She frowns. “He wouldn’t have been so frantic yesterday if you didn’t mean a lot to him. What if it was some kind of misunderstanding? Maybe he never slept with Harper. Maybe she lied.”
“No.” I take a deep breath. “It all makes sense. Everyone loves him for a reason. He’s charming. Beautiful, charismatic people like Tristan are used to getting whatever they want. He probably thinks he can have me and Harper at the same time. He never promised me fidelity.”
She squeezes my hand. “This is all speculation. You won’t have any real answers until you talk to him.”
“And I will,” I say. “Just not yet. I need to get my emotions under control first.”
Serena’s guarded expression tells me she’s not entirely satisfied with that answer. I reach out and wrap my arms around her. “I like that you’re not letting me get off easily. You’re pushing me to be better, more mature. Unfortunately, I’m a big baby.”
Sadness tugs at my heart. Serena’s usually more coddling, but right now, she reminds me of Cody. Though he’d be much sterner. He’d call me a baby before I got the chance to chastise myself.
Fuck, I miss him. He’s been a source of stability for the last three years. How could my life have changed so much in mere weeks?
She squeezes me tightly. Her warmth makes the tension in my body ease for the first time in days. “You’re not a baby. And I’m sorry if I’m being pushy.”
“Don’t be sorry,” I say as I pull away. “You’re a good friend. I don’t know how I’d survive this bullshit competition without you.”
As I walk back to my dorm, the dusk is settling in, casting shadows that blend the edges of buildings into a dimming sky. The door handle is ice cold on my fingertips. Just as I pull the door open, I'm hoisted off the ground. The breath catches in my throat, and a startled gasp escapes my lips as I'm spun around.
"I waited as long as I could." Tristan's voice booms through the cold air. "We're talking. Now.”
I squirm in his hard arms, but he holds me tightly, his breathing steady as he carries me up the hill. I'll never get away from him. He's the size of a goddamn ox and every bit as strong.
"We are not talking now," I shout. "Put me down!"
"Nope."
I wiggle again, but his arms are like steel bands.
"I'll put you down if you give me two minutes of your time,” he says. “Two minutes to talk. That's all I'm asking."
My heart beats against my ribcage like a trapped bird. Tristan’s bright-blue eyes bore into mine. "Can you give me that right now, or do I need to carry you all the way to my house?"
I relent with a huff, dangling in his grip like a rag doll. "Fine.”
He halts, searching my face with skepticism. "You'll give me two minutes?"
"Two minutes, and that's it!"
He gently sets me down, and a devil sparks inside of me. As soon as he stands back, I turn around and dart away.
I don't make it very far. A split second later, his arms are around me again, and the monster is laughing. Here I am, the first person on this campus to show him what a bastard he really is, and he's laughing at me.
"I should have known you would do that. God, I’ve been so miserable these past few days. Only you can make me laugh.” His breath tickles my ear. “I hope you do it forever, Amelia. Every time I’m sad.”
His belief that we have a future is like a warm blanket, and I want to yank it off and smother him with it.
Why is his voice so full of affection? If I didn’t know he slept with Harper immediately after telling me I’m precious to him, I’d completely believe this man adores me. This must be the magic of his charm. He has that deceptive ability to make the object of his fleeting attention feel like the center of his universe.
"Two minutes, Amelia." His strong hand is wrapped around my wrist. He won’t let me get away this time, though his voice is soft and inviting. "Just give me that."
I lift up the phone I was somehow able to hang onto and pull up the timer. I set it for two minutes and show it to him as the clock begins to tick down. "Start talking.”
His puffed-up chest deflates, and for the first time, I'm able to take in the sight of him. His eyes are bloodshot with dark circles underneath.
"Oh God,” I mutter, “you look terrible."
"Yeah," he huffs. "You left me. Why did you do that?"
