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I nodded. I got it. I did. But what was I supposed to do? Leave? Stay? Both options sucked now.

“It’s just like Mr. Halifax all over again,” Scarlett said.

“No,” I said. “It’s not. Adonis is nothing like Mr. Halifax.”

“You’re right,” Scarlett said. “At least Mr. Halifax valued education.”

“Baby,” Axel said a little more firmly. “Don’t.”

Scarlett sighed a frustrated breath.

“None of us want to see Sophie get hurt again,” Liam said. “But this isn’t your choice, Scar. It’s hers. So maybe take a minute to cool off?”

I appreciated him standing up for me. But I wasn’t upset with Scarlett. I was just upset that she was right.

Adonis dismissed my dreams like they meant nothing. Just because school meant nothing to him. And if the idea of him sitting still with me and Larry was so hard for him to fathom...what future did we have exactly? Because that was the future I saw. The three of us together.

God, I didn’t want to think about this. I wanted to be happy that I’d just gotten my acceptance letter. I wanted all my friends to be celebrating instead of looking at me like they were worried I was about to break again.

But I wasn’t going to break. I wouldn’t let that happen. Not just for my sake, but for theirs. I hadn’t just scared the shit out of them after Mr. Halifax had left. I’d scared the shit out of myself.

“We’ll figure it out,” I said as calmly as I could. I had to. Because I refused to give Adonis up.

“Just tell him how much it means to you,” Jacob said. “He’ll understand.”

I nodded slowly. He was right. I hadn’t told Adonis how I was feeling. I’d just kind of clammed up. I’d tell him how much this particular college meant to me. And then we’d figure it out. Of course we would. I smiled. Yeah, everything was fine. Adonis would never leave me. I don’t know why I’d been so upset. He’d promised.

Jacob put his arm around my shoulders. “What we should be focusing on is your birthday next week. What do you want to do?” He walked me to my first class.

We’d stayed in for Scar’s birthday. And we’d gone out last month for Axel’s. Normally I would have been all over going out.

“Let me talk to Adonis,” I said. “But maybe you guys can come to his place?” They hadn’t seen it yet.

“Sounds good, Soph.” Jacob pulled me into a hug. “It’s going to be fine.”

“I know.” He’d actually calmed me down a lot. Everything truly was fine. And a night in was just what we all needed. It could help sway Adonis that this group of people wasn’t one you skipped out on. These were the friends that lasted a lifetime. I was willing to bend, I really was. But I was not willing to break.

Chapter 40 – She Flashed Me

Friday – One Week Later

“Adonis,” I said with a laugh as he blindfolded me. “As much as I want whatever this is, our friends will be here in like an hour. And I want to clean up your room a bit.”

“Do you trust me?” Adonis asked.

“Yes.” I’d tried to talk to him several times about our plans for the future. I knew he understood that going to the University of New Castle was important to me now. But he still didn’t want to come. He was adamant that we’d work it out though. That we’d be fine. That he’d visit me on some weekends and holidays and everything would be practically the same.

But would it be? Really? I was glad he wasn’t giving up on us. But I was terrified of being apart from him for big lengths of time. I was used to seeing him every day.

And I kind of wanted to see him right now to figure out what the heck he was doing. I tilted my head back to try and sneak a peek at him.

“Stop it,” he said with a laugh. “You said you trusted me, so you’ll trust me to tell you what’s going on when it’s time. Now say goodbye to Pussy.” He grabbed my hand and made me pet our cat.

“Why am I saying goodbye to Larry?” I asked as I petted her. “We’re going to be here all night. And I already told my mom I was staying at Scarlett’s so I could sleep over here.”

“I know. That’s what gave me the idea.”

“What idea?” I squealed as Adonis lifted me off his bed. I had no idea what was happening, but I could tell he was carrying me down the stairs. “Seriously, what is going on?”