Chapter 40

The walk back is odd. We’re walking apart, my arms across my body as I feel like being by myself and not having contact. I’m tired and emotional and edgy. He’s trying to make idle chit-chat, intent on keeping us talking about any topic he comes up with, and I am responding, but I am fully aware of his constant fixed gaze on my profile as we walk, and it’s starting to make me nervy. I can’t relax with how he seems honed into my every movement and mannerism.

“You can stop staring at me for, like, maybe five minutes.” I point out and smile when his eyebrows dip in that cute way he has. He looks away for a minute and then back again.

“You noticed, huh?” He acts coyly and shrugs my way. Not him at all, he’s always been super confident in every way, and this seems weird.

“Just a little, you know… penetrating gaze latched onto my skull.” I giggle at him, even more so with how sheepish he’s become since I pointed it out, and let go of the tension a little.

“I can’t h