I glance over at the clock on the wall and sigh. “You have one minute. I really need to get ready for class.”
He bites his lip. “You need to stay away from Blade.”
Of fucking course. “Why? Is he a player, too? Is he going to take advantage of me? Seriously Zayn, this is getting obnoxious. First Mason and now Blade?”
“No, it's not like that,” he stresses. “Be with Mason. Be with a thousand Masons. But Blade is dangerous.”
“Dangerous?” I deadpan, not believing that the guy I spent the past weekend with could be anything close to that.
He nods. “You have to trust me on this, Meelz. He's not a good guy, and if you knew about the shit he's done, you'd run in the other direction.”
“So, tell me.”
“What?”
I shrug. “Tell me some of the things he's done.”
His mouth opens and closes, as if he doesn't know what to say. “I—I can't.”
Rolling my eyes, I go to push past him. “Then I can't promise I'll stay away from him.”
I walk into my room, ready to leave the whole conversation in the hallway, but Zayn quickly follows me inside. If Kennedy was here, she would probably kick him out herself. Unfortunately for me, she left to get coffee when I was getting in the shower.
“What are you doing?” I question angrily. “Get out of my room.”
He shakes his head. “I'm sorry, Amelia, but you need to listen to me on this one.”
“How can I? You've given me nothing to go off of but your word.”
His shoulders sag. “Can't that be enough?”
I wish it could, but it can’t. “No.”
Acting as if he's not even here, I drop my towel and start changing into the clothes I laid out for the day. A strangled whine leaves his mouth, but when I glance over at him, he's staring at the ceiling—fighting not to look at me. A subtle smirk appears on my face, but he had his chance.
When I'm finally done getting dressed, I tie my wet hair into a messy bun in an attempt to get out of here sooner. If he wants to hang around in my dorm all day, that's on him, but I won't be around to keep him company.
“I'm going to class,” I say without looking at him.
He steps in my way just before I make it to the door. “Amelia, I'm begging you.”
I look up, and my eyes lock with his. Something behind them sucks the breath right out of me. Something I've never seen before. He looks terrified, and I don't know what it's from—Blade himself, or the idea of losing me to someone else.
“He's not who you think.”
All the fight leaves my body, and I sigh. “Honestly, Zayn, that's nothing new. You aren't who I thought you were either.”
It's not meant to be a dig, or any kind of pettiness for not wanting to be with me. But for him to act so completely emotionless while my heart was shattering into a billion tiny pieces, it hurt. He knew this wasn't a small crush. He knew it's something I've thought of for years, because I told him. It's why he kissed me in the first place. And yet, all he's done is play with my emotions. One minute he's rejecting me in his living room, and the next, he's jealous that I've moved on.
Side stepping him, I open the door. However, before I walk out, I turn back to him.
“I'm a big girl, Z,” I tell him. “You don't have to worry about me.”
He grumbles something inaudible under his breath, but lets me go.
CHEERLEADING PRACTICE BECOMES EXACTLY what I need to get all this aggravation out. The workouts are getting easier now that Chrissy has managed to whip my ass back into shape, and becoming a flyer is exactly the thrill I was looking for. The stunts are bigger in university cheer, more dangerous. Being one of the smallest on the team made me perfect for the spot, and Kennedy got the other.
Chrissy announces a five-minute break, and I cradle out of the stunt. My spotters catch me with ease and place me on the ground. Walking over to where Kennedy and I left our bottles of water, she watches me intently.