DRAWN by Marian Tee

a god. “It’s just…I wouldn’t want to complicate things, you know?”
    Yuki gazes at me contemplatively, head propped up on one hand while he licks his spoon clean. “Complications, huh?”
    “Uhh, yeah.” I try not to make it obvious I’m memorizing every little thing about his current pose. I am so going to draw this later, too.
    His sudden smile is blinding. “That’s good, senpai . I’m glad we’re on the same page.”
    Yuki drives me home an hour later, and I’m kinda down that he hasn’t kissed me, not even once, between dinner and the ride to my home.
    He walks me to our front door. “I’ll text you if we can meet tomorrow, okay, senpai ?”
    I’m about to nod when I realize what tomorrow is. “Uhh…I don’t think I have time tomorrow.”
    He raises a brow. “Oh?”
    “I have something to do.”
    “A date?”
    I frown, his question reminding me about Lace’s text message, which I still haven’t replied to. “It’s not,” I say finally.
    “Then what is it?”
    I squeeze my eyes shut so that he won’t be able to use his baby blues to persuade me. “I have an…appointment with the dentist.”
    “ Senpai ,” he says warningly.
    “I just won’t make it to school tomorrow, okay?”
    I open my eyes when he doesn’t speak.
    Yuki’s lips are compressed in a thin line. “I don’t like being made a fool of.”
    “And I’m not.” I shake my head impatiently. “I can never be as manipulative as you.”
    “You’d be surprised,” he murmurs.
    I don’t understand what that means and I don’t bother pretending I do. I shake my head again. “Whatever. Good night, Yuki. Thanks for the---” I really should have expected it, I really should, but I didn’t and – honestly – I’m sort of glad I didn’t.
    Being caught unexpected by a kiss is just the best feeling, ever.
    Yuki’s kiss is rougher than everything he’s given me, but not to the point that it hurts. It’s just raw and it becomes even more so as he holds my wrists down when I try to pull him close.
    Yeeargh.
    He’s so good at this.
    Yuki pulls away. He’s not smiling, but I know he’s as, umm, happy as I am when I see the familiar gleam in his eyes.
    “Good night, senpai .”
    “Good night.” I stay there, watching him walk back to his car.
    I catch my breath when he turns just as he reaches for his door handle. “Oh, and senpai ?”
    “Uhh, yeah?” Is he going to kiss me again? I totally want him to kiss me again.
    “No more late-night videos, okay?”
    It takes me a split second before I understand what he’s saying.
    “Piss off,” I snarl.
    He laughingly gets inside his car. “See you tomorrow, senpai .”
    No, he won’t.
    And that’s fine because it helps me put things in perspective.
     

Chapter Ten
     
     
    The alarm clock cuts my wet dream short.
              Yeeargh!
              Bloody stupid alarm---
              I pale at the time.
              It’s seven-fifteen already?
    I shower in a hurry, knowing I have minutes to spare if I want to make it to the meeting on time. I grab all my drawings, including the new ones I’ve worked on last night, and dump them into my tote bag as I dash out of my room.
    Jace Stanford is already waiting when I rush out of the house. He’s leaning against the side of his silver Mercedes Benz convertible, dark hair gel-styled to perfection, designer sunglasses covering his gaze and dressed in his usual preppy outfit. Jace is not beautiful the way Yuki is, but he always looks like he’s stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine. For Jace, catwalk-worthy clothes are his way of hiding the little-known fact he’s a true-blue geek at heart.
    Jace makes a show of checking his watch.
    “Oh, shut up.” I quickly get inside his car.
    “I didn’t say anything,” Jace protests as he closes my door for me.
    Over two and a half hours later, Jace and I agree that splitting the valet parking fee between us would be worth not having Shelley