Monster in His Eyes
Page 26

Seems to me I'm already on that path, and have been since the first day I stepped into his classroom. He'd gone down the roster, doing his first and only roll call, acknowledging each of us individually. Scare tactic, Melody said… nothing more terrifying than having Satan speak your name. He'd reached my name that day and hesitated, seeking me out. The others he simply nodded at before moving on, but he'd stared at me that afternoon like with one look he knew I didn't belong there.
We make our way to the dorm, strolling along in no rush, the ten-minute trip taking double that. As soon as we make it to our room, Melody flops down on her bed, while my eyes are drawn to the room phone, the little button on it blinking red. We never use it, only ever remembering it's there when the school calls the number to leave a message. I pick up the receiver and press the button to hear the automated message.
"Please come down to the building resource center this afternoon for a pickup. Thank you."
Sighing, I hang up the phone and turn for the door. "I'll be back."
"Where are you going?"
"There's a package or something waiting downstairs."
I head right back down to the lobby, waiting my turn at the resource center window to pickup whatever was left there. As soon as it's my turn, I step up to the woman working the desk and hold my school ID out to her. "I received a message to pick up something."
She punches it into her computer. "Ah, yes, 1313."
I lean back against the wall beside the window, waiting for her to retrieve the package, when she sets a sparkling vase filled with long-stemmed roses on the counter.
"Here you go," she says, smiling sweetly. "Karissa Reed."
My eyes widen as I stare at the flowers. They're in vibrant shades of pink, three dozen of them from what I can see. I'm thinking there has to be some sort of mistake, some sort of mix-up. "Are you sure these are for me?"
"Uh, yes," she says, double-checking. "Positive."
Slowly, I reach out and take the card from where it sticks out in the center of the arrangement. I pull it out of the small envelope and open it, seeing what's undeniably male scribble.
A dozen for every night you've spent with me.
-Naz
I'm stunned. I just stare at the card for a moment before glancing back at the roses. The lady at the desk is eyeing me cautiously, like she's afraid I may pick up the vase and chuck it at her head. I mumble my thanks, grabbing the vase to leave.
It's heavier than I expect.
I carry them upstairs, dazed, just smiling politely when a girl in the elevator comments on them. When I reach the room, Melody is standing in front of her bed, holding up a familiar black sweater dress. "Hey, do you know what happened to my—?"
She doesn't finish her question, but I know what she's asking. I ruined it. Or Naz did. My cheeks flush. Oh shit.
Melody's eyes seek me out, and she tenses as she stares at the ostentatious flowers in my hand. "Shit, it's not your birthday yet, is it? Please tell me I didn't forget your birthday."
"No," I whisper, pushing stuff out of the way to make room to set them on my desk beside my bed. "Just a gift."
Melody watches me incredulously, dropping the dress onto a pile of dirty clothes, forgetting all about it. "The perk of having a Mom who owns a flower shop, huh?"
I shrug noncommittally.
I don't correct her.
I'm a terrible friend.
Her eyes drift back to the flowers on my desk, and she's quiet for a moment. I wait for her to question me more, but she doesn't, a smile lifting her lips. "Lucky bitch."
I laugh. Lucky? Maybe.
Naz certainly makes me feel that way.
Melody flops down on her bed again, cuddling up with her pillow to take a nap after a morning full of classes. I sit down with my philosophy book, hoping to get a start on my paper on happiness, wanting to impress Santino after the disaster class turned out to be.
I try to focus—I try, and try, and try—but my attention keeps drifting to the flowers. The sweet fragrance swirls in the air around me, tickling my nostrils whenever I inhale. My lips keep twitching as I fight off a grin. I feel like the truth is written all over my face, glowing like a neon sign in the flush of my cheeks.
Melody's soft snores fill the quiet room after a while. I glance over at her, making sure she's fast asleep, and contemplate for a moment before grabbing my phone.
My finger hovers over Naz's name in my contacts. I press it, my heart beating wildly as I bring it to my ear.
It rings.
And rings.
And rings.
I'm close to hanging up when the line clicks and he greets me with an exaggerated sigh. "Well hello there."
His voice is rough—grittier than usual.
"I didn't wake you, did I?"
"You did," he confirms.
"I'm so sorry," I say. "I didn't know. I got your flowers and wanted to thank you."
"Ah." I can hear him yawn through the line. "So they made it?"
"Yes." I peek across the room, making sure Melody's still asleep before I continue. "We only really spent two nights together, though."
"You're forgetting about the first night," he says. "Not surprising, though, since you were out of it."
"But we didn't..." My voice drops even lower. "...you know."
He exhales again, loudly, but this time it's not from his exhaustion. It's frustration. "I didn't send them to you for sleeping with me, Karissa. Don't degrade yourself thinking that's your worth. I sent them because I'm grateful."