Chapter Nine

s.

"This is sick! I've never actually been up close and personal with one of these. I want on! Can I get on?" I say excitedly, admiring the motorcycle that he said was called something along the lines of Carter or Curtis, or something.

I bounce up and down like Tigger, while clapping my hands like some kind of seal. He chuckles, grabbing my hand and helping me onto it. My eyes are wide with excitement, my hands on the bars.

"It's so much bigger than I thought it'd be. This is nothing like a Vespa!" I tell him. "No, not at all" he says with a small smile, climbing onto it behind me.

His warm body envelopes mine as he reaches forward, putting his hands on the handlebar beside mine.

"We can ride like this, if you want" he suggests, turning the bike around to face the exit of the parking lot.

"Yes. Admittedly, I was a little scared to just cling onto you on the back. This feels a lot more secure". He starts it up, the feeling of it exciting me even more. I feel his chest rumble with laughter on my back.

"Ready, sunshine?". "Sir, yes, SIR!" I say, allowing him to move my hands over to the metal part of the handlebar so that he can have a better grip. He shows me where to put my feet and then we're on our way.

We leave the parking lot slowly and he waits until we're quite far from the school grounds to show me some actual speed.

I felt safe cradled in the size of him, watching buildings and cars and people stream by in a blur. It was an out of body experience, feeling in those moments, like I was free from my life and my problems for a while.

I can't say how long we went for, wind the only sound registering in my ears, but I knew that I didn't want it to end when it was time. There was no talking between us, which I appreciated more than anything. For the time that we spent together, floating through nature, I was at peace.

***

"Finally, you're here, Selah. Why is it going around that you were sleeping with Armani Hendrix in the quad?" Kennedi asks all business-like, seated on the steps leading into the CA dorms.

I sigh, taking a seat beside her. After explaining what happened, she immediately pulls out her phone, beginning to type.

"I'm gonna write about it on the blog to clear things up. Also, we're having game night in the living room in about thirty-five minutes. We're waiting on Elliana and Saylor Brooks to get back from picking up the pizza. And Blake went to pick up the games we ordered.

I decided to wait for you and see what was going on with you and Armani. The movie night crashed and burned, by the way. Nastassia left and never came back, Peyton followed behind her after yelling at Gray for flirting with Saylor.

He got pissed off because she ruins his chances of dating anyone, so him and Damien left. It was PRETTY bad. How did YOUR day go, besides the minuscule scandal?".

"Got yelled at by the Dean, and then went on a motorcycle ride with Armani after the picnic and photo shoot. I guess it was pretty okay overall".

"It looks like you and Armani are becoming close" she says with a curious smile, lightly bumping her shoulder against mine.

"He's really cute, and sweet, but I couldn't. Not because of Nastassia at all, by the way. In fact, I think it's really gross when girls claim boys who they aren't even dating. Or, vice versa. But...I just...can't" I trail off.

A memory of him lifting me from the motorcycle by my waist and holding me against him because of my jelly legs plays in the back of my mind.

"Okay, I won't push. But, if you ever need to talk about anything, Elliana and I are really good ears. And arms, too. We love giving hugs. But now I'll change the subject. How'd the photo shoot go?".

"I didn't even check" I say, pulling out my phone before going to the gallery. She rests her head on my shoulder and we both look at the photos in awe, because they're absolutely gorgeous. The boy is talented.

"That's the one you guys got in trouble for. It's breathtaking" she whispers once I get to the last picture. "Yeah, I love it" I whisper back.

I looked happy. I remember laughing uncontrollably about something he said that if I told it now, it probably wouldn't be very funny at all.

And he got the best photo out of it with me sporting a bright smile and mirthful eyes. I never thought that I'd see anything like that in them.

I immediately send it to him with the text, worth it ;). He responds with, Yes. Ur beautiful. Going for a ride before lunch tmrw. Interested? Pls, after. I'm always in the dance gym before. That'll work. Make it a thing? I'd like that. Me too.

***

n.

I walk downstairs with Peyton after hearing the girls laughing and yelling below us, surprised to see them all in pajamas, playing Twister in the middle of the living room.

They were screaming because Selah was in a hand stand, somehow balancing while all of the girls were jumbled around her.

