Perfect Opposite by Zoya Tessi Read Free Book Online Page A

with his eyes towards the table, I made an angry grab for one of his arms and pulled with all my strength. It was no good, of course. Alex only stood there, towering over me as usual.
    “ Back off!”
    “ No.”
    “I can’t believe this. ”
    I took a step back, let out a cry and grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl on the counter.
    “Satisfied?” I started, waving the banana under his nose
    Saying nothing, Alex just nodded once, returned to his chair and continued reading his paper. It was as though nothing had happened.
    “Control freak,” I shouted in his direction and marched off to my room.
    Muttering under my breath, I picked up the books that lay strewn across the floor and stuffed them into the bag. I didn’t lose much time in quickly making up my face, tying back my hair and putting some silver hoops in my ears. Still in the process of fastening the left one, I stormed back out of the bedroom.
    “You ready?” Alex asked me when I walked into the hall.
    Although he’d managed to get fully dressed this time, he obviously hadn’t seen fit to find anything decent to wear. Despite what lay in store, he’d just put on a black t-shirt with the name of some band printed on the back. I thought he’d have at least covered up his tattoos, but no, and I really hoped that they won’t let him in the university building in that outfit.
    “That’s interesting...” he muttered and leaned toward me.
    Reaching out, he took the heavy silver pendant hanging around my neck in his hand and started studying its engravings from different angles.
    “Don’t touch that! ”
    Frowning at him with menace, I quickly snatched it from his hand and tucked it under my shirt. The pendant was the last gift my mother had given to me, and I was never without it, except when I slept, and then it was on my bedside table.
    Sighing, Alex picke d his keys up from the dresser and left the apartment in silence, apparently expecting me to follow.
     
    Coming out of the dark building, bright sunlight hurt my eyes and I had to lift one hand to shield them. It took a few moments to adjust to the light, but when I did I could only stand there, stunned.
    “You gotta be kidding me...”
    “What do you mean?” Alex asked , kicking the stand up on a big black motorcycle parked close by.
    “You don’t think we’re going on that?”
    “That’s exactly what I had in mind. Why? Are you scared, maybe?”
    I sized up the huge machine and decided it didn’t look safe at all. Was I scared? No, I was terrified .
    “ Don’t be ridiculous.” I smirked, feeling a lump forming in my throat.
    Stubborn to the last, I cautiously climbed behind him and started looking around for something to hold on to, but there seemed to be nothing.
    “Here...” Alex grabbed my wrists, drew my arms around his waist and without any warning, started the engine.
    Frightened of the noise and the jolt that came, I grabbed his waist and cursed under my breath, squeezing with all my might. As he accelerated my stomach seemed to flip over, so I shut my eyes tight and felt the air rush past my head, trying to imagine being someplace else. With my head resting against Alex’s back, somewhere between his shoulder blades, and my thighs pressed firmly against his, the feelings I experienced were a world away from the disgust I wanted to feel.
     
    The bike slowed and came to a stop, but I was still too afraid to open my eyes. When I finally did, I found we’d arrived in the parking lot. Jumping off the back like a scorched cat, I moved away from the damn thing and nervously brought my hands to the task of restoring order to my now chaotic hair.
    “ The bloody Academy of Art University.” I heard Alex’s voice “Oh, I’ll kill him!”
    Looking up, I saw him leaning forward slightly in his seat, one arm resting on the tank, watching me curiously.
    “What?”
    The corners of his lips seemed to curl up slightly, forming an amused expression, but not a smile as such.