Page 36 of Love to Defy You
But I really want it to pan out. I’m sure Alek wouldn’t mind going to London for the summer, and maybe he could get an internship there as well.
All I want to do is call Alek this second and propose the idea, but when I look at my phone, I hesitate. Things are still tense with Alek, and maybe now isn’t the best time to bring it up. I should at least wait to see if the internship is available before talking to him about it, in case it falls through.
Instead, I pull out my phone and text Prisha about the alpha reader opportunity. Maybe she’ll have some advice on how to go about it.
And then I start pulling up apartment listings in London. It probably won’t work out, but it’s fun to imagine the possibilities.
Autumn in Zurich is even better than I pictured. The trees throughout the city have turned a vibrant shade of orange, and in the distance, the Swiss Alps rise above the lake, capped with snowy ridges. Water pools on the asphalt streets from the drizzly weather, reflecting the gray skies until a trolley cuts through it. November brings a crisp chill over the city, and the wet leaves flatten beneath my boots as I walk along the sidewalk. After adjusting my book bag on my shoulder, I tighten my scarf around my neck.
When I enter the coffee shop next door to the apartment, the scent of roasted coffee beans gives the café an inviting aroma. Alek is already sitting at a table by the window, which overlooks the tree-lined street outside. He rests his fists under his chin as he stares outside with a distant expression, his shoulders hunched.
When I slip into the chair across from him, he startles and goes rigid.
“Hey, it’s just me.” I keep my voice gentle as I pull off my leather gloves and set them on the table.
He nods and resumes staring out the window. The dark circles under his eyes are prominent, as is the crease that seems to have found a permanent home between his eyebrows.
Something happened at the Trial of Mortality, and he’s been distracted and withdrawn ever since. He insists he’s fine, but he hasn’t been himself since he came home that night, and it’s bleeding into our relationship.
“Are you finished with classes for the day?” I ask. “You had economics this morning, right?”
He shrugs. “I didn’t go.”
Wood creaks as I sit back in my chair. “You skipped class? How come?”
Alek closes his eyes and rubs his temples. “I had a migraine.”
A server comes over to take our lunch order, and when she walks away, I reach across the table for Alek’s hand.
He gives me a thin smile.
“We need to talk.” I squeeze his hand.
He frowns. “Are you going to lecture me about skipping class? It’s introductory economics, not rocket science.”
“No, that’s not it,” I say delicately. “We need to talk about this fraternity you’re in—“
“Shh.” Alek’s eyes narrow as he glances around the café. “Not here.”
“Then where?” I ask. “When?”
“Drop it.” His biting tone leaves no room for argument, but I press on anyway.
“I’m worried about you.” I lean across the table and lower my voice. “You don’t look well.”
“I assure you, my stamina is fine.” His lips curl into a smirk. “Or have you already forgotten how I railed you last night while you screamed my name?”
Okay, notallthe aspects of our relationship are strained.
My cheeks burn hot. “Don’t change the subject.”
He leans back in his chair and pulls from my grasp. His chest rises and falls with a heavy sigh. “Look, I’m fine. Let’s just enjoy our meal and talk of other things. How’s your Shakespeare class?”
I bite the inside of my cheek and debate whether or not to let this go, but it’s clear he’s not going to open up. “It’s hard,” I admit. “I should have waited to take it until next year. I feel like I’m so far behind everyone else.”
He shrugs. “I can help you study. Which play are you working on now?”
“Richard II.“ I place my elbows on the table and rest my chin on my hands. “It’s so boring, though. I’d much rather readRomeo and Juliet.”
