Free Dracian Legacy by Priya Kanaparti Page B

let it out slowly.
    “Aren’t you the happiest chipmunk in the world?”
    Dean interrupted my meditation, holding a square box in one hand and two soda cans in the other. “How did you get in?”
    “Your brother agreed you needed to be slapped out of your misery.” He winked.
    Argh! “Go away, Dean.”
    “Well, then who’s going to eat this extra-large Hawaiian pizza and drink this Crush?” he asked, climbing through my window onto the rooftop.
    “I’m sure you can manage.” I opened my eyes to look at him and sighed. “What do you want, Dean?” He was trying to be nice and that meant he wanted something. I wasn’t in the mood to play his games tonight.
    “What? Can’t I be here without needing something?”
    I cocked my eyebrow at him. Really, do you even want me to answer that question?
    “I know I haven’t been much of a friend…” I glared at him. “All right, fine, I’ve been a complete sadistic ass of a friend. Happy?”
    I giggled. He was one person I used to depend on to have my back. To make me laugh, to share secrets and missions that got both of us grounded for weeks, and to make me forget about the rest of the world.
    He sat beside me. “I’m always here for you, Pernell. I don’t like seeing you like this.” He smiled. “Okay, all this emotional crap is bringing me down. Pizza?”
    I happily took a slice. We both were quiet for few minutes, enjoying the cheesy, chewy pizza. I took a big bite out of my slice. Dean cocked his eyebrow and took a bigger bite. I took another bite, bigger than his, almost choking myself. Dean laughed, falling backward.
    “You’re a sucker for challenges.”
    “Shut up!” I said playfully, shoving him.
    “Oh, you’re gonna get it now.”
    Before I knew it, we were tangled limbs and laughs, not knowing where one started and the other ended. Dean lay on top of me, looking directly into my eyes. His face remained stoic and his eyes studied me for few seconds before they went to my lips and back up. He shifted his weight to one hand while he reached up to push a strand of hair behind my ear. He brushed the back of his hand against my cheek and down my jaw.
    Blood pounded in my ears like a herd of deer chased by a lion in the wild. My heart raced, thumping erratically against my chest as I remembered the kiss. I bit my lip as he leaned down closer and closer and closer. I cleared my throat before I lost control of the situation. He stilled a mere heartbeat away and his breath playfully brushed against my lips. His mouth curved shyly as he helped me back to a sitting position.
    “Remember that year you had a huge crush on Mr. Bean?” Dean asked a few minutes later.
    “Yeah, I think that was the same year you were drooling over Wonder Woman,” I said, remembering the posters all over his room.
    “Yeah.” He had this dazed look on his face. “I would so do her. She is hot and, God help me, if I knew the things I know now about womanly curves…”
    “Ew. Dean.” I gave him a playful punch. “Is that all you think about?”
    He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve got a Y in my DNA.”
    It felt natural sitting here beside him, eating pizza. All too familiar. But everything was different. He had changed. He looked so much older and stronger and confident.
    “You’ve changed quite a bit.”
    “Eh!” He shrugged his shoulders.
    “Dean…” I waited for him to respond.
    “Mmm-hmm.”
    “About that kiss…”
    “It was just a game,” he responded, looking away, the muscles in his jaw twitching.
    Even though I felt the same way, hearing him admit it made my heart clench the slightest. Can I be any more hypocritical? I chanced a glance at him. If he felt any other emotion, he didn’t show it.
    After that, we didn’t talk much, but I was glad to have some company. It made this day better. He took a sip of his Crush and offered me some. I accepted, just like old times.
    Out of nowhere, Dean wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him,