Page 91 of Lightning Angel
“What?”
Alexa gave her a guilty smile.
“You’re unbelievable.Really?” Daphne cocked her head and stared in disbelief. “You two haven’t kissed, haven’t been on a proper date,andyou haven’t told him about the prom dance? What have you two been doing all these days together?”
“You sound like we’re some boring old types.” Alexa hit her with the pillow again. This time Daphne grabbed it from her and hit her back. “Seriously?” Alexa grabbed another pillow, and with a devious grin, launched into a pillow fight. Just like they used to when they were kids.
Alexa’s pillow flew out of her grasp and fell to the floor. She had always been the loser. “Fine, fine, fine. I surrender!” She laughed breathlessly with raised hands and scrambled out of the bed before Daphne could attack her again. “I’ve been a little nervous to ask him, okay?”
“Nervous?” Daphne shot her a disbelieving smile, settling back comfortably on the bed. “Goodness, Alexa, whathappenedto you girl?”
Alexa shrugged, biting back a smile.Tristanhappened, that’s what.
“Don’t youwanthim to go with you?”
“Of course, I do. You know that.” Alexa placed her hands on her hips. “Why else would I be turning down every other boy who asked me?”
After getting wind of her breakup with Jude, several boys asked her out for prom last week. Alexa turned down every one of them as politely as she could, even the ones who annoyed her with the pathetic offer of helpingher make her ex jealous.
The audacity of them!
“Then what is delaying you?” Daphne asked her, running her fingers through her short, blue-streaked, icy-blonde hair exasperatedly.
“I told you I’m nervous.” Alexa bit the tip of her forefinger.
“I don’t care!” Daphne threw her arms in the air. “Becausethisis not so like you andisbecause of Tristan, so youaregoing to ask him. As in, today. No more excuses. Since he’s not a studentandis older than us, we’ll need to get permission from the school to invite him. He’ll go with you, won’t he?”
Alexa opened her mouth to respond—
“Of course I will.”
She gasped at the third voice and whirled around to see Tristan leaning against her door frame, hands in his pockets and smiling her favorite crooked grin.
“Tristan!” Her heart escalated at his sight. “What are you doing here?” Her voice came out as a squeak and she immediately composed herself from the surprise. “Never mind.”
She strode to him, and Tristan pushed himself off the doorframe to greet her. He received her into his arms. Alexa hugged him tight, breathing in his vanilla scent.
“How are you feeling?” she asked quietly, although if Daphne heard it, she’d only assume Alexa was inquiring about hisill situation.
“Much better now,” Tristan said and pulled back to look down at her, adding in an undertone, “The weather is back to normal.”
“You received the reports?”
He nodded.
Relief flooded through her veins and she gave him a squeeze. “I’m glad.”
Tristan smiled crookedly. “Me too.” He looked to where Daphne stood, and his smile turned into a welcoming one. “You must be Daphne.”
Alexa stepped back from him and made the introductions. “Daphne, this is Tristan. Tristan, this is my best friend.”
“Nice to meet you, Daphne.” Tristan nodded in acknowledgement. “Alexa has told me about you.”
“Not as much as she has told me aboutyou, I’m willing to bet.” Daphne returned the smile. “It’s nice to meet the guy who has resurrected my old Alexa, finally.”
Alexa gaped at her, feeling betrayed and flustered at the same time. She gave her a withering glare before turning to Tristan, blushing as she found him watching her with an amused but affectionate smile.
“My best friend’s got astrongsense of humor.”