Page 28 of Heartstruck

Jared

I spot Alli buried in a sea of textbooks, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Even from here, I swear I can catch the faint trace of her perfume.

I lean over from behind, resting my hands on the desk around her. “You know, for someone who’s studying so hard, you look a lot like you’re trying to solve world hunger.”

She looks up, a mix of annoyance and amusement flashing across her face. “Thanks, Jared. I’ll be sure to add ‘World Hunger Solver’ to my resume.”

I chuckle, pulling out a chair and plopping down across from her. “Work hard, study hard.”

Alli rolls her eyes, but I catch the ghost of a smile on her rosy lips. “I really want to get an A on this paper, so it’s important to me to get that. I’d invite you to help me, but I feel like you have a motive as to why you’re here.”

“Guilty as charged,” I say with a mock serious expression. “I wanted to see you.”

“Uh huh,” she replies, raising an eyebrow as she leans back in her chair. “I’m sure you just happened to stroll in here with absolutely no plan at all.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Okay, you caught me. I may have heard a rumor that the library is the best place to find beautiful girls studying diligently.” I lean in closer. “What do you think? Am I right?”

She shakes her head, that gorgeous smile breaking free. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Jared. Just because you’re the star of the football team doesn’t mean I’m going to give you a free pass to my study session.”

“Come on, I’m practically a straight A student in charm.” I smirk, tossing an imaginary lock of hair. “Besides, I might have some pretty good study tips. Like how to keep your mind sharp with snacks.”

“All you think about is food,” she retorts, crossing her arms but laughing. “What is it? ‘Eat a granola bar and you’ll ace your midterms’?”

“Exactly! And my secret? Pizza is a major brain booster,” I say, stretching my legs out and resting an arm along the back of my chair. “I mean, who wouldn’t want to fuel their genius with carbs?”

You’re impossible. But I’ll admit, that’s actually pretty tempting.”

“Don’t forget Serena and Tyler are visiting tonight,” I add, hoping to sound casual, even though I know it’ll stir up unknown emotions for Alli.

“Right, I forgot that’s today.”

“Worried?”

“A little bit? I mean, I don’t think I can handle seeing Serena and keeping a straight face when I’ve been lying to her.” She shifts uncomfortably, like the thought of keeping up the lie is physically weighing her down.

Reaching across the table, I gently take her hand in mine, squeezing it lightly. “Hey,” I say, my voice gentle in hopes to reassure her. “It’ll only be for a few hours. If you’re feeling uncomfortable, we can leave whenever you want. You don’t have to go through this if it’s too much.”

Her eyes lose some of their edge, but the doubt remains. She gives an unsure nod, avoiding my gaze. “I don’t want to let Serena down, but I know she’s excited for tonight. I just… I just don’t know how to keep it together without feeling guilty.”

“We’ll figure this out together, one step at a time. But if it gets overwhelming, we leave. No questions.”

Her grip tightens on my hand, and I can feel the silent battle raging in her. But she looks up, her eyes a little more focused, like maybe my words gave her just a little bit of consolation. “Thanks, Jared.”

“Always.” I offer her a smile, squeezing her hand once more. “So, how about we finish this study session, and then you let me take you out for pizza downtown?”

“Are you asking me on a date, or are you just trying to be nice?”

“Why can’t it be both?” I bump my shoulder with hers. “But honestly, I just want an excuse to hang out with you. You’re way more fun when you’re not buried in textbooks.”

She bites her lip, looking down at her laptop, and I see the gears turning in her head. “I have to finish this paper,” she says, trying to sound firm, though her voice betrays her with a faint tremor. “But if I get through it quickly, maybe we can grab that pizza afterward.”

“Deal,” I reply, unable to hide my grin. “I’ll race you to the finish line. Loser has to pay for dinner.”

“Okay, but you better keep up. I’m determined to get this done.” She begins typing faster, her fingers flying across the keyboard.

I watch her for a moment and lick my lips. “No pressure, but just so you know, I expect a full report on the state of world hunger at dinner.”

She rolls her eyes again, but the smile doesn’t leave her face. “Yeah, sure. I’ll just whip that up while I’m at it.”