Page 30 of Hooves & HeartStrings

But before I can think about anything else, Marley finds an empty spot. Next to a guy. A good-looking guy who is eye fucking my girl already.

My hand tightens around my pen until it snaps in my hand.

“Shit,” I hiss, ink staining my hand. Thankfully, there's a garbage can next to me, so I toss the broken pen in and do my best to clean up the ink with some napkins I kept from when I went to the cafeteria for breakfast.

“Are you okay?” the girl next to me asks.

“Yeah,” I grunt, my eyes on Marley. She smiles at the asshole and I’m seconds from getting up and telling him to fuck off.

I don’t because the professor walks in and addresses the class.

It’s a struggle to pay attention with my focus mostly on Marley. The asshole keeps trying to talk to Marley.

Can’t he see she’s trying to concentrate?

“Alright, everyone, that’s enough for today. Now, it’s time to pick partners for the project I mentioned at the beginning of the class.”

Wait, what? Did I miss something? Partners?

“Your partner for this project will be who you’re sitting next to. That means, just in case I need to explain to you, you and you are together.” She points at Marley and the guy next to her. I don’t hear what else she says because all I can do is shoot death glares at the back of the guy who just got partnered with my woman. The asshole who’s talking to my girl is a little too happy.

“Ah, do you happen to be Lucius?” a voice next to me asks.

I blink a few times, pulling my attention from Marley to face the girl next to me.

“Yes,” I grunt. “Why?”

“Oh,” she laughs awkwardly, “I’m Marie. Looks like we’re partners.”

“Marie,” I say slowly.

“Yes?”

I’m assuming class has ended because everyone starts to stand up.

“I’ll be right back,” I tell Marie, leaving her sitting there stunned. I’m down to the front of the room in seconds, just in time to hear Marley say something to her partner.

“We can meet at the library on Tuesdays and Thursdays around seven PM. Would that work for you, Steve?”

“I’ll make the time for you.” He winks as they walk out of the room.

My jaw clenches so damn tight, I think I might break a tooth. But instead of following them, I find Marie making her way over.

“Is everything okay?” she asks me.

“Perfect. So, this assignment. How about we meet at the library.”

“Yeah.” She smiles a bit. “That sounds good. I’m pretty open with my time after school. What days work for you?”

I grin inwardly. “How about Tuesdays and Thursdays around seven? We can decide what our project will be when we meet for the first time.”

“Okay.” She nods. “Sounds good. See you Tuesday at seven.”

As I step outside the building, I’m just in time to see Marley meet up with Stacy. I watch as they walk away, feeling like a little bit of a stalker.

Fuck it, I don’t care. I’m not letting Marley go. I’m in this for the long haul.

sixteen

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