Page 18 of Anything (Mayberry University #1)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Can I ask you something?” I ask.

Levi chuckles. “You don’t normally ask permission.” He motions for me to go ahead.

“Why do you get weird when people act like you don’t understand what they’re saying? You’re clearly extremely intelligent. Why the insecurity?”

He gapes.

“Sorry, I?—”

“What do you mean I get weird?”

“You kind of … fuss at them.” I hesitate, tucking my hair behind my ear. “With a face. A ‘don’t mess with me’ face.”

He lets out a breath. “For my father, our academic success was not optional. He wanted us to get into Yale by merit, to hold our own in his intellectual circles, like it was proof that our family was perfect, flawless.” He shakes his head.

“Maybe I’m still touchy about it. I sure liked your compliment though,” he jokes.

Quieter, “You really are one of a kind, Kit.”

So much humility and authenticity. “Sorry, that was invasive. You’re not mad?”

He pivots to effortlessly walk backward. “No, and I’ll prove it. Ask me another personal question.” His cheek twitches, like he’s bracing himself.

I laugh. “Fred Astaire wants his moves back.”

“Veronica Mars wants her interrogation skills back.”

“V Mars! My brothers and I love her.” I suppress the impulse to push him as he walks in front of me. “Okay, since you offered … are you still all cagey with your friends? Your other friends, I mean.”

His eyes flicker with guilt and amusement. “Usually. I prefer to think of it as being a good listener.”

“You are an excellent listener.”

The sidewalk veers and I point him the right direction. He doesn’t miss a step.

“Any more questions for me? It’s only fair.” If I didn’t know better, I’d think I was flirting with Off-Limits Guy. But my grin falls as I spot the door to Common Grounds—the one I went barreling through at our disastrous study date. A sharp reminder of the lunacy of this thing with him.

I turn back to his smile radiating into eye creases. Forget the door.

“I do have a question,” he says. “Why don’t you like hearing that you’re beautiful?”

My mouth drops open, then snaps shut. I avoid his gaze—tricky when he’s right in front of me—but his honesty makes me want to be brave. “It’s sort of a recent thing. I was extra regular-looking until senior year, and now … well, now I look different, and it hasn’t been a good thing.”

“It’s not a good thing to be alarmingly gorgeous?”

I want that compliment to feel like one, but it sits in my stomach like a rock.

“No. It’s probably different as a dude—” I glance up, and he smirks.

Great. “But for me, no. Girls haven’t been very nice about it.

And the attention…” Especially the bad kind.

“I’d go back to regular Kit in a heartbeat. ”

We arrive at my building, and he pauses by the bench. “It would be impossible not to notice you’re breathtaking, but that’s not why I want to know you better. It’s certainly not the only reason at least.”

I don’t know if I believe him. Or if it even matters.

“You’re special, Kit, like no one else. The time I get talking to you—it’s never enough.”

Smart-Athlete-Vulnerable-Jesus-loving Levi is saying that to me? No, no, no. This is exactly what I was afraid of.

Help!

The bench taunts that she’s going to run inside any second and let the heavy door slam behind her. Wide, scared eyes stare back at me, and my smile drops. I told her too much about how I feel about her—entirely too soon. Amateur move.

I pull my hand from my pocket and take a step closer. How do I soothe her nerves?

“Thanks, well, good chat, good game, byeee!” She dashes to the door to badge in and fixates on the pad on the wall, practically begging it to beep and unlock the door. She waves her ID in front, moving too much for it to register.

I shake my head, soaking in the extra five seconds with her.

Even as she tilts forward, waiting so impatiently to escape my presence, her gorgeous brown hair falls around her shoulders, catching the light of the building.

She’s biting her lip again. Those perfect hips sway as she moves her weight from leg to leg.

I wish I could wrap an arm around her back and hold her hand to sway with her right there, no music required.

There the door goes, and she disappears through it.

A beautiful girl who doesn’t like being beautiful.

She’s fascinating. And funny and real and kind and brilliant.

She loves Jesus so authentically, so wholly.

I’m trying to play it cool, take it slow, be patient as she comes around to the idea of dating me.

To think just three days ago I almost blew it.

Thank you for a second chance. Make me like you, Jesus.

“What are you doing, Tiguere ?” Mia’s voice.

I resist the urge to snap my head around. Caught staring at the door like an idiot.

“Oh, hey.” My best imitation of nonchalance. “See you two tomorrow.” I start across the field.

Sophie starts singing “You Got It Bad.”

Touché.