Rimmel

The library seemed a lot busier than usual and it made me slightly uncomfortable. One of the great things about a library was the peaceful, quiet atmosphere.

Yeah, it was still quiet in here (for the most part), but the air in the building was anything but peaceful.

I took up a spot in the back, the last table left, and sank into the chair. I was dressed in a pair of loose jeans, purple Converse, and a loose white T-shirt topped with a long purple cardigan that I bought two sizes too big. The sleeves were long and I pulled them over my hands as I sat there curling my fingers into the extra material.

I’d worn my hair up today.

I usually only put it up when I was in my room or at the shelter cleaning. My hair was dark and unruly. I knew if I cut some of the length off it would probably be more manageable, but then I wouldn’t have it to shield myself with.

But the way Romeo looked at me…

The other night in the shelter, I hadn’t really thought twice about pulling up my hair. It was wet, heavy, and on my nerves. I guess thinking back now, it was a little startling that I didn’t think about being in the same room with him and how pulling my hair up might leave me feeling exposed.

Maybe I would have thought that if he hadn’t looked at me that way. But he did. The change in his eyes was definite. The blue was as amazing as always, the kind of blue that you didn’t often see. It darkened as his gaze fastened on my face and didn’t let go.

Usually, I would have ducked my head, but I couldn’t. I felt like he was seeing me, like the real me. And I felt like maybe he liked it.

He called me beautiful.

The only person that ever called me beautiful was my father. Except for several years ago… but I wouldn’t think about that.

So when I got dressed today, I pulled it up into a messy-looking topknot. As I’d gone through the day, a couple strands had fallen out against my neck and one occasionally brushed my cheek, but I didn’t fuss with it.

Ivy had been surprised. I could tell by the way her eyes widened when I walked past to grab my sweater. She even told me it looked nice, almost trendy.

Earlier this morning, I passed by Romeo’s friend, the one from the other day. He did a double take, then lifted his hand in a wave. “Looking good today, tutor girl!” he shouted.

People turned to stare.

I almost rushed in the bathroom and pulled my hair down. But I didn’t. Maybe it was time I stopped hiding all the time. I was almost nineteen. I wasn’t a kid. I knew how to handle people and certain situations. I shouldn’t let the past define me anymore.

But some habits were hard to break.

A couple girls walked by where I was sitting and started whispering and rushed away. Odd. I looked around and something became clear.

These people weren’t here to study.

They were here because he was coming. Romeo.

Way more than half of the people in here were girls. They were all dressed to impress and some were fussing with their hair and lip-gloss.

I remembered a recent Buzz that came through the Alpha App. Something about Romeo being at the library and how the library was getting busier. Well. That notification just increased the traffic.

I also saw the Buzz about the mystery girl in his Hellcat. It wasn’t a mystery, though. It was me. I wondered what all these girls would say if they knew that.

Were they here because they were curious and hoped to see some girl on his arm? Or were they hoping to come here to draw his attention and be that girl?

Right next to me someone cleared their throat.

I jumped about a mile out of my seat and threw my arms out in surprise. The arm where the person was standing smacked into their middle, and I heard an oomph.

“I’m sorry,” I rushed out. “You startled me.”

“What the hell?” the girl snapped, and I turned all the way around to stare up at her. She had icy blue eyes, long honey-colored hair, and a full face of flawless makeup. She was rubbing her palm over her middle where I smacked her.

“You shouldn’t sneak up on people,” I said.

An incredulous look crossed her features. “I wasn’t sneaking.”

“Well, I didn’t hear you.” I pointed out.

She dropped her hand from her belly and regarded me with a scrutinizing gaze. I saw the way her lips sneered at my makeup-free face, my glasses, and my unfashionable outfit. And then her gaze shifted, almost like she had sized me up and decided I wasn’t anything for her to worry about.

It kinda pissed me off.

“Are you Romeo’s tutor?” she asked.

I should have known this was about him.

“Yes.”

“Well, where is he?” She perched a hand upon her hip.

Did she think I was his keeper? “I assume he’s on his way.”

“Well, when he gets here, you should go.” She glanced behind me, and I knew her friends were probably nearby listening.

“And why is that?”

“Because he’s going to be busy with me.”

“He’s coming here to study.” I pointed out. This girl was irritating.

Her eyes narrowed and her mouth thinned. “You don’t have a chance in hell with him.”

“I never said I wanted one,” I shot back. Was this girl actually implying I was here for something other than tutoring? I was here because I had to be, not because I chose this and certainly not because I wanted Romeo.

“Listen here, nerd,” she said, towering over me, using the fact that I was sitting to try and intimidate me. It was sort of working, but I didn’t want to show it. “He’d never go for a girl like you.”

“Sorry, I’m late again,” Romeo said as he walked toward the table. I turned and looked at him, but he didn’t look at me. He was looking at the girl.

Had he heard what we were saying? God, I hoped not.

“Romeo…” The girl’s voice was dripping with honey. “Are you here to study? I am too. Maybe we could do it together.”

Her friends had come closer to the table now. Everyone was looking at him, hanging on his every word, even the ones he had yet to see.

He glanced at the few girls just off to his side and gave them a charming smile. They all practically melted into a puddle. Then he turned back. “Sorry. Can’t. Coach’s orders.”

I felt my shoulders relax a little. For a moment, I thought he might ditch me to go with these girls. The idea of that really shouldn’t have bothered me, but it did.

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” she giggled.

I rolled my eyes.

She saw my reaction and glared at me. I could see something mean forming on the tip of her tongue. Romeo slid right between us, putting his back toward the girl and blocking her from my view. “It’s really crowded in here tonight,” he said, looking at me.

I nodded.

“Wanna go somewhere else to study?”

I couldn’t see the girl behind him, but I sure heard her sharp intake of breath. A little bit of bitchy came out inside me and I smiled. “Yeah, that’d be great.”

He waited for me to gather my stuff and then moved back to let me stand. When I was ready to go, he turned toward the girl behind him and smiled. “Later.”

She mumbled something I didn’t hear as Romeo draped his arm across my shoulders and steered me to the door. About every eye in the entire library stopped to stare at us. My face felt like it was on fire because it burned so badly from embarrassment.

Romeo didn’t seem to care or even notice we were getting more stares than a man dressed in drag. He didn’t even seem uncomfortable to be seen with me. When he released me to open the door and motioned for me to go, I practically ran outside.

The Hellcat was parked just a few feet away, but my steps faltered. Did he really want to go somewhere else to study? Or had he only said that because he was trying to help me out with those girls?

He didn’t notice my floundering, but when he got to his car, he noticed I wasn’t following behind. “Come on,” he said, motioning with his head as he slid into the driver’s seat and the engine growled to life.

Go, a voice inside me said.

I listened to it.