“Is he X, then? The one who used to do the graffiti for the club?” Renee said, the pieces obviously falling into place.
“Yep, that’s him,” I replied shortly, my arm dropping beside me. I was exhausted. The late hour and Maxx’s sudden reemergence back in my life had me wanting to crawl into bed.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me that? I mean, wow. He’s kind of a big deal,” she said, sitting down beside me.
“Yeah, I know. But who the hell cares that his talent is off the charts? It doesn’t change the fact that he can’t have any place in my life anymore. No matter how many pretty paintings he leaves outside my front door,” I stated emphatically, though my words rang somewhat false and I wondered who I was trying to convince. Renee or myself.
“But from that painting I’m guessing he doesn’t plan on going away anytime soon.”
“I guess not,” I agreed.
“And how do you feel about that?” she asked, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Isn’t that my line?” I snorted.
Renee chuckled. “I’ve seriously been hanging out with you entirely too long,” she said.
I sobered and sighed. “I’m not sure how I feel, Renee.”
My friend pressed in close and put her arm around me. I rested my head on her shoulder and closed my eyes. “It’ll be all right,” Renee said, and I wondered if she was speaking for me or for herself.
“I’ll be all right,” I parroted her, trying to believe it.
chapter
thirteen
aubrey
“hey, ladies!”
I glanced over my shoulder to see Brooks jogging toward Renee and me as we walked across campus.
I hadn’t slept well the last two nights. The dreams that had all but disappeared in the last two weeks were back with a vengeance. While I couldn’t remember the exact nature of my nightmares, all I knew was that I woke up soaked in sweat and feeling a knot of dread in my stomach so tight I felt sick.
When Renee and I left home this morning, I refused to look at the remnants of the chalk drawing that still marred the sidewalk. And I refused to think about the possibility of seeing Maxx again now that he was out of rehab.
Nope. Wasn’t thinking about it atall.
“What’s up?” Brooks asked, a little out of breath once he slowed down to walk by my side.
“Nothing,” I said at the same time that Renee responded, “Maxx.” I shot Renee the look of death. She widened her eyes innocently and mouthed, “Sorry.”
Brooks’s jaw clenched marginally, but then he smiled.
“Well, let’s go get a doughnut before class. That’ll put you in a better mood.” Brooks began to steer me toward the small coffee shop.
“I’m heading to the library. You want to meet up for lunch?” Renee asked.
“Uh, I think I’ll just head back home to eat,” I said, knowing that what I was doing was running away and hiding.
Because after the unexpected artwork outside my door, I wasn’t comfortable with the possibility of seeing the artist.
Renee gave me a look but didn’t comment. When she left, Brooks and I continued on to the coffee shop. The place was heaving by the time we got there, full of students getting their dose of caffeine before class. We got in line and waited.
“I have a study group tonight; do you want me to come over afterward?” Brooks asked. I nodded absently, not really hearing him.
“Sure, sounds great,” I said, giving Brooks my attention and pushing away any twinges of misgiving brought on by too little sleep, not enough coffee, and a particular drawing in chalk gracing the gray pavement outside of my apartment.
