Page 73 of Yours, For Good

The first thing to come out of my mouth didn't fully make sense to me, but I heard the question clearly.

"What are you doing here?"

He didn't respond, but his gulp was forceful enough that I could see it from my spot. Unconsciously, I took a few steps his way.

He looked amazing, in dark wash blue jeans and a simple light gray button up that seemed bespoke, they fit him so well. He wore his glasses which was basically criminal to anyone attracted to men, because it left you with no choice but to lock your legs so you wouldn't melt at his feet.

I missed Javier so much. Seeing him out of the blue scratched out all my doubts, and replaced them with the need to get his arms around me once more. Get my lips on him again. If I were brave enough, perhaps I would even ask for more.

Before I could forget about the world and my reasons to be there, I lassoed my feelings into the right shelf of my mind and brought myself to the right train of thought.

I gulped as well. "Did Mister Bea… Did Mister Smith bring you here?"

Maybe he had wanted to help in the only way he could. Maybe he — but no. Javier shook his head.

"No. He…" Javier frowned and stopped himself. He took a quick breath, like he prepared to jump off a cliff. "It's me. I'm him."

I blinked. Frowned. Stared at Javier, and waited for things to make sense. They didn't.

He faced me with his tall body open yet with a clear strain to his limbs… a man preparing himself for the firing squad.

He lifted his chin as if ready to offer it for a fist. "I am Mister Beanpole, Nora."

A single breath could have tossed me in the wind, the house of cards of my emotions floating away in the breeze.

Chapter 29

Javier

I TOOK A DEEP breath and curled my hands into fists. If I tensed my muscles, I'd be able to stand still and take the storm forming in her eyes.

The moment her features changed to rage engraved itself to my memory, to be revisited for decades to come.

She took a few steps closer to me. From this distance, I could see the hint of color darkening her skin.

Her blood seemed aflame— rightfully so. All I did was track her movements and wait.

She spoke through clenched teeth. "Your hair has no gray in it. You're not old!"

One day I might have the spirit to find humor in her first response, but the space around us was devoid of any levity.

It hadn't been a question, so I remained quiet once more.

She pointed a finger at me. "Javier Pendleton, if this is what you hid from me— oh, how dare you. How dare you!"

"I didn't have a choice, if I wanted to protect your chance with the incubator and for future John Grier students—"

"You were the shadowed silhouette I saw that day?!" Her voice turned shrill.

I didn't know how to answer that question, so I just gaped, unsure what to say next.

Her voice quavered. "I made a fool of myself— no. You made a fool of me—"

"You have every right to be hurt—"

"Holy shit…" she blinked a few times, lost in her memories as she reviewed the past few months with new eyes. "I told Mister B. about you… I told you about you and I…"

She brought her palm to her chest, like she needed to check what exactly her heart was up to.