Page 87 of His Reckless Freshman

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.”

“I’m just…” She sniffs, shaking her head, opening up her crumpled tissue so she can blow her nose again.

I start looking in my bag for the little packet of Kleenex I usually keep on me.

“Here.” I pass them to her as soon as I have them in my hand.

“Thank you,” she blubbers, wrestling to pull one free.

I have to help her in the end, flicking out the white tissue to make it easier for her. She takes it and blows her nose, then scrubs another tear off her cheek.

Standing beside her, I wait it out, hoping she doesn’t mind my presence. Some people like to be alone when they cry. Maybe I should ask her what she wants to⁠—

“It was a bad date.”

“Oh.”

“I thought he—” Her expression crumples, and she ends up squeaking, “I thought he cared about me.”

“Aw.” I rub her shoulder. “I’m sorry. Guys can be jerks.”

“Yeah,” she squeaks again, darting her eyes at me and looking almost… scared for a second.

I tip my head, concern wrinkling my expression. “Is there more to this? Are you… okay?”

She sniffs, shaking her head but quickly pulling herself together. “Yeah, I’m… I’m fine. I don’t even know you, so I don’t know why I’m spilling my guts.”

“You can tell me anything, you know? I’m a very private person. It would be completely off the record.”

“Off the record?” Her expression bunches even more. “Are you a reporter or something?”

“Well, no.” But my lips kind of twitch, and I can’t help smiling. “I mean, I did just have an article published in the⁠—”

She tuts and spins away from me. “Forget it.” Darting around the side of the building, she disappears and misses my feeble call back.

“Wait. I… I won’t tell anybody. I’m barely a reporter.” I sigh and shake my head, suddenly remembering how gross I felt after my date with Kieran.

I hope she didn’t have an awful experience like that.

Poor thing.

Maybe I should chase after her, but… she didn’t want to talk to me. Hopefully she has a friend she can run to.

Gnawing on my lip, I head into the building, arriving at the office just in time to hear an internal door slam and see Angelica storming out of Kieran’s office.

I move to the edge of the room, trying to blend into the wall as she heads to her desk, looking enraged. I dart my eyes to Heather, who’s working at another desk, and she just shakes her head at me, bulging her eyes and warning me to stay quiet.

Okay. So this has obviously happened before.

Snatching her laptop, Angelica shoves it into her bag, muttering something under her breath before spinning and noticing me.

Her nostrils flare and she forces a completely unbelievable smile before gritting out, “I’m fine.”

Rushing past me, she storms out of the office. This must be the day of “I’m fine” women.

I look at Heather again, but she’s hunched back over her laptop, so obviously trying to be invisible.