“She’s still mad,” Memphis murmurs.
“I don’t think she’s mad at all. I think she’s hurt. She wouldn’t even look at me.”
“Shit. I think that’s worse,” he admits.
I think he’s right.
* * *
As soon asthe doors open, releasing the class, I start searching for Waylynn, even though I know she won’t be the first one out. She always lingers and allows everyone to clear out before she does.
Memphis is standing behind the door so she won’t see him when she walks out. It feels a little shady, but I know she needs to talk to him too. Predictably, she’s with the last of the stragglers, but sadly, she’s not alone. The girl who was sitting next to her is walking with her and giving me a look that promises cockblocking. “Damn it,” I mutter under my breath.
“What’s wrong?” Memphis steps away from the wall as if he’s ready to snap into action.
“She has backup.” I pretend I’m just rubbing under my nose, but really, I’m covering my mouth so she doesn’t suspect I’m speaking to someone, namely my idiot brother.
“Who the fuck is it? That guy?” Memphis takes another step forward.
“No, later.”
“If it isn’t the stalker,” the stranger patronizes in a mocking tone. Memphis’ brow furrows, but at least he knows it’s not the study group dude.
“Wavy, do you even know this chick?” I ignore the girl on purpose and only look at Waylynn.
“Her name is Gwen,” she answers as if that proves she does.
“Cool. Can I walk you?” I offer, not wanting to be too much of a dick, but I want this girl to leave us the fuck alone.
“Um… I was…”
“I invited her to hang out, so she doesn’t have a lot of time. We have plans,” Gwen says, speaking for Waylynn, which bugs the shit out of me.
Memphis takes a step forward, and I shove my arm out to stop him, but then I have to pretend I was pushing my hair back in an awkward ass kind of way. Waylynn’s lips curl down in a frown as she examines me. “Okay.” My voice is tight. “How about ten minutes? We can go chill outside, then she can come find you when we’re done.” I make it clear I want to talk to her alone.
“Dude, she doesn’t want to talk to you. Catch the vibe.”
“Waylynn, you don’t want to talk to me?” I question, but I shouldn’t have left it open like that.
“I just don’t think there’s anything else to say.” She looks down at her feet.
“That’s bullshit and you know it,” I snap because I’m worried she’s not even going to give me a chance to explain.
“Give it up, man. I did a two-second search on you and found the pictures. I’m sure she did too, which is why you’re here begging to explain your hookup last night.”
My stomach drops when I see Waylynn take a deep breath and hold it like the girl’s words caused her pain. I knew there was a possibility she would have seen the pictures, but I wasn’t prepared to see how it affected her.
When she looks up, it’s straight past me. All the emotion is erased from her face, leaving behind a girl I don’t know. “I need to get going,” Waylynn says and shoulders right past me and the girl who said they had plans together without looking back.
I’m still too shaken to do anything but stare after her. Memphis springs out from behind the door and barks, “Stop!” Waylynn freezes for half a second, and then she does something she told me she never does—she actually runs.
Waylynn
My knees feelwobbly when I stand up. The girl who introduced herself to me as Gwen and spent most of the class on her phone turns to me. “I can walk out with you,” she offers.
“Okay,” I accept. I don’t know if Oswald really stuck around, but there’s a chance he did, and having her with me might make it easier to walk away from him.Might.
My heart is beating too fast, and I’m feeling way too hot for having been sitting in the air-conditioning for the past hour. “If it isn’t the stalker,” Gwen snarks as we make it to the door. It’s horrible that I get a thrill knowing he waited or came back for me, which I smash down with the image of the other girl on his lap.
