I don’t know where I’m going. The path blurs, my breath too loud in my ears, and I don’t care. I just need to move. I need to get away from their laughter, from Silas’s eyes, from the sound of my own history being thrown back at me like proof of everything I already knew.
I don’t belong here.
I never did.
The campus gates are ahead. I don’t slow down.
I have to get out.
Chapter 21
Trey
I round the corner just in time to see her disappear.
Silver-blonde hair, moving fast. Gone before I can call out, before I can even be sure it was her. But I know. Something in my chest knows.
Harrick and Silas are standing in the middle of the path, watching the spot where she vanished. Harrick’s laughing. Silas looks like he just scraped something off his shoe.
“Was that—”
“Does it matter?” Harrick cuts me off.
Silas’s expression flattens. “You know exactly who it was.”
I look at where she disappeared. Back at them.
“Nova.”
“Of course.” Harrick grins. “The little misfit finally figured out where she belongs.”
My hands curl into fists.
“You didn’t.”
Silas raises an eyebrow. Doesn’t answer.
“Tell me you fucking didn’t.”
Harrick laughs, loud and easy like this is all a joke. “Chill out, man. What’s it to you?”
Silas tilts his head. Studies me. “Oh, that’s right. She’s your little girlfriend now, isn’t she? Did you forget to mention that to us?”
Harrick howls. “Holy shit. This is a joke, right? You can’t be serious.”
“Enough.”
The word comes out harder than I mean it to. Harrick’s laughter dies. Silas just watches me, that same flat expression, like he’s waiting to see what I’ll do.
“What, Trey?” His voice is soft. Almost amused. “You can dish it out but you can’t take it?”
“That’s not—”
“What are you going to do? Huff and puff?” He steps closer. “You’ve been right here with us plenty of times. Don’t pretend you’re better than this.”
My jaw tightens. He’s not wrong. I’ve stood next to them. Laughed at the same shit. Looked the other way when I should have looked closer.
But this is different.
