Page 72 of I Don't Need Your Romance

He beams and sits up. “I was thinking we could go to a party on Friday?”

“Okay, whose?”

“Isn’t someone from your school throwing one? Believe me, you don’t want to go to a party thrown by kids from my school.”

“If you say so. Sure, we can go to a party. Someone from my school always has one.”

“Cool. Sounds like fun. I’m actually very excited to go to the party with you. To do anything with you, really.” He frowns as he looks around. “Do you want to get out of here and go somewhere else? Maybe we can go for a drive?”

“Okay. This arcade is way too noisy.”

“Yeah.”

We leave the place and get in his car. He doesn’t put on music because he doesn’t want it to distract us from our conversation.

We talk more about books until it gets late and he unfortunately has to drive me home. Before I get out of the car, he wraps his arms around me. “Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”

“Me, either.”

As I’m in his arms, it dawns on me that my stomach doesn’t have butterflies and I’m not tingling like I did before. And definitely no spark. Not like with Damian, when just a touch of his skin made me…

I push that aside. That’s not important. Axel and my feelings for him are.

He presses a kiss on my cheek, and I expect something to happen to my body. Like the girls in my books. They all swoon and their hearts go into overdrive and they feel like they’re on top of the world. But none of that happens.

“What?” he asks.

“Nothing. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you.”

It’s fine, I tell myself as I get out of the car and head toward the girls’ dorm. My body is confused because of Damian, that’s all. His brooding eyes and kind smile make my heart act in a way it shouldn’t. But things will make sense soon.

Axel is Mr. Real Romance. The guy I’ve been searching for. I know it deep in my heart and nothing will change that.

Later, when he texts me, I forget all about Damian and my confusing feelings. Axel makes me laugh and feel good and he’s just…perfect. Oh my gosh, I can’t believe this is happening to me. Just a few weeks ago, I wanted to fall for someone. Okay, maybe I’m not falling yet, but it’s definitely getting close. And when we hang out at the party, everything will be perfect.

***

The next afternoon, I’m trying not to rush through my lesson with Damian, but I can’t help it. Axel keeps texting me every so often and I know it’s distracting. That’s why I want to finish. And because I can’t wait to go to the party with him tonight. My first party with a sort-of boyfriend. It’ll be amazing.

Damian glances at my phone after it buzzes on the table with another text. Then he lifts a brow at me. “So you guys are getting pretty serious.”

“I mean, I don’t know. We’ve only been on two dates, but we’ve been texting and video chatting all day.”

His eyes narrow. “What do you even know about him?”

“A lot. He told me about his family. He’s an only child. His favorite food is…” My eyebrows furrow. “Why am I telling you this?”

“I never asked for that information.”

“The point is, I know him well. Why are you being all weird?”

He shakes his head. “I’m not being weird. Just making sure you’re not jumping into something too deeply, that’s all.”

“Thanks for your concern, but I’m okay. I really like this guy and he likes me. What else is there?”

“You’re right. It’s not my business.”