Hush by Jude Sierra Read Free Book Online Page B

deduct points for execution. Awkward.”
    “Yes,” Cam laughs, sparing Nate a glance. He’s making conver­sation with Christine and Lauren. Cam knows it’s an effort to distract them, but it’s not working all that well; they’re both watch­ing him and Maggie in the gaps in conversation.
    “We should go for coffee or something,” he blurts. Maggie laughs and nods.
    “I’d like that.”
    * * *
    He finds her in line; he’s not running late, so it throws him off to see her near the front of a long line.
    “Hey,” he says, trying to get her attention. She’s focused on her phone.
    “Oh, hi!” Maggie smiles widely. “I was just going to get—”
    “Do you want me to—?”
    Maggie laughs and Cam looks down. She makes this look easy without betraying a trace of awkwardness or uncertainty. He doesn’t feel right in his body; he’s like an imposter trying to prove some­thing to someone who doesn’t even care.
    Cam hasn’t seen Wren since that night in the library. He doesn’t bother trying to convince himself he doesn’t want to—he looks everywhere he goes.
    “Let me get you your order,” he manages finally. It’s the polite thing to do on a first date, after all. Assuming this is a date.
    “Okay, yeah,” Maggie says. “Thank you. I’ll go grab us a table over there.” She points to a row of two-person tables by the win­dow. “I’ll have a frappuccino, medium.”
    Maggie is obviously a coffee drinker, although Cam bets that when she makes it for herself, she takes a lot of cream and sugar.
    Cam watches her settle. She wipes the table carefully and hangs her purse from the back of the chair. He’s seen her around the dorm enough to know she’s put more effort into her appearance today; she’s wearing a nice skirt and a little more makeup.
    “Here you go.” He sets down her drink. “I took a chance on the cookie.” He doesn’t add that he’s seen her eat them in the cafeteria. That would be creepy. Her face lights up.
    “Oh, yum! Thank you. Want to share?”
    “Oh no, I’m good.” His chair pulls out with a loud screech that turns the heads of a few patrons. S mooth, Cam. Smooth .
    “So Cam, mystery boy, tell me about yourself.”
    “Mystery boy?” he asks.
    “That’s what we call you,” Maggie explains.
    Cam laughs. “That must be a theme. I was calling you that in my head for a while too. Well, girl, I mean.”
    “Well then.” She leans forward and crosses her arms on the table. Her eyes are brown, but not like his. Hers are lighter, like milk chocolate, bright in the sunlight. “Let’s uncover things.” He blushes and she laughs like butterflies storming the room, beau­tiful and startling.
    “All right, then,” Maggie sets her empty cup to the side. “Let’s see who passes the quiz.”
    “There’s a quiz?” Cam feigns dismay.
    “Yes, of course. Don’t all first dates end with a test?” Maggie looks down and bites her lip, holding back a smile. Cam doesn’t think she meant to say that, but she doesn’t seem to mind, either.
    “I wouldn’t know,” he confesses. She’s so much easier to talk to than he anticipated.
    “Oh god, I’m your first date?” Maggie asks. “Had I known that, I would have taken you somewhere fancy.” She winks and it’s impos­sible not to smile.
    “Maybe next time?” Cam says quietly. He’s not sure what this means, but he likes her. That’s where things usually begin, right?
    “Let’s see if you pass the test.”
    “Okay. What are the questions?”
    “The usual,” Maggie says. “Name, age, major, likes and dislikes, hopes and dreams, family genealogy, blood type, toenail polish color.”
    “Oh, is that all?” he manages through his laughter.
    “No, that’s just the short answer,” she says, chuckling. “There’s an essay due later.”
    “Okay,” he says, “I resent the lack of multiple choice questions, but no matter. I’m sure I’ll beat the pants off of you.”
    Maggie gasps through her laughter.