My blood approves

“It’s getting late,” Mae announced reluctantly and looked sadly at me. “I really enjoyed having you over, and I do hope you come again. But you probably should get home before it’s too late.”

“It’s never too late,” Jack grumbled, dipping his head back under the water as if that could block out the truth in her statement.

“No, she’s right.” Using most of my strength, I pushed myself from the warm, comfort of the tub and felt the frigid air on my skin. If it had been much cooler, the water would’ve literally frozen on my skin. “Oh my gosh, it’s freezing!”

“I brought out towels,” Mae gestured to a pile of plush white towels laying on a nearby chair, and I rushed over to them.

When I picked up a towel, I just happened to glance up, and I saw Peter standing inside the kitchen, staring through the French doors at me. The towel had unrolled in front of me, but I just stood there, holding it, unable to actually start drying myself. The cold stung my skin, but Peter had captivated me. One of his arms was crossed across his chest, supporting his other elbow, while his hand rested on his chin. His brilliant green eyes were giving me a look that could kill, and my heart felt eager to please, so it completely stopped beating. It might have stopped forever if Mae hadn’t interrupted and pulled me from the trance he’d put me in.

“Peter! Would you care to join us?” Mae called at him. Still staring at me, or glaring at me as it was, he shook his head, then turned on his heels and stalked off. “Don’t mind him, Alice. He’s really not so bad.”

“It’s okay,” I lied, then suddenly started feeling the cold again and wrapped the towel around myself.

“You make him nervous,” Jack whispered.

“Why?” I asked numbly. It didn’t make any sense that anything about me could make someone as composed and perfect as Peter nervous. I was inconsequential in everyway. Naturally, Jack didn’t answer me. He just shrugged and walked into the house.

“Hurry up before you freeze to death!” Jack yelled, and I rushed in after him.

By the time I had gotten dressed, Jack was waiting by the door for me. He twirled the car keys on his hands and whistled a song that sounded suspiciously like “Walking on Sunshine.” At the door, Mae hugged me tightly and reminded me that I had to come visit her soon. Looking rather pained, she apologized for Peter’s behavior, and I wondered what he had done that had offended them so much.

“Which car are we taking?” I had followed Jack out into the garage, but he looked like he was walking all the way down to the other end, so I already knew what it was.

“The Lamborghini, of course.” He clicked the keyless entry and car beeped loudly.

“How do you decide which car you’re going to take?” Now, with a million other questions burning in my mind, this was the only question I wasn’t afraid to ask.

“I only take this when Ezra’s gone,” Jack explained sheepishly as he hopped in the driver’s seat. When I got on, he started it and adjusted the stereo.

“He thinks it’s too flashy. And my Jeep is fun but its not as fast, so I usually just take Mae’s Jetta. The Lexus is Ezra’s ‘every day’ car and the Audi is Peter’s.”

“If you like this car so much, why didn’t you just get one like it?” I asked as Jack backed out of the garage.

“Ezra says it’s too flashy. He says we don’t need to stand out that much.”

“Well, then why did he even bother buying this car? And you live in a house shaped like a castle and he drives a Lexus! How is any of that inconspicuous?” I looked at him skeptically, and he grinned at me.

“Exactly!” He pulled out of the driveway and sped down the road. I leaned back in the seat and closed my eyes, trying to take in everything that had happened. When Jack spoke again, his tone had gotten somber. “So, what did you think of my family?”

“I liked them. Mae is very nice, and your house is stunning.” I kept my eyes closed and listened to the Joy Division cover playing on the radio. It reminded me of Gary Jules, but I knew that wasn’t it. “Who is this?”

“Honeyroot doing ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart,’” Jack answered, and without missing a beat, returned back to the topic. “So you had a good time then?”

“I did.” Mostly. Except for the parts when Peter sucked all the air my from lungs and I wanted to die.

“You’re awfully quiet. I’d been expecting a million questions from you.”

“Oh, I have them,” I reassured him. “Is Mae from England?” Jack laughed boisterously, and I turned to look at him. “What? Was I way off?”

“No, it’s just… that’s the question you ask?” He shook his head, smiling.

“That’s like the most normal thing you could possibly ask. I just wasn’t expecting it.”

“What were you expecting me to ask?” I raised an eyebrow, trying to figure out what part of the night he thought I’d find the most odd.

“Yeah, she’s from England.” He once again hedged my question.

“They’re like you, aren’t they?” I asked, watching him carefully.

“Nobody’s like me,” Jack replied flippantly. “I’m a one in a million, baby!”

“Jack, you know what I mean.”