“You heard me.” He leaned forwards so his lips were right by my ear. “You okay, Snowflake?”
“Your girl?” I repeated dumbly, as I noticed Portia storm off out of the corner of my eye. “What’s—I mean. We haven’t discussed.” I couldn’t get my brain to work properly.
“Mine.” He brushed my hair away from my neck and kissed me once, just under my ear, then carried on speaking to Zayde as if nothing had happened.
What the fuck? I mouthed across the table to Weston, and he shrugged, grinning. I saw him pull out his phone and start tapping on the screen; then he placed it on the table and indicated to it with a nod of his head. A few seconds later, my phone vibrated with a message, and I surreptitiously opened it in my lap.
West: Told you he really likes you.
Well, fuck me. Maybe he was right.
I spent the rest of the afternoon floating around my lectures in a daze, basically acting like a dreamy schoolgirl whose first crush had just noticed her. I kept telling myself to get a grip, but Caiden’s words played on repeat in my mind. We needed to have a conversation about whatever was going on between us. At some point. Then again, maybe I shouldn’t push for anything. Just let whatever was going to happen, happen.
I left my last lecture of the day and exited the building. The day had turned to night during my lecture. I actually didn’t mind the dark winter evenings—I liked being able to see the stars. Heading down the path leading to the library, I tugged my coat more tightly around me to ward off the chill in the air.
The library was warm and welcoming after the outside cold, and I removed my heavy winter coat and gloves as I entered, then headed up to the silence of the top floor. Dumping my things on an empty table, I headed into the stacks to grab the books I needed. My plan was to fill my mind with studying tonight so I wouldn’t have to be constantly worrying about what the Four were doing at AMC. That was the idea anyway.
“Winter. Can I have a quick word?” The shadowy figure that suddenly appeared around the stacks made me jump back in fright.
“It’s just me.” He moved closer. James Granville.
“James, you scared me. What are you doing, hiding in the shadows like that?”
“Sorry.” He looked around nervously, on edge. “Can we talk for a minute?”
“Um, okay. What’s up?”
He shuffled his feet, not looking at me. “I wanted to say I’m sorry how things turned out for us. I hope I didn’t cause problems for you.”
“That’s okay. I’m sorry, too. We could’ve been great friends.”
“But you picked Caiden Cavendish.” His mouth set in a flat line.
“James. I-I don’t know what to say. I—”
“It’s alright.” He stepped into the light, and I gasped. His left eye was swollen shut, puffy and bruised.
“Shit, James. What happened? Who did this to you?”
“That’s not important,” he said sharply.
I reached up to touch the bruising on his face, and he flinched. “You need to get some ice on that. I’m sorry.” Instinctively, I hugged him. His arms came around me, and he leaned his head on my shoulder.
“Thanks. I needed that,” he murmured, kissing my cheek, and then suddenly his lips were on mine.
I froze in shock.
Then my brain came back online with a roar, and I stamped down on his foot with all my strength.
He jumped backwards with an angry shout. “That hurt! Bitch!” He bent down, rubbing madly at his foot.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I was livid, hissing in his face. “Try that again and you’ll regret it. I mean it, James. Don’t. Fucking. Try. Me.”
“You and Cavendish deserve each other.” His mask slipped, and a vindictive smile appeared on his face. “I think I’m going to enjoy this, after all.”
Enjoy what? A sick feeling built in the pit of my stomach, and I could only stand and stare as he walked away from me, towards—was that my TA, Joseph?
As he reached him, he held up his hand, and they bumped fists, Joseph grasping a phone in his hand. Then they were gone, and I was left alone, confused, angry, and apprehensive.