Page 31 (1/2)

Why do they alant to be on top of buildings?

Bonnie thought irritably Inside Inside is nice No one falls to their death if they’re inside a building But here we are

Stargazing fro while on a date with Zander was rohtti on a different roof with a bunch of Zander’s friends was not rohtly

She took a sip of her drink andas she heard the suys wrestling After two days of living with Zander, she was beginning to get the naht: Tristan and Marcus were the ones rol ing around on the floor with Zander Jonah, Ca they cal ed parkour, whicharound like idiots and al off the roof Enrique, Jared, Daniel, and Chad were al playing an elaborate drinking ga around soroup

She liked them, she real y did Most of the time They were boisterous, sure, but they were always very nice to her: getting her drinks, i her that they had no idea what she saw in a loser like Zander, which was clearly their guy way of declaring how irlfriend

She looked over at Zander, as laughing as he held Tristan in a headlock and rubbed his knuckles over the top of Tristan’s head "Do you give in?" he said, and grunted in surprise as Marcus, whooping joyful y, tackled them both

It would have been easier if there were other girls around that she could get to know If Marcus (as very cute in a giant shaggy-haired Sasquatch kind of way) or Spencer (who had the kind of preppy rich-boy elegance that soirlfriend, Bonnie would have souys acted like doofuses

But, even though a girl would occasional y appear clinging to the arain after that night Except for Bonnie, Zander seemed to travel in an almost exclusivelythe et sick of it She irls to talk to She h she was stilher way over to Zander "Want to get out of here for a while?"

Zander wrapped his arm around her shoulders "U down to kiss her neck

Bonnie rol ed her eyes "It’s kind of loud, don’t you think?

We could go for a nice quiet walk or so" Zander looked surprised but nodded "Sure, whatever you want"

They made their way down the fire escape, fol owed by a few shouts fro on a food run and would shortly return with hot wings and tacos

Once they were a block away from the rooftop party, the noise faded and it was peaceful, except for the distant sound of an occasional car on the roads nearby Bonnie knew she ought to feel creeped out, walking around at night on campus, but she didn’t Not with Zander’s hand in hers

"This is nice, isn’t it?" Bonnie said happily, gazing up at the halfher hand between the walks - runs, real y - with ht I love being outside at night"

"Aw, that’s sweet," Bonnie said "Do you guys stil do that when you’re home?"

"No" Zander hesitated and hunched his shoulders, his hair hanging in his face Bonnie couldn’t read his expression "My dadhe died A while ago"

"I’ his hand

"I’ at his shoes "But, y’know, I don’t have any brothers or sisters, and the guys have sort of become like a family to me I know they can be a pain souys And they’re ilanced at Bonnie out of the corner of his eyes

He looked so apprehensive, Bonnie felt a sharp pang of affection for him It eet that Zander and his friends were so close - that must have been the faht He was loyal, that much she knew "Zander," she said "I know they’re important to you I don’t want to take you away frooof" She reached up to wrap her arently on the mouth "Maybe just for an hour or two so, I promise" Zander returned the kiss with enthusiasled al the way down to her toes

Clinging to each other, they made their way to a bench by the side of the path and sat down to kiss soood under her hands, al sleek muscles and smooth skin, and Bonnie ran her hands across his shoulders, along his arms, down his sides

At her touch, Zander suddenly winced

"What’s theher head away fro for her "I was just h"

"Letat the he to just check out Zander’s abs He had turned out to be surprisinglya rooh his teeth as Bonnie lifted his shirt She gasped Zander’s whole side was covered with ugly black-and-purple bruises

"Zander," Bonnie said horrified, "these look real y bad

You don’t get bruises like that justfor your life - or soht, and pushed away the words

"They’re nothing Don’t worry," Zander said, tugging his shirt back down He started to wrap his aruely sickened

"I wish you’d tel me what happened," she said

"I did," Zander said coet"

It was true, she’d never known guys so rowdy Zander reached for her again, and this ti her face up for his kiss As their lipsto her, "You know me You see me"

She did know him, Bonnie told herself She could trust Zander

Across the street, Da Bonnie kiss Zander