His answer was swift. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Thanks, Adam.” I hung up and fell back against the door. And the strange thing, I really was thankful.
When I heard a knock at the door, I screamed and shot to my feet. I knew who was on the other side, although I couldn’t feel him. “Go away.” I flinched when I heard my voice. It was raw and vulnerable. I was raw and vulnerable.
He knocked again, but slower this time. I snorted. Really?! Did he think it would be more dramatic that way?
“Go away!” I yelled this time. I wasn’t scared of vamps. I was just scared of this vamp. The door seemed large and luminous. I watched as it seemed to grow before me. It was like it was just waiting for me to answer it.
I don’t know how long I stood there.
“Davina? It’s me.” I jumped when I heard another abrupt knock, but relaxed instantly. It was Adam. A whole host of relief, warm fuzzies, and other feelings rushed through me at the sound of his voice. Nice and normal.
Flinging open the door, I launched myself at him. He even smelled normal. If I knew I wouldn’t scare him away, I would’ve wrapped my legs around his waist. “I am so glad you’re here,” I jumbled out with my nose pressed into his masculine-smelling sweater.
Adam laughed, caught off guard, and held me up. “I’m glad that you’re glad.”
Right. Human. I needed to act human. I unglued myself and pulled back. “Sorry. I…uh…sorry. I’m just…” I felt stupid.
“Emotional,” Adam offered.
He was awesome.
“That’s okay. Mr. Moser said it’s good to let yourself feel. Let it flow naturally, Davina. Really. That’s the only way you can start healing.” Adam enfolded me tighter and tucked his chin in the crook of my neck. “Let it out, Davina. Let it out.”
His blue sweater felt warm against my skin. He smelled of pine trees and musk. I inhaled deeper and smelled a little vanilla in there too. This is what it would be like if we were boyfriend and girlfriend. I might need him. He’d come to hug me and the world would melt away.
“Ahem.”
We turned to see Emily glaring at us with her arms crossed and annoyed.
“What?” I was having a moment.
She rolled her eyes. “You have a visitor downstairs.”
“Who?”
Emily shrugged impatiently and pushed past us to her closet. She flung open the door and grabbed a brush. As she combed her hair and reached for some lipstick, she remarked, “Some girl who looks like a stripper.”
That could have been anyone according to Emily’s standards. “She didn’t give a name?”
“What am I–your receptionist?” Emily gave me a disgusted look, slammed her closet door shut, and stormed past me. Adam whistled underneath his breath.
I didn’t know why Emily was so pissed, and at that moment I didn’t care. She’d go back down, make crooning noises with the vampire, and be her oddly gushing self in a moment. I had three things on my mind: visitor, vampire, and Adam.
“I guess the news got out, huh?” Adam stuffed his hands into his front pockets, which made him look leaner and taller. The soft shadow from our poorly lit dorm room seemed to soften his features and his blue eyes looked adorable. My tongue might’ve just fallen out.
Then I heard what he said. “Wait. What news?”
“The girl that jumped – it’s all over the news.”
That didn’t bode well with me. “Uh…” I ran a hand through my hair and cringed. My hair must’ve looked like a bird’s nest.
“You look fine,” Adam reassured me.
“Thanks.” I still turned and found a mirror. Not bad. My normally frizzy hair actually looked shiny and healthy. Wonders never ceased.
“So I guess…your visitor, huh?”