“Inertia,” Jaya said in that crisp, clear voice of hers, turning to face Mr. Martinez. “An object at rest will remain at rest until an outside force acts on it.” She glanced at Grey and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Nothing changes if nothing changes,” Grey mumbled, forgetting where, exactly, he’d heard that.

“Yes! Good. Very good.” Mr. Martinez went back to his demonstration.

Grey and Jaya locked eyes again. There was something in her gaze, something that said her answer had to do with more than just physics.

After class, as they were all hauling their chairs back into the classroom, Jaya said, “You’re going to Aspen tomorrow to shop for winter gear, aren’t you, Grey?”

He blinked. “Why?”

“Dr. Waverly said she has tickets to that ski resort up there, if people want to go after they’re done shopping.” She set her chair down, her eyes downcast. She was smiling. “I… would like to ski, but I don’t really want to do it alone.”

Grey didn’t let his face show any emotion. Jaya Rao was compelling in some ways. When she let her real self shine through. When it wasn’t all mindless chatter and eye batting. When she got mad and said what she really thought. But Jaya Rao was, above all, a Rao. The entire reason he was… the way he was. And that pendant she wore? It really didn’t want him anywhere near her. Who was he to fight that? “DE skis.”

Jaya studied him, her smile fading. As if she might be genuinely disappointed at his rejection. “Okay. I’ll ask her, then.”

Nodding, Grey set his chair down and turned away, ignoring the slight regretful tug in his own heart.

Jaya

Grey Emerson had turned her down.

Jaya stood looking after him, feeling equal parts confused, unsettled, and mildly irritated. This past month since the mixer had been mostly progress. Although she’d felt fissures of doubt crack through her plan at the mixer, Jaya had somewhat reluctantly decided to continue with it because, really, there was no other choice. Between a stranger who’d orchestrated her sister’s scandal and her entire family, who was she supposed to choose?

So while Grey was still his gruff, standoffish self, occasionally she’d gotten glimmers of something from him this past month. A response to a question or a comment that felt genuine, less guarded. She’d been moving in the right direction. Or at least, she thought she had. He wasn’t supposed to turn her down. He was supposed to fall for her, head over heels, heart and soul, all of that. And you’re feeling just the slightest bit disappointed at his rejection, a small voice deep inside her whispered. Denial doesn’t become you, Jaya.