I pull my phone out of my pocket and check my email. “I swear I sent your assignment–”
“You did,” he interrupts. “I got an A.”
I pull my gaze toward him, and a sly smirk is waiting for me.
“You do still owe me, though.” His head tilts. “Remember? Starts with a two…four zeroes following it?”
My shoulders suddenly feel heavy, like bricks are resting on top of them.
“I remember.” I take a sip of my coffee, hoping it’ll burn my tongue so I have an excuse not to talk to him.
Cross eyes me closely. His dark eyes drive so deeply into mine I’m afraid he can read all my thoughts. My heart beats loudly inside my ears, and the only thing that breaks our stare-off is the clearing of a throat.
I jerk backward, my coffee spilling from the top of my cup.
Tyler is standing in between us, eyeing us both with confusion. I panic and turn away from them both. I hurry off toward my next class, and I’ll be looking over my shoulderyetagain.
But I’m not sure who I’m expecting to see more: Cross or Nick.
[ 15 ]
CROSS
“This is kind of dumb,you know.”
I glance over at Tyler and frown. “What is?”
“You.”
“Well, you saidthisis kind of dumb, notyou’rekind of dumb–which I would take a little more offense to, by the way–so I assume you’re referring to my actions?”
He sighs, which is essentially a yes. He’s pointing fingers, but he’s the one who decided to join me this morning. I was perfectly fine trailing Scarlett around campus by myself.
This morning is a particularly cold one, and a layer of fog hovers over the snow-covered ground. The figures crossing the quad are dark silhouettes, students hunched against the cold.
It’s been four days since I won the fight I shouldn’t have then subsequently got blackmailed into forking over so much money I get sick thinking about it. I should’ve spent it–that would’ve shown Scarlett.
What thefuckdid I do?
“Earth to Cross.” Tyler snaps his fingers in front of my face.
I jerk back and scowl.
“Where is she?”
I sigh and gesture. She’s across the quad, barely visible in the mist, with Sawyer. I’m not sold on the new friend, but whatever. I feel better giving her more space–since Scarlett’s been a little snotty about it–when she isn’t alone.
Itiswhen she’s alone that I…worry.
And trust me, it pains me to use that word.
Tyler sighs again, louder.
“Well, no one asked you to come with me,” I grumble.
“You literally said…” He pulls out his phone and opens our messages. “And I quote, ‘Can you come take a shift watching Wallace while I run an errand?’”
“Oh, yeah.” I smile at his irritation. “Thanks, by the way.”
