He was propped up against the side of the wall messing with his phone when I caught up with him.
"Hey."
His head popped up quickly, and his incredible eyes locked with mine. Surprised, he answered, "Hey. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. I was just coming to check on you. Did you ever get any rest?"
He put his phone back in his pocket, and then his hands both went to his front pockets. "Yeah, I got some sleep, and I've fully recovered. Have you seen anyone lurking around?"
Lurking? "No." Awkward silence grew between us, but I refused to continue this weirdness. I wanted some semblance of normalcy between us again, even if I did have to force it. "Are you going to the festival?"
His smile was as forced as my casual tone. "No. I have plans. You?"
I shrugged. "I thought about it. It sounds like it would be fun. I'll probably tag along with Henry and Amelia or Jay and Ayla. I'll just be a third wheel."
He grimaced before speaking. "Sorry."
I was wishing I hadn't said that now. I wasn't fishing for an apology or an invitation. "It's fine. I don't mind."
More awkward silence gathered until I finally gave up.
"I should go to class."
Tallis nodded before I walked off, but my heart stopped when I felt his hand on mine. I eyed the contact as he spoke, trying not to tremble.
"If you run into any trouble, call me. I'll be there."
I smiled, but I was truly fighting back tears. I continued to stare at the hand that was holding onto mine. The heat spread throughout my body with such burning intensity that it almost stung. He must have felt it too, because he dropped my hand like it was radioactive.
"Thanks," I muttered in a near whisper, my breath as fragile as my heart in the moment.
Then I quickly walked away, almost running, as I shook my hand to rid it of the unwanted tingles.
"Be extremely careful. Everett, Calvin, and Chris will be there tonight to mask you. You should be fine, but stay alert. Watch after Aria, too," I heard Iris tell Jay.
I was still upstairs, but the sound seemed to carry well—better than usual.
He snickered. "We'll be fine. Henry is going to be hanging around us, too. He's picking up a date, but we should all get there about the same time. No worries." He paused for a minute and then he spoke with a hint of irritation. I heard him taking a deep breath, preparing to yell. "Ar—"
"I'm coming! Do not yell! I'm tired of cleaning up shattered bulbs."
Like the jerk he loved being, he laughed. Three bulbs in my room shattered in unison, forcing me to shriek as I dodged the fragments. I cursed him under my breath, got scolded by Iris, and then cursed him for that, too.
He was holding the front door open when I came down the stairs, and I glared at him. I understood Ash better these days. Jay was grating on my nerves.
"Well, at least you haven't had to deal with me getting really mad."
I rolled my eyes. "If you get really mad, you're cleaning up the mess."
He laughed again as we headed out. I wasn't joking.
As we got in the car, I realized something was missing—well, someone.
"Is Ayla meeting us there?"
"No, I'm picking her up at her house. She had to help her mom out with some things."
Knots suddenly formed in my stomach. Tallis. Crap. Talking to him at school was hard enough. Seeing him at his house would be excruciating torment.