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“No? What’s your favorite book?”
“I don’t know. I’d have to think about it. Probably something by Brandon Sanderson or Tolkien."
At the mention of Sanderson, my heart thuds more loudly in my ears.
“What?”
“Nothing,” I say. “I just… I’ve read those Mistborn books.”
“Oh yeah? What did you think?”
“I liked them, they were a bit… there was a lot of pushing and pulling.”
He laughs. Only someone who’d read those books would understand what I’m talking about. I guess he’s not messing with me when he says he’s a fantasy nerd.
“Anyway, I’d better get ready if I’m going on this date thing.”
“Oh yeah, I’ve probably got a text from Alice too.”
I let him use the shower first and hide out in my room, looking for my copy of Mistborn. Brandon Sanderson’s a popular author right? So it’s not weird that I know two people now who are kinda obsessed with this book.
When I find it, I sit on my bed, looking at it for a minute. I brought this book with me when I went to meet Kelsier38. I sat at a table in that stupid rom-com diner and waited for him to show for over an hour before the waitress apologetically kicked me out. I’ll never forget the look on her face, or the way she was chewing gum and sounded like my mom when she said, “sorry hon, but it doesn’t look like she’s gonna show.”
I didn’t even think about correcting her. I was already too embarrassed to handle whatever reaction she might have to finding out I was stood up by a man. I just picked my book up and left.
My phone buzzes with a text from Alice, inviting me to go skating, just as Alexei turns the shower off in the bathroom and I put the book away.
“I can’t skate you know.”
“Like not well, or not at all?”
Stones crunch under the SUV’s wheels as Alexei handles the big monster into submission.
“Not at all.”
He grins, his hands tight on the steering wheel. We borrowed this expensive-looking SUV from one of his giant teammates and I’ve been trying to connect Alexei’s phone to the speakers since we got in.
“Don’t worry Lilai, I won’t let you break anything.”
My cheeks flush at his use of my second name.
“How do you know-”
“You’re name? Dude, we live together. You know my name right?”
“Yeah, but you literally wear it on your back.”
He laughs. He looks so much calmer today. I like this new Alexei. Maybe hockey is just too stressful? Maybe he’ll be better off working in a bank after graduation?
Music comes through the speakers and his face spreads into an even more relaxed smile.
“That’s it.”
The song playing right now has a kind of RnB beat. A female singer. I can’t really catch everything she’s singing about, except something about looking better under someone.
“Who is this?”
“This is SZA, you’ve never heard this before? It’s all over the radio.”