He didn’t move. Just stood there, silently staring at me with wide brown eyes. Given how he’d stormed away from the other guy, I had to assume he was the angry one called Jeremiah. But now, he looked a little less furious and a lot more startled, like he hadn’t even realized what he’d done to me until I yelled at him.
A few feet away, the other man pushed off the wall he’d been leaning against. My eyes widened as I took a proper look and realized it washim.The hot tattooed guy I’d noticed at the Saint Dionysius statue earlier.
He shifted a hand out of his pocket and angled himself toward me, like he meant to head over and help me gather my things. But before he could take another step, the guy who’d collided with me finally jolted into action.
“Shit, I’m so sorry,” he blurted, crouching in front of me to gather my scattered things. “I wasn’t looking where I was going. Totally zoned out.”
I crouched down too and picked up my phone. Somehow, it had survived the fall without a single crack.
With a little sigh of relief, I slid it back into my purse and looked up at the guy, face softening slightly. “It’s okay, I get it. I’ve been zoning out half the day too,” I said, feeling bad for snapping at him now that he was helping. “Sorry I called you an asshole.”
“No, it’s fine. Iaman asshole. I can’t believe I just walked into you like that! I almost sent you flying into the pond,” he said, jabbing a thumb toward a pond with a fountain on my right. I hadn’t even noticed it was there until he mentioned it.
I gave him a small, wry smile. “Well, you didn’t, so it’s fine. Although…” I looked around the leaf-strewn ground again. “I think one of my earbuds may have ended up in there.”
The guy winced. “Sorry. If you give me your details, I’ll Venmo you for a new pair.”
“No, it’s all right.” I let out a light sigh as I waved a dismissive hand. “I’ve been meaning to replace them anyway. They always fall out.”
“Are you sure?” he asked as he handed me another pen and a red scrunchie. “I mean, I feel like I owe yousomethingafter Hulk-smashing you like that.”
“Well… I suppose there’s one thing you can help me with,” I said, shoving the last of my stuff back in my bag.
“Yeah?”
“Directions.” I gave him a sheepish smile as I rose to my feet. “I just transferred here, and I dropped all my stuff at my dorm earlier. But then I spent two hours on a campus tour and got all turned around. Now I can’t remember if I’m meant to go that way orthatway to get back to my dorm.”
“Which building did they put you in?” he asked, standing too.
“Athena.”
“Ah.” He smiled. “That’s a nice one. Private rooms. I’m guessing you’re at least a sophomore, then?”
“Junior.”
“Ah, cool.” He turned and pointed to another walkway across the quad beside us. “If you go through there and turn right, the Athena building will be directly ahead of you.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
He smiled again and stuck out a hand. “I’m Jeremiah, by the way.”
“Violet,” I said, returning his smile. As we shook hands, I noticed that the other guy was still watching us like a hawk from his spot near the wall, intense eyes slightly narrowed. “Er… I think your friend might want something from you,” I added, dropping my hand. “He’s been staring over here the whole time we’ve been chatting.”
“Who?” Jeremiah flicked his head around, then looked back at me. “You mean Julian?”
“Uh… I guess so, if that’s the guy standing by the wall.”
He gave a dismissive wave, jaw clenching slightly. “He’s not my friend,” he muttered. “Just a guy I know. Don’t worry about him.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Anyway, speaking of knowing people,” he went on, cocking his head slightly. “If you’ve just transferred here, I’m guessing you probably haven’t met many new people yet?”
I nodded. “Yeah, you’re only the second person I’ve met so far.”
“Well, I know I’ve made a pretty terrible first impression, so I totally get it if you say no. But if you’re interested, my boyfriend Dylan and I are helping a friend of ours host a back-to-school party on Friday,” he said. “You’re totally welcome to come. Have some drinks, meet some new people. And I promise: no one willbowl you over. Except Dylan with his cooking skills, maybe. He makes thebestcanapés.”
I laughed softly. “That sounds really cool. Where’s it going to be?”
