The phone is placed with the screen down, but I recognize the ringtone of the incoming call right away.
I move to grab the device. A sharp prick lands on my upper thigh. “Ow!”
“Don’t move.” Eshe scowls, pinning the fabric once more. “Or I’ll have to start over.”
I groan but comply, holding still in the center of the platform as the phone buzzes again, taunting me with the insistent sound.
“I’ll get it for you.” Before I can object, Bella picks up the phone and flips it over. Her brows lift. “Who’s Kevin?”
“No one,” I say too fast.
“Hm.” She holds out my phone with a knowing grin. “Doesn’t seem like ‘no one’ to me.”
I take the phone without meeting her eyes.
I decline Kevin’s call before typing a short message.
Sorry, I’m studying. I’ll call you later.
I hit send and then press the phone to my side.
When I look up, Bella and Eshe stare at me through the reflection.
My cheeks heat. “What?”
Bella wastes no time. “Is Kevin your friend?”
“Yes.” I keep my voice even though my blush deepens.
Eshe’s sharp gaze misses nothing. “He is aclosefriend.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because your heart rate spiked when Bella said his name,” Eshe remarks before dropping her eyes and leaning in to adjust the fabric at my waist, adding yet another blasted pin.
My denial starts to form on my lips, but it falls away after I process what she said. “Wait… you can hear my heartbeat?”
A smirk plays on Eshe’s lips as she glances back at my reflection. “Immortals have incredible hearing.”
Of course, they freaking do.
Mentally, I kick myself for not realizing it sooner.
All those times I’d huddled in the corner of my room to talk to Kevin… it was pointless.
I’m an idiot.
“Oh.” I clear my throat. “Cool…”
Eshe chuckles.
“So…” Bella’s voice fills with meaning. “You two are close?”
I take a deep breath. “Well, yeah. We’ve known each other since we were kids.”
“I see.” Her stare is unwavering. “And do you want to be more than friends?”
My stomach flips. “I… no? Why would you ask that?”