“Sure. I only need to run by my room first to change.”
“Okay I’ll come by in twenty.”
“See you then.” I end the call and tuck my phone back in my bag. When I leave the library, Killian is waiting by the door smoking a cigarette. I feel awkward now and unsure of what to say to him.
“Who called you?” he questions.
“Um…none of your business. Are you this nosy with all your friends?”
“Forget it,” he huffs and takes another drag off his cigarette.
“Forgotten.” I shake my head and step around him. I’m not doing this back and forth thing he seems to get off on. I pick up my pace taking longer steps. I do need to change if I am going to dinner with Woodrow.
“Liri, wait.” He grabs my wrist and pulls me to him. I spin around to face him. He’s dropped his cigarette now and is chewing another piece of grape bubblegum. The smell reminds me of his kiss.
“What, Killian?” I snap at him not exactly meaning to sound harsh, but he is wearing me out.
“You shouldn’t walk alone on campus at night.”
I jerk my keychain out of my bag. “I have pepper spray.” I hold it up at him and he covers my hand with his.
“Watch where you point that thing.” He laughs. “Do you even know how to use it?”
“I wasn’t going to spray you…not yet anyway,” I tease.
“I’ll take that as a warning.”
We start moving toward my dorm, and he takes my hand again. I have to go and ruin the moment and make it ten kinds of awkward by looking down at the way his hand wraps around mine and swallows it. He is a lot taller than me too. I’m only 5’3 with shoes on.
Killian drops my hand. “Sorry. I guess friends don’t hold hands either,” his voice comes out in a mocking tone.
“You are so confusing.” I can’t read him at all. I want to think that maybe he likes me but then he closes himself off to me and gets all moody.
His phone rings and he digs it out of his back pocket. He looks at the screen and an irritated expression crosses his face.
“Do you need to get that?”
He shakes his head then stares straight ahead and clenches his phone in his hand so hard I am afraid he is going to break it. “Your boyfriend’s here,” he growls.
I follow his gaze and see Woodrow standing by the front of my dorm. “He’s not my boyfriend. Isn’t he your friend? We’re grabbing dinner, and maybe I would invite you if I thought you were serious about being my friend too.”
“I have somewhere else to be. Enjoy your date.”
“It’s not…you know what, Killian, I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
I don’t wait for him to say something rude back to me. I square my shoulders and meet up with Woodrow.
“Are you early or am I late?”
He smiles. “Right on time.”
“Do I have time to change?”
“Only if you want to but you look fine.”
“Are you sure I’m not underdressed?”
“You’re perfect.” His eyes flit up and down my body. “I’m parked across the street.”