She didn’t have that fear with Blake. Somehow, she knew he would understand.
Blake slanted a glance in her direction. His mouth curled up to reveal those devastating dimples.
“I’m glad we’re talking again,” he whispered. “I missed you.”
There went the damned butterflies. Farrah loved all living creatures, but those butterflies needed to die.
“I missed you too…brother.” She punched him in the shoulder.
Oh god, I did not just say that.
Blake frowned.
By the time they reached their hostel, dusk had settled over the town. Voices filtered through the open doorway of the complex. FEA had booked the entire building, which was large enough to house all 70 students if they crammed four to a room.
Farrah stepped into the courtyard and found the rest of FEA eating dinner at the tables scattered throughout the space. The smell of pork and noodles wafted through the air, eliciting a growl from her stomach. She’d planned on showering before she ate, but she was ravenous.
“Guys, over here!” Courtney waved them over to the group’s table in the back corner.
“Took you guys long enough. We thought you died.” Luke reached for the near-empty plate of dumplings. “I understand why Farrah took so long, but what happened to you?” he asked Blake. “You’re supposed to be in good shape.”
Farrah stuck her tongue out at him. “Thanks a lot.”
“Dude. Blake and Farrah haven’t eaten yet.” Sammy knocked Luke’s hand away.
“I took it easy.” Blake glanced at Farrah as the hostel staff brought out another round of steaming home-cooked food: stir-fried tomato with scrambled eggs, kung pao chicken with white rice, spicy dry-fried green beans, and shredded pork in sweet bean sauce.
Farrah wolfed down her first portion and went for seconds. She’d endured more physical activity today than she had in months. She could eat a cow right now.
The staff watched in stunned silence as the students devoured every morsel of food in fifteen minutes flat.
“Damn. That hit the spot.” Luke leaned back in his chair, patted his stomach, and burped.
Beside him, Kris wrinkled her nose and scooted closer to Blake.
“I’m showered. I’m fed. I’m ready for bed.” Olivia yawned. Her eyes drooped with exhaustion.
“You can’t go to bed!” Courtney checked her watch. “It’s only seven.”
“How? It feels like midnight,” Olivia moaned.
“We woke up at seven this morning,” Farrah pointed out.
“Great. A twelve-hour day is enough for me. I’m beat.”
“I agree.” Leo, too, failed to stifle a yawn.
“Stop. We’re young, and so is the night. We are not going to bed.” Courtney planted her hands on the table. “We’re playing a game. Does anyone have cards?”
Silence.
She sighed. “Fine. Never Have I Ever it is.”
The last thing Farrah wanted was to play Never Have I Ever, but she sat through one game to indulge Courtney. Otherwise, she’d never hear the end of it.
“Never have I ever received a grade below an A,” Nardo said, causing a wave of eye rolls around the table. “What? I haven’t.”
“Big. Effing. Deal,” Olivia said. “Neither have I.”
“Then keep your finger up. That’s how it works.”
“Fine. Never have I ever been rejected from a college.”
Nardo glared at Sammy. “You told her?”
“No. Yes.” Sammy cleared his throat. “Getting wait-listed at MIT is still an honor.”
Nardo pressed his lips together and folded one finger down. “Never have I ever not made it to the interview round for an internship.”
“Never have I ever—”
“Stop!” Courtney slashed the air with her hands. “This is not the Olivia and Nardo Show. You’re both smart, we get it. Let’s move on. Farrah, it’s your turn. Please, make it good.”
“No pressure.” Farrah tried to think of something no one had said yet. “Never have I ever…had a threesome.”
“Duh,” Luke said. “You’re a virgin. You’ve never had a twosome—ow!”
“Sorry,” Farrah said sweetly. “My foot slipped.”
“Yeah, right,” he grumbled.
Two people at the table put their fingers down: Blake and Sammy.
“High school prom.” Blake shrugged.
It didn’t come as a surprise—she knew he was experienced—but jealousy still fluttered in her chest at the thought of Blake with two nameless, faceless girls.
Sammy, on the other hand, was a surprise.
“You’ve had a threesome?” Olivia’s mouth formed a surprised O.
“Years ago.” Sammy shifted in his seat. “It’s not a big deal.”
“Sammy Sam.” Kris eyed him with newfound respect. “Aren’t you full of surprises?”
“Dude, you can’t leave us hanging. Tell us the deets!” Luke urged.
“No way.”
“Come on!”
Farrah tilted her head up to the sky. The moon shone bright and clear. Even the stars made an appearance.
“I’m going for a walk,” she said.
“We’re at the edge of town. There’s nothing nearby,” Sammy pointed out, clearly eager to shift the attention away from himself.
“I just need to walk off the food.” Farrah stood up. “I’ll be back soon.”
“I’ll go with you.” Blake pushed back his chair. “I could use a walk too.”
“A walk sounds like a good idea.” Kris nudged Courtney, who looked like she was about to argue. “Right, Court?”
Realization dawned on Courtney’s face. “Right. Wish I could bring myself to get up, but I can’t.” She stretched her arms over her head. “Have fun, guys. Remember, we don’t have curfew.”
Luke’s face scrunched in confusion. “We do have curfew. The laoshis said—ow! Would you guys stop kicking me?”
“Stop saying kick-worthy stuff,” Kris said.
While her friends bickered, Farrah slipped out the hostel entrance with Blake in tow.
“You didn’t have to come with me.” She pulled her jacket tighter around her body. The wind skimmed over the exposed skin on her face and hands, causing her to shiver.
“I was planning to take a walk, anyway. Might as well have company.” Blake’s arm brushed hers as they walked.
Her heart skipped. The layers of clothing between them did nothing to dull the effect he had on her.
They wandered through the maze of buildings until they reached one of the little arched bridges closer to the main part of town.
“I can’t believe this place is real,” Blake said. “There’s nothing like this in Texas.”
“Depends on how you define real.” Farrah rested her arms on the railing. “The government built it as a tourist site. It didn’t exist until a few years ago.”
Blake ran his hands over the smooth stone. “It feels real to me.”
“Yeah.” Farrah inhaled the crisp, cold air. It burned her lungs in a good way. “How’d you end up here, Blake?”