Page 27 of A Lab Rat's Guide to Fated Love
Vir peeled his eyes away from the book long enough to scribble something on a notepad. He absentmindedly nudged his round gold-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose, his lashes fluttering with each slip of his gaze between book and notepad.
Catching herself, Nori quickly averted her gaze. It was already the second time this week she’d caught herself staring. What was wrong with her?
She wanted to smack the stupid glasses off his face.
“Nori?”
She swore under her breath. Of course, he’d sensed the embarrassment. And how pissed it made her, too. Maybe she could tell him she was thinking about Goober again, and that time he’d pooped on her pillow right before bedtime. And how she’d found it too late.
“Can I ask you something?” Vir prompted again.
“You’re already asking,” Nori replied, not looking up from her screen. “Go on.”
“Is something bothering you?”
“No, why?”
“It’s just that I keep sensing these spikes of irritation and anger… It’s making me wonder if I’ve done something to offend you.”
He was clearly trying to keep the hurt out of his words. But it was the concern underlying them that made guilt poke at Nori’s insides. She filed her cat’s poop story away for another day.
“Sorry.” She offered him an apologetic smile. “It’s not you. I must have been over-analyzing the algorithm again.”
Vir pursed his lips and eyed her for a moment.
“Want to go for a walk?” Nori asked, relieved when he didn’t press further.
It was sunny when they stepped outside, but the winter chill hung crisp and unforgiving in the air. Nori’s arms erupted in tiny goosebumps as an icy breeze swept past her.
“Forgot my jacket.” She swung around and nearly bumped into Vir.
“I got you,” he said, before holding her jacket open for her to push her arms through.
She did and turned to face him again, realizing he still had the dumb glasses on.
“Tha—”
Vir clasped the ends of her jacket together and pulled the zipper all the way up.
“—nks.” A familiar warmth trickled down her chest and pushed a jagged lump up her throat. She hated it.
Vir’s brow quivered, his dark eyes holding her still. What did he feel from her now? And could he make sense of whatever it was? Because she couldn’t.
She tore her gaze away with some effort before she turned and marched out.
Vir’s footsteps kept pace behind her as she trudged faster up the winding road. He didn’t say a word. Or expect her to fill in the silence. It was nice with him that way. He somehow knew when she didn’t want to speak, and he didn’t push her for it. She was growing to hate that, too.
With a barely audible sigh, Nori slowed her pace, falling in step beside him. In her peripheral vision, she noticed the hint of a smile. She ignored it.
The lazy afternoon walks had become routine. And while Vir wasn’t overly chatty at home, on these walks, he liked to talk. And usually, Nori did, too. It was simultaneously strange and familiar, how he’d started feeling like a friend she’d never known she’d missed. It warmed her, and it terrified her.
And shehatedit.
Their knuckles brushed, sending a jolt of electricity through her skin, making her draw her hand back in surprise.
“Static?” Vir said, quickly thrusting both his hands into his jacket pockets.
Nori followed suit, putting some distance between them as they continued to walk for a while more, the entire time hating the fact that she wanted to do it again. And this time, maybe let her fingers weave through his. But only to confirm if it really was static.