"And why weren't we invited to this soiree?" Peyton asks, crossing her arms and pouting. Elliana, who'd apparently lost already, gives both of us an AS IF look.

"When do you guys ever play games? You both called us CHILDISH for it since we're UPPERCLASSMEN now, remember?".

Okay, we DID say that, but it was because we thought they didn't invite us to their game night in the beginning of the year. When it turned out that we just didn't see the text, our words had already done the damage.

It was out of self defense more than anything. And now every time they have game night, we pretend like we don't want to be there. I mean seriously, conquering the world is one of my life goals, and now I have to pretend I don't like monopoly.

"We could have still been INVITED" I protest but she turns her attention away from me when everyone starts falling onto each other while trying not to break Selah's neck in the chaos of it all.

I can't help but giggle at the madness. It felt nice to not shove all of my natural human reactions into a jar, if only just for a moment. Being me, or more accurately- not being me, gets pretty exhausting.

"I can't believe I actually won that" Selah says, gracefully lowering herself onto the plastic mat. "I can. I was watching some of your dance videos last night, and you're so incredibly talented. It made me proud to be able to call you my friend" Kennedi tells her.

And for the first time since meeting Selah, she seemed bashful. "Thank you" she says softly, pulling her knees up to her chest.

Admittedly, I had also gone down a rabbit hole of Selah Stryker content as well. And I hated to say it, but she was inhumanely good at everything she did.

"So, Selah, you're an exhibitionist?" I ask, taking a seat on the coffee table that they moved to make way for the game mat.

In the beginning of the year, they allowed everyone who'd be a CA to come together and do interior design on the entire place. Obviously, I took the lead on the project, and now it's my favorite room in the dorms.

The walls are a light gray, while the couches are a tufted charcoal. The coffee table is white marble and goes perfectly with the different color grays and silvers that decorate the room. We'd even had a crystal chandelier installed to be even more extra.

"Only long enough for people to notice and get back to you that I'm sleeping with the guy you want" she retorts, pulling out her phone as it vibrates.

"I clearly told you to back off. I don't care if he was taking a picture of you or not, you shouldn't have been having a picnic with him anyway".

I mean, Rhys couldn't come soon enough. For now, I'll pretend that the people coming with him don't exist. I was less stressed because I'd be rooming with Peyton instead of some unwelcome stranger.

We were with each other most of the time, anyway. All of the girls decided to move in with each other so that we wouldn't be forced into such an awkward situation.

"You do know that if he liked you, he'd say that, right? He's pretty straight forward about his feelings, Nastassia" Kennedi says, because Selah's too engrossed in her phone to respond.

Whatever.

Arguing with her everyday was getting boring. And Kennedi was right. He wasn't interested in me at all. But I'd make him. How hard could it be?

"Sure, Ken. You know, I wouldn't HATE to play a game of Monopoly" I say, hoping they wouldn't question it too much. Elliana gives me a knowing grin. "I was just about to beg you to play that with us. We were thinking of doing teams".

"That leaves out one person, Ell" Kennedi realizes. "Oh, that's fine. I'm gonna go and hang out with the guys. Apparently, they went out and bought some Go Karts. Dean said they could ride them on the track, so I'll see you guys later" Selah informs us, getting up from her place on the floor.

"Bye" Ell and Ken chorus, probably sad that they weren't going with her. She makes her way out of the dorms as fast as possible, without another word. "She's pretty quick to ditch you guys, huh?" I tease, standing so that the coffee table could be moved back center.

"I think she just doesn't like to be a burden. She probably feels like the extra spot is always designated to her since she's the newest. You're always bothering her, and I know she seems really confident, but no one is made of diamond. I wish you'd just leave her alone" Elliana defends.

"Me too. I think she's gone through some pretty bad stuff. Whenever she's not busy talking or moving around, her eyes get really sad" Kennedi says softly.

I scoff. "You guys are so sensitive. I'm sure there can't be anything really bad going on with her. The girl's untouchable. Now come on and let's play some Monopoly. I'm sick of talking about Selah".

"Let's" Peyton says excitedly, clapping her hands. Damn, I love this girl.