Page 36 of Hard Count
If Nash is involved, I have a feeling I’ll be game for anything.
13
NASH
“No judging,” I say, holding open the door to the comic book store for Drew.
“I would never.” She pretends to be insulted. “Believe it or not I’m actually very interested in your guilty pleasure. I want to know what you do when you’re behind closed doors and aren’t being watched.” Her eyes move around the small store, soaking in all the details.
I like the idea of her being in my personal space and getting to know me better. There are too many people who are only interested in being friends because of my status on campus or what my future holds. I don’t keep my interest in manga private because I’m embarrassed. It’s private because no one has bothered to take the time to ask.
Her fingers graze over a large cut out of Captain America the owner has set up in the corner of the store. Is it weird I’m jealous of a piece of cardboard? No different than being jealous of a couple of teenagers checking her out. She’s right. They were harmless but it didn’t stop me from staking my claim.
“When did you start reading comic books?” She selects a random comic off an end cap and flips through it.
“I don’t read comics. I readmanga.”
“I stand corrected,” she says, her lip curling in a smile.
“They’re different. Come on. I’ll show you.” I slip my hand in hers and take her to the right side of the store where they have all of the manga on display. “I started reading them when I was around seven or eight.”
“Which character were you for Halloween?” she asks. “Or were you something more original like a football player?”
“Funny.” I bump my shoulder against hers. “I was a baseball player, this guy here.” I point to a poster of Tobi from Naruto on the wall. “I was also a football player for one year. What about you? Let me guess you were a coach.”
“At least once. I was also a cowgirl, a princess, and a baby lobster. Those were not by choice. Obviously.”
“Obviously. My mom was really into dressing me and my sister in coordinating outfits. When we were little she would do themed costumes. The first one I remember Sydney must have been six I think. She was a beekeeper and I was a baby bumble bee.”
“Please tell me there are pictures.” She grabs my bicep with both hands.
“I’m sure I could find you something if it would make you happy.”
“Immensely.” She beams a smile at me so big it seals my fate. I would show her whatever childhood photo I could find to see her smile like that at me again.
“How many of these do you have?” She taps my forearm, breaking me out of my trance. “Nash? Everything okay?”
“Huh? Sorry. What was your question?” I ask. She smiles again knowing she caught me staring.
“I wanted to know how many of these you had in your collection.” She wiggles her eyebrows, making me laugh.
“Oh. Not too many. There’s more that I want to buy than I actually own. What about you? Any guilty pleasures you have hiding in your closet?”
She spins around to the table behind us. It’s loaded down with boxes of manga divided up by series. She flips through them one at a time and eventually pulls one out that interests her and turns through the pages.
“You read them right to left. Start on the last page,” I explain, ignoring her diversion tactic. What is she hiding from me? “What did you do for fun when you lived in Florida?”
“Not much really. I went to classes and work. Watched a lot of football games. Same as here.” She shrugs.
“You flirted with the starting quarterback at your old school by insulting him too? I thought I was special.” I pout.
“I was not flirting with you.” She punches my arm.
“I think you were, little fox. It worked. You got my attention. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since.” I tuck a few strands of hair behind her ear as a blush works its way up her neck.
“Little fox?” she questions.
“It suits you. You’re smart and calculating—in a good way—like theKitsune.” I search the long table display for oneof my favorite magazines with a Kitsune character. “Here.” I pass her the first one in the series.
