I mean, it was quite enough to look at, but I thought Id have another go.
I tilted my head a little further up till I hit black quartz gazing at me, glinting.
He was looking at me like he knew me.
I flicked through my mental Rolodex of mandem and came up blank.
Nor the Water into Wine (at theclerb) Bible Study Boys .
Like when My Guy was trying to talk to me aboutThe 48 Laws of Powerone time.
Uh, dont sweat it
Funny he should mention that, because I was.
My skin was tingling.
Uh, Im sorry, I just … did you say you dont sweat?
I wouldnt be seen.
I looked back at him, hitched a shoulder upward.
He nodded, his eyes squinting, concentrating the light, the corner of his plush mouth quirking up.
Sweating is a regular biological human function.
So, youre saying youre not a regular human.
I smiled, sliding my head to the side.
Do I look like a regular human to you?
He would stumble or leave.
He inhaled deeply, like he was considering the question.
Something flared under my skin.
His eyes rose to meet mine again.
He smiled, and my pulse stuttered.
Just not used to seeing another superhuman about, so had to double-check.
It makes me feel less lonely, so thank you.
That wasnt supposed to happen.
I knew this game, this game was mine, and normally I knew how to lose them.
Id expected to lose him.
It was like we were going the same way.
The sharp glare of the industrial lights in the hallway had nothing on it.
It made its way to the pit of my belly and tugged.
Purposely cute and casual.
Zuri wasnt meant to be here.
She was meant to be at her friend Nias birthday dinner at Sakura in town.
Nia could have easily reorganized it for when Zuri returned but she didnt want to do that.
It was a power play.
Zuri nodded at Fellow Superhero, who definitely wasnt as lonely as he made out to be.
I didnt hear you knock so thought Id come check
He smiled at her.
The smile he gave her was mainstream, pop, radio-friendly.
The smile hed given me had more R&B to it.
He walked toward the open door.
She wasnt suspicious I wasnt a threat; I was never a threat.
I was known as The One Who Didnt Date but that was precisely why my presence there was curious.
I didnt have a clique and I lived with my best friend.
Werent nobody for me to visit.
Id thought this through, though.
I was just picking up some notes from Ilana.
I patted my satchel.
Missed a lecture today.
I briefly wondered if the detail was overkill but Zuri had stopped listening halfway through my sentence anyway.
Im just … going over a tutorial too.
Cant wait for your next show!
She pulled him into her flat, but not before he threw me an inscrutable look.
I shook my head, smiled, and pressed the lift button.
Yeah,somethingwas gonna be studied that night.
A relief, really.
My understanding of fuckboiology had fallen out of whack for a second.
It was nice to have it reset.
Whoever he was, he was just like the rest.
Excerpted fromHoney & Spiceby Bolu Babalola.
Copyright Bolu Babalola 2022.
Reprinted with permission from William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins Publishers.
