CHAPTER 14
Monday morning, Knoxville woke up to frigid temperatures. Frost covered the grass across the campus. Something Kian hadn’t thought about when agreeing to his friends’ plan. His tight fitting – but way too thin – pants that hugged his ass to show it off, paired with a silky, practically see through top wouldn’t do much to keep him warm. Then again, if it worked in capturing Alec’s attention, Kian decided suffering the inconvenience of freezing to death would be worth it. At least Kavi had thought ahead and made sure to include a full length, thick coat for his ensemble.
“I can’t believe you actually get up this early every day,” Kavi grumbled as he, Jace and Lynwood worked on Kian’s hair and make-up.
Kian smiled at his best friend, who, for once, didn’t have any make-up on and his hair was sticking up in different directions. “In high school, I usually had to be up even earlier just to get all my chores done before school.”
All three friends looked at him in horror. “Chores?” Jace said in disbelief. “Before school?” His friend shook his head. “I could barely get up in time to make it to class. How did you do it?”
Like he’d a choice. Kian shrugged as he watched his friends in the mirror help him to get ready. “It wasn’t that bad. Plus, I had the advantage of being wide awake by the time school started.” It helped him to become valedictorian. His life may not have been conventional but Kian hadn’t wasted any advantage it gave him.
“Let me get one more look at you,” Kavi said as he and their friends finished.
It wasn’t until Kavi smiled and pronounced him gorgeous that Kian realized he’d been holding his breath. He released it in a whoosh before turning to the mirror.
His eyes widened at the image in front of him. His friends had performed a miracle. For the first time in Kian’s life, he actually felt gorgeous. The make-up was subtle but accentuated his features. They’d gently curled his longish hair so it fell in soft waves down past his shoulders, while wisps framed his face.
He just prayed Alec would like the change.
Tears shimmered in his eyes but Kavi warned him not to mess up their hard work by letting them fall. “Thank you,” Kian whispered as he continued to stare at his reflection in awe.
Running late, Kian rushed to the other side of campus, arriving at the door to the classroom just as class was to start. He pulled the door open and saw Alec sitting in his usual spot at the front of the room. Kian made his way to an empty seat two rows from the front, ensuring Alec wouldn’t be able to miss him.
His hands shook as he put down his bag on the floor and lifted his head to meet those emerald eyes that appeared to be drinking Kian in like a man dying of thirst. He bit back the smile that threatened to curve his lips upward when Alec’s jaw dropped as Kian slid his coat off. The heat Alec gave off as his eyes roamed up and down Kian’s body chased the chill that had been with him since he’d left the house.
The outfit was modest in today’s standards but still he definitely felt sexy. Made out of silk, the top was emerald green with a deep v-neck. Black straps tied around his neck to hold it in place. But it was the pants that hugged his ass that he took advantage of as he bent over to pull his book and notebook out before sliding into his seat.
Kian hoped Alec’s reaction meant he liked the way he looked. Unfortunately, it also had caused several other guys in class to take notice of him too. Self-conscious by the stares, he refused to show they were unsettling until the guy closest to him leaned over and whispered, “I think you accomplished your goal. Good luck.”
Grinning, he nodded his thanks to his classmate which apparently made Alec, unbeknownst to Kian, furious as he glared daggers at every guy in the room.
The lecture went on forever. Kian willed the professor to end class so he could – hopefully - talk to Alec. Kian should have known he wasn’t going to be that lucky. Once more, Alec darted out of the room as soon as the professor dismissed them. Kian was crushed. His heart felt as if someone had stomped on it.
Embarrassed for having put himself out there only to have Alec scamper away, Kian gathered his things, along with his shredded dignity, and tried to make a quick exit.
It wasn’t until he’d tugged his backpack onto his shoulder and turned to leave did he realize there were at least six guys who were gathered around him, all asking if they could walk him to his next destination.
Two of the guys offered to carry his backpack and another asked what he was doing that night. It was flattering, even if it wasn’t the man he’d hoped who asked.
He had no idea what to say, much less do when another man came up and took matters into his hands, literally. He took Kian’s book bag with one hand and held his hand with the other, tugging him out of the class.
It wasn’t until they were outside, that he said a word. “Hi, beautiful,” he said smoothly.
Flattered, Kian felt his cheeks heat up at the compliment. “Hi,” he responded nervously.
He wasn’t Alec, but the guy was still quite handsome. He was sure the guy’s blonde hair, blue eyes and dimpled smile caused many on campus to drool over him.
“I’m John,” he said, flashing Kian another smile that showed off those dimples perfectly.
If Kian wasn’t stupidly hung up on Alec, he probably would have been more nervous. “Kian.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Kian.” John gave him another heart stopping dimple that had Kian’s heart fluttering excitedly. It may be Alec he wished he was with, but he wasn’t dead.
“Where are you heading next?” John asked.
