“Okay, where are we studying today?” I ask Keller, who’s standing stoically in the living room.
He gestures to the dungeon—I mean lecture room. “Where we normally study.”
“What?” I ask. “But... I thought after yesterday we were livening things up.” I give my shoulders a slight shimmy.
“We’ll be in the room, Lilly,” he says, ignoring my shimmy and attempt to lighten the obvious morose mood he’s in. “Let’s get a move on.”
Move on?
Okay, this morning when we were on our run and he was silent most of the time, I chalked it up to maybe a rough night of sleep and didn’t bother him.
And at breakfast, when he didn’t even look at me, I let him off easy, because maybe he was thinking about what we were going over today.
But now, no way, this is unacceptable.
I follow him into the room, and when he shuts the door, I spin on him, hands on my hips, and say, “What the hell is going on?”
“What do you mean?” he asks, still avoiding eye contact as he moves around the room.
“I mean, you’re being weird and I want to know why.”
“I’m not being weird, Lilly. Now take a seat, we have a lot to go over.”
“Keller, will you just look at me?”
His shoulders drop and he lifts his head, his eyes meeting mine. “What?”
“Last night, we had fun, you even said you did. I thought we connected on a different level. And now, well... it feels like you’re pulling away, and I don’t know why. Did I do something wrong?”
“No. It’s just time to get to work.”
He’s acting so cold, as if yesterday meant nothing. I don’t get it. Was it because of his dream? Because he thought he hurt me?
“If you’re worried about last night, your dream—”
“Lilly, I said let’s get started.”
“You didn’t hurt me, Keller, see?” I show him my arms. “Totally fine.”
“Sit down, Lilly.”
“Or if you’re embarrassed, don’t be. I get night terrors too, it’s totally—”
“I said, SIT DOWN,” he shouts at me, his body now coiled with aggravation. “We’re not talking about last night, we’re not talking about my dream, and we’re not talking about anything other than what I have planned. So, take a seat, shut your mouth, and just listen.”
Oh.
No.
He.
Didn’t.
* * *
“He’s avoiding me, Lara,”I say as we walk around the back of the castle.
“How’s he avoiding you? He spent all morning in training with you.”
