To understand what was occurring between us, I need to back up the story a bit. Since the time I had moved from Forks to Phoenix, my favorite gemstone had been red garnet. Red to symbolize how my heart felt, bloody, and garnet because I wanted to keep the dwindling fire in my heart alive. I had garnet earrings, bracelets, necklaces, garnet-studded sneakers and shirts. But now...
Now it was impossible, staring into his topaz eyes, not to remember the reason for the switch. And, naturally, he wouldn't rest until I'd admitted why I was embarrassed.
"Tell me," he finally commanded after persuasion failed—failed only because I kept my eyes safely away from his face.259
"It's the color of your eyes today," I sighed, surrendering, staring down at my hands as I fiddled with a clump of my hair that had fallen into my lap. "I suppose if you asked me in two weeks, I'd say onyx." I'd given more information than necessary, again, and I worried it would provoke the strange anger that flared whenever I slipped and revealed how deep my love ran.
But his pause was very short.
"What kinds of flowers to you prefer?" he fired off.
I sighed in relief, and continued to pretend that I didn't like the attention.
Biology IV was a complication again. Fredward had continued with his quizzing up until Mr. Banner entered the room, dragging the TV cart in. As the teacher approached the light switch, I noticed Fredward slide his chair slightly farther away from mine and the slight sound of a zipper coming undone. Whatever he was doing, it didn't help. As soon as the room was dark, there was the same electric spark arcing between us, the same restless craving to stretch my hand across the short space and touch his cold skin, as yesterday.
259. Fredward's normal method of persuasion involves a combination of hypnosis and intimidation.