. I'm not going anywhere."

Silently, he looked up at me, his expression stony.

The ridiculousness of my statement slowly caught up with me. I cleared my throat. "Well, I'm not staying here in the window. Obviously. I mean I'm coming inside. You know." My voice cracked. "With you."

Something about his demeanor was making me feel younger by the minute. I didn't like it. I wasn't a kid anymore. Why couldn't he see that?

His gaze dipped briefly to my tank-top before returning to my face. "You know what kind of people hang out in this place?" he said.

"Uh, well, you hang out here so—"

"Yeah," Jake said. "And guys like me."

I stuck out my chin. "There's girls too." That stupid window frame was killing my hips. I wriggled forward another fraction and gave him another pleading look.

Jake's jaw tightened. He looked away. "Get out," he said.

"What?"

"And don't come back."

"But—"

From somewhere near my feet, I heard Lizzie's voice call out, "Hey, Luna! Why'd you stop?"

I stifled a groan. She was supposed to be long-gone by now. I reached back and gave her a small shooing motion.

Either she didn't see it, or she totally misunderstood, because the next thing I knew, she was calling out in a loud sing-song voice. "Go on, lovergirl. Don't keep Jakeepoo waiting."

My face burst into flames, and I started to sweat. A trickle of perspiration inched down my back. Below me, the ladder started to shake. Oh crap. Was she seriously climbing up after me?

Soon, I heard Lizzie's voice, closer now. "Nice thong," she said, "Do you know, I can totally see your ass?"

"So?" I turned my head and gritted out over my shoulder. "Then don't look."

"Why?" she said in that same teasing tone. "Worried Jakeepoo will get jealous?"

I turned around as far as I dared. "Seriously," I hissed, "shut up!" I returned my attention to Jake, who was eyeing me with that same stony expression. "She's just kidding," I told him.

Almost losing my balance, I turned again to call over my shoulder. "Seriously Lizzie. Just go away. Okay?"

From inside the restroom, Jake spoke. "You too," he said.

I turned to stare at him. "Huh?"

Behind him, the door started to swing inward again. With the sole of one foot, Jake kicked it backward, slamming it against the door-jamb.

"What the fuck?" a male voice yelled.  I recognized the voice. It belonged to one of Jake's friends – a guy called Loke, short, apparently for Loco, if any of the stories were true.

"It's out of service," Jake said.

"Jake, you fucker," the guy said. "Let me in."

"In a minute," Jake said.

"I don't got a minute," Loke yelled. "I've got a new meat-sleeve waiting." He laughed long and hard. "Drunk off her ass too. Ten bucks she goes ass-to-mouth."

I felt my brow wrinkle. What did that mean?

Jake turned his gaze on me. "Get out," he told me.

"But—"

His muscles tensed, and his voice grew harder. "And don't come back."

I blinked hard, embarrassed to realize my eyes were tearing up. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to think of something to say.

I heard a couple of loud knocks, followed by Jake's voice. "What's the matter with you?"

I glanced up, expecting him to be looking at the door. But he wasn't. He was looking at me.

I bit my lip, choking off a sob before it escaped. Desperate to leave before I totally lost it, I started scrambling backward.

"Watch it!" Lizzie called from below. "You almost kicked me."

"Then move it!" I yelled.

Soon, the ladder shook with her movements. My feet found the next-lowest ladder rung, and then the one right below. I stopped. My head remained the only thing inside the building. I raised it to give Jake one last look.

He stood, with his arms crossed and his back against the door. He wasn't even looking at me. He was looking down at his shoes. He was shaking his head.

I waited.

He still didn't look.

So I found the next ladder-rung and kept on going.

After that, I was never welcome anywhere near him or his friends. For a while, I hated him. He'd been the guy of my dreams, and he'd made me feel young and stupid, just when I'd been ready to become a woman.

And I never did get that dance.