Page 120 of Archenemies

He looked away, and she noticed that he didn’t hurry to agree with her. He wasn’t suspicious, was he? She couldn’t tell. Her palms started to sweat and she resisted the urge to wipe them on the shoulders of his tuxedo jacket. She had felt those muscles before, when she’d nestled her head against them moments before falling asleep. She certainly did not need to feel them again. Not tonight.

“For the record,” said Adrian, quieter now, so that she had to strain to hear him, “just in case there’s any… confusion. I really like you, Nova.”

Goose bumps erupted across her skin. He was watching her closely.

She swallowed. “I really like you too.”

It wasn’t even a lie.

Adrian seemed relieved, if not entirely surprised by her confession.

“I’m glad,” he said. “Because I know I haven’t always been super smooth when it comes to… this.” He gestured between the two of them.

She lifted an eyebrow. “No, you’re clearly a neophyte when it comes to…this.” She mimicked his gesture.

Rather than laugh, as she expected, Adrian’s small smile turned to a confused frown. “Neophyte?”

“Sorry,” said Nova, chuckling again, and wondering if it was possible for her to be any more terrible at this. “It means amateur.”

“I know what it—” Adrian caught himself, and his frown deepened further. She could see him contemplating something as he stared at her.

“What?” she asked.

Adrian shook himself. “Nothing. Just, for a second you reminded me of… someone.” He shook his head again and forced a brighter grin. “Never mind.”

“Can I cut in?” interrupted Oscar, nudging Adrian out of the way before either of them had a chance to respond.

Adrian gaped at him. “Oh… uh, sure?” he stammered.

Nova smiled and allowed Oscar to spin her away. Glancing back, she saw Adrian retreating from the dance floor.

“Before you get carried away,” she said, “just know that I will not bereeled in.”

Oscar gave her a strange look. “What?”

“That move you were doing earlier? With the… fishing pole?”

It took him another second, before comprehension dawned and he let out an uncomfortable, decidedly un-Oscar-like chuckle.

They started dancing, but the ease Oscar had shown with Ruby was replaced with jerky movements and a tense expression.

“Is everything okay?” said Nova, even as her attention strayed to the clock again.

“Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Things are great. Nice shindig, right?”

“Very nice.”

He cleared his throat and glanced around the dance floor, then tugged Nova closer to him. “Okay, be honest. How do you think I’m doing?”

She blinked. “Doing?”

“With Ruby. I’ve been trying to impress her all night but I can’t get a read on her. Do you think she’s having a good time?”

“Um… yes?” said Nova. “You both looked like you were having fun.”

“We did, didn’t we? I mean, I was. Having fun, I mean. While also feeling like at any moment I could throw up all over her shoes, which—I don’t want to do that. They’re nice shoes, you know?”

Nova didn’t know, but she smiled sympathetically anyway.

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