feel that same need to win overpowering every other sense right now.
“What I would give to get inside that pretty head of yours,” a sweet voice says in the darkness. I jump, but relax when Bo’s smiling face comes into focus. She joins me on the small white porch swing set up in the back courtyard of our house and I return her smile.
“Trust me, you don’t want to know everything going on in my head right now.”
“Actually, I do. And I’m not the only one.” Her brows pull together. “Everyone is talking about you, you know. The way you’re always dodging events, the weird makeup, the late nights.” She shrugs. “Some of us are worried.”
The way she says that last part does something to my stomach that I know isn’t good. Bo is stunning, and more than that – she’s unique. Not just with her petite stature and exotic features, but with her sharp tongue and gentle heart, too.
“You guys don’t need to worry about me.”
“Well,” she says, chewing her cheek. “Maybe if you tell me what you’re up to, I can help ease the tension in the group.”
Her dark brown eyes are almost black in the low lighting of the courtyard. With her hair pulled over one shoulder and her kind smile, she radiates beauty in the simplest way imaginable.
“I can’t tell you, Bo. I can’t tell anyone.”
Bo frowns. “Are you in trouble?”
“No,” I answer honestly. “Promise.”
“Tell me anything,” she tries again. “Whatever you feel like you can tell me.”
I sigh, struggling with my inner voice telling me I need to keep my mouth shut and my inner anxiety fighting to tell someone – anyone – about the competition.
“Let’s just say… I have a unique hobby. I love it, I’m good at it, and tomorrow I’m going to be…” My voice trails off as I struggle for the right words. “Tested on it.”
Bo looks confused, but she doesn’t press for more. “Well, whatever it is, I can tell you’re stressed about it.” I nod, but then she places her soft hand over mine on the edge of the swing. My breath catches and her eyes flick to mine. Swallowing, she pulls her hand back. “But you shouldn’t be, Lei. You’re amazing. At everything you do. And whatever this thing is that you can’t tell us about, I can tell it’s important to you. I know you’re going to pass whatever test it is that you have tomorrow because that’s the kind of person you are. You’re a winner.”
For a moment, I don’t respond. The air around us feels different from when she first joined me on the swing and I can’t figure out how to comprehend the change. “Thank you,” I finally manage just above a whisper.
Bo nods, then she lifts herself from the swing. “I’m going to make some tea. You want some?”
“Yeah, actually that sounds great.”
“Come on.” She notions inside and I follow, possibly watching her a little more closely than I should. Before this semester, Bo Hán was just my best friend’s Little.
But now, I have a troubling feeling that I might want her to be more.
“OH MY FUCKING FUCK!” Leslie screams when we all pile back into our private dressing room. The entire troupe is jumping up and down, trophies and medals in hand. The energy is uncontrollable.
“I seriously can’t believe this,” I chime in, shaking my head. “We won. First place. In four categories!”
“Well believe it,” Hayden says, picking me up and twirling me in his arms. “And I think we can all agree that we have you to thank.” He plants a long kiss on my lips.
“It was all of us. We’re a team.”
“True,” Kya says, unfastening her bra. I used to be shocked by how comfortable she was stripping in front of anyone and everyone, but I’m used to it now. “But we’ve all competed before and we’ve never done this well. You kicked ass today, Ashlei.” She winks and strips off her spandex, quickly replacing it with a pair of fitted sweats.
“To Ashlei,” Leslie says, pulling a flask from her
“What I would give to get inside that pretty head of yours,” a sweet voice says in the darkness. I jump, but relax when Bo’s smiling face comes into focus. She joins me on the small white porch swing set up in the back courtyard of our house and I return her smile.
“Trust me, you don’t want to know everything going on in my head right now.”
“Actually, I do. And I’m not the only one.” Her brows pull together. “Everyone is talking about you, you know. The way you’re always dodging events, the weird makeup, the late nights.” She shrugs. “Some of us are worried.”
The way she says that last part does something to my stomach that I know isn’t good. Bo is stunning, and more than that – she’s unique. Not just with her petite stature and exotic features, but with her sharp tongue and gentle heart, too.
“You guys don’t need to worry about me.”
“Well,” she says, chewing her cheek. “Maybe if you tell me what you’re up to, I can help ease the tension in the group.”
Her dark brown eyes are almost black in the low lighting of the courtyard. With her hair pulled over one shoulder and her kind smile, she radiates beauty in the simplest way imaginable.
“I can’t tell you, Bo. I can’t tell anyone.”
Bo frowns. “Are you in trouble?”
“No,” I answer honestly. “Promise.”
“Tell me anything,” she tries again. “Whatever you feel like you can tell me.”
I sigh, struggling with my inner voice telling me I need to keep my mouth shut and my inner anxiety fighting to tell someone – anyone – about the competition.
“Let’s just say… I have a unique hobby. I love it, I’m good at it, and tomorrow I’m going to be…” My voice trails off as I struggle for the right words. “Tested on it.”
Bo looks confused, but she doesn’t press for more. “Well, whatever it is, I can tell you’re stressed about it.” I nod, but then she places her soft hand over mine on the edge of the swing. My breath catches and her eyes flick to mine. Swallowing, she pulls her hand back. “But you shouldn’t be, Lei. You’re amazing. At everything you do. And whatever this thing is that you can’t tell us about, I can tell it’s important to you. I know you’re going to pass whatever test it is that you have tomorrow because that’s the kind of person you are. You’re a winner.”
For a moment, I don’t respond. The air around us feels different from when she first joined me on the swing and I can’t figure out how to comprehend the change. “Thank you,” I finally manage just above a whisper.
Bo nods, then she lifts herself from the swing. “I’m going to make some tea. You want some?”
“Yeah, actually that sounds great.”
“Come on.” She notions inside and I follow, possibly watching her a little more closely than I should. Before this semester, Bo Hán was just my best friend’s Little.
But now, I have a troubling feeling that I might want her to be more.
“OH MY FUCKING FUCK!” Leslie screams when we all pile back into our private dressing room. The entire troupe is jumping up and down, trophies and medals in hand. The energy is uncontrollable.
“I seriously can’t believe this,” I chime in, shaking my head. “We won. First place. In four categories!”
“Well believe it,” Hayden says, picking me up and twirling me in his arms. “And I think we can all agree that we have you to thank.” He plants a long kiss on my lips.
“It was all of us. We’re a team.”
“True,” Kya says, unfastening her bra. I used to be shocked by how comfortable she was stripping in front of anyone and everyone, but I’m used to it now. “But we’ve all competed before and we’ve never done this well. You kicked ass today, Ashlei.” She winks and strips off her spandex, quickly replacing it with a pair of fitted sweats.
“To Ashlei,” Leslie says, pulling a flask from her
Similar Books
