His eyes narrow a bit. “What about Leo?”
My jaw tightens and Mr. Cain sees it. “Someone from my past I wish was dead. But he hasn’t done anything… yet.”
Mr. Cain studies me a moment longer, then nods. “You need anything, come to me. Security knows to keep an eye on him.”
I nod in appreciation and head out, wrapping my jacket tighter around myself as I step into the night. It’s cold. Thestreets are mostly empty as I drive toward campus. My stomach reminds me I hadn’t eaten since lunch, so I swing by a twenty-four hour taco stand a few blocks from the dorm.
I think I need to start bringing some food with me to work, maybe even a protein bar. Something so I don’t get light headed.
With a bag of food in hand, I climb back into my car and make my way to my dorm. As I’m driving through a quieter street near the student housing area, I slow down when I see a crowd outside one of the houses. There’s laughter, red cups, and the bass of some rap song thudding from inside.
I recognized the figures first by their builds, Mason, Miles, and then Hayden. He is leaning against the front porch railing, half-smiling at something one of his brothers says. He looks completely at ease, like the darkness that clung to him around me disappeared when he’s surrounded by them.
He still looks so handsome, he’s bigger now, but god he’s… Stop it Olivia, he hates you, remember that. I shout to myself.
So, this is where he lives. With them. So close. I’m not sure why his family home is about thirty minutes away from campus. He could have stayed home, maybe he wanted the college life for a bit.
I duck lower in my seat, not even sure why. Maybe because I don’t want him to see me watching him. Maybe because a part of me, the foolish part, wants to remember him like this, smiling and human, and not the venomous stranger who ripped my heart out at school.
Again, it’s something which is my own fault.
I press my foot on the gas and drive off before anyone notices me, the taco bag sitting untouched on the seat beside me.
I miss him. I miss him laughing with me, I miss the way he held me in his arms when I was cold. I just miss him.
The moment I step out of class, I can feel Jen’s eyes drilling into the back of my head like heat lasers. She's been a bitch all morning, cutting into my answers in class, pretending not to hear me, and making snide comments under her breath that are clearly meant for me. Abigail’s been trying to help me, but Jen wants to be a bitch. Abigail has stayed close, whispering reassurances, telling me Jen is just jealous, because Hayden isn’t giving her all his attention.
We walk to lunch, and I look around for her, she’s always the first one to be in here, talking about some party, or some stupid gossip crap no one cares about.
“She said she’ll be at lunch, she had to do something,” Abigail mutters as we walk across the quad. I don't even have to ask who. “Maybe she’ll forget.”
“She doesn’t forget, she’s a weirdo who remembers everything, I think she has a black book of the people she hates,” I murmur back.
By the time we sit down for lunch, the conversation has already shifted to a party happening this weekend. How many parties do they need to attend? This is our last year, all I want is to pass, and get out, but every party has been full of students. Everyone is excited, already planning what outfits they will wear. I wish one day I can sit here and not talk about a stupid party, but then again I wish I wasn’t sitting here at all and can hide in my room, so I don’t have to see Hayden.
I hate that I’m hiding from him, but hiding is better than listening to the words he says to me.
“Are you coming?” Abigail asks, nudging my side.
I shake my head quickly. “No, I've work.” I’m so happy I have a job where I can go when I don’t want to go to the parties. Leo might be there, but I have a feeling Lincoln will stop him coming anywhere close to me, and I’ve not seen Hayden there once, so it’s away from everything, and everyone.
Before she asks what time my shift is, Leo slides in beside me, draping his arm over my chair, his fingers grazing the side of my arm like we were something. We weren’t anything, and we never fucking will be.
I wonder if I could kill him and get away with it. The answer to that question is no. I’m hoping to be a lawyer one day, and the asshole has already fucked up one part of my life, I won’t let him fuck up another part.
“Get the fuck off me,” I snap.
His smirk doesn't fade. “Still got that mouth on you, huh?” He knows nothing about me, and he never will.
I stand up, grabbing my bag. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Abi.”
Abigail looks concerned, but she doesn’t follow. Leo just laughs like he’s won something. Abi has never asked me why I hate him, or she’s never pushed the subject about Leo or Hayden, and I’m grateful she hasn’t because I have no idea what I would say to her.
I storm across the quad, making my way to my car. I have to get to the hospital, I have an important update meeting with the doctor about my mom’s treatment, and there's no way I can miss it.
Dad has been doing most of the hospital appointments, but today he picked up an extra shift, and I have no classes this afternoon, so I told my dad not to worry about it.
Then I see all four tires on my car have been slashed.