“Library.” When he placed his hand at the small of Kian’s back to lead him in the direction of the library, Kian silently berated himself for his feelings for Alec.
He should forget the aloof man. John was actually there, interested in him. Yet all he could think about was Alec.
“So Kian, what are you doing tonight?” John asked.
Hesitating, Kian knew no matter how handsome John was, he still wasn’t the one he wanted to be with. Then again, Kavi had suggested one of the options was to go out with other men. Sighing a little, Kian wasn’t certain he was the kind of person who could use someone like that.
Arriving at the library, John waited for his answer. “Actually, I have to work tonight,” he told him. It was the truth, but his shift ended at seven, leaving plenty of time to go out with John.
There was a hint of disappointment in John’s eyes as he handed his backpack to Kian outside the library. “Maybe another time,” he said before leaving Kian there feeling like a fool for not agreeing to the date.
Alec clearly wasn’t interested. If only his heart would get that message.
The rest of the day went slowly as Kian questioned his friends’ plan. Maybe they had been wrong about the way Alec looked at him – he’d never seen it. He was distracted while trying to study as well as in his next class - not even taking notes.
Work wasn’t any better. He was messing up change so often that several students made comments about going back to elementary school. It was all humiliating.
“Hey, love, how’d it go?” Kavi was standing there waiting to pay for his pizza.
Wallowing in misery, Kian hadn’t even noticed Kavi in line. “Not good,” he admitted.
Kavi frowned at his glum expression. “Don’t you get a break or something?”
After his multitude of mistakes, Kian feared he’d be fired, so he hadn’t wanted to make an issue of not getting a break yet. Thankfully, he got off in thirty minutes. “My shift is almost over.”
His best friend was standing behind him so he didn’t hold up the line. “Maybe it went better than you thought.”
There was something in Kavi’s voice that made Kian look over his shoulder at him. Kavi was looking intently at someone in the dining room. Glancing in that direction, Kian gasped. Sitting at a table, no food, no books, just sitting there staring at him was Alec.
“Hey, I’d like to eat sometime today.” Jarring Kian back to what he was doing, he turned to ring up the order of another irate student.
“What time did you say you were done?” Kavi was pinning Alec with his too-shrewd eyes, not letting him look away without appearing like a coward.
“Um, I have another thirty minutes. Why?” Knowing Alec was watching him was causing Kian’s stomach to do flip-flops. In class he often felt the same reaction.
“Just asking. Now I need to go eat before this gets cold and I think I found a table to eat at,” Kavi said with a determined gleam in his eye.
“No,” Kian said, hoping to stop him. But as usual, when it came to his bestie, Kavi did what he wanted. “Kavi, what are you going to do?” Kian called out but it was too late. Kavi was already halfway across the cafeteria zoning in on Alec.
Part of Kian wished he could sink right into the floor. A bigger part of him wanted to be the proverbial fly on the wall. Time went by so slowly, Kian wasn’t sure he would be able to make it to the end of his shift.
Every few minutes, he would look over at the table as if their body language could tell him what was being said.
After what felt like days, it was finally time to clock out. Kian removed the cash drawer and went into the back to count it. Nervous, he had to count it four times, not able to get the right numbers. Finally, he’d gotten the totals to work out and Kian rushed out into the cafeteria to find both Alec and Kavi gone.
His nerves went into overdrive as Kian practically ran back to their house. Walking in, he zoned in on Kavi, terrified of what he would say.
Kavi sat on the couch with a big smile, which didn’t help Kian’s anxiety at all. “I don’t know exactly what his problem is, yet ,” Kavi emphasized that last word. “But he wants to take you out tonight. So jump in the shower and get ready.”
Stunned, Kian just stood there looking at his friend, sure he hadn’t heard him right. Kavi had to get off the couch and push him up the stairs toward the bathroom. He even started the water when Kian still wasn’t moving fast enough. “Come on, we don’t have much time.”
Thirty minutes later, Kian was dressed in a pair off-white pants – that again hugged his ass perfectly, yet wouldn’t keep him warm at all – and a blue crop top sweater – that was more like a thin shirt than an actual sweater – but, according to Kavi, really brought out the color of his eyes. Since it was cold, they decided to leave his hair down.
Kian was in the middle of applying lip gloss when the doorbell rang. Alec. Butterflies in his stomach flapped wildly. Would this night turn out better than the other times they were together? Or would it end up in disaster too?
Kavi handed him his coat and gloves along with some last minute advice before pushing him out the door. “Carry the coat over your arm so he gets to see you. And make sure he helps you put it on. Got it?” Kavi stressed.
Nervous, Kian could hardly speak but he managed to whisper, “Thanks, Kavi.”
“Anything for you.” Kavi gave him a dazzling smile and pushed him toward the stairs. “Have fun.”
As excited as Kian was to spend time with Alec, he wasn’t sure fun was possible with all the knots forming in his stomach.