Page 57 of Mine to Take

Well, I tried.

There’s nothing more I can do.

With a resigned sigh, I take the stairs to the third floor. My feet slow as I reach the landing and survey the area. There aren’t many people here this evening. It’s one of the reasons we use it to meet with students. Two girls and a guy are parked in the corner with their books spread out around them. To the left is a couple with their laptops opened. A lone girl is hunkered down in the corner.

Hmmm.

Maybe this guy flaked and I’ll get my movie night after all.

I scan the desks that dot the space amid rows of bookshelves.

If this joker thinks I’m going to lie and report back that he showed up for his tutoring session when he decided to blow it off instead, he couldn’t be more wrong.

Unfortunately, it happens all too often. Some of these athletes don’t care about their education.

It’s a real shame.

Especially when they’ve been given free rides.

Instead of taking full advantage of it, they squander the opportunity. There are so many people who can’t afford an education and would kill for a full scholarship to a prestigious university like Western.

Just as I’m about to text Stacie again, movement from the other side of the large space catches my attention and I freeze. That’s all it takes for a shot of electricity to sizzle through my veins.

No.

It can’t be him.

My pulse thrums as I take a hasty step in retreat, hoping to slip away before he notices.

That’s the exact moment he glances up and our gazes collide.

18

Maverick

I blink as tension fills every line of my body.

There’s no way this is happening.

It has to be a figment of my imagination.

Just like all the other times I’d caught sight of her on campus or at Taco Loco. Or when I thought I caught a whiff of her perfume in my room days later.

It’s almost enough to make me wonder if I’m losing my damn mind.

When she doesn’t move a muscle, I narrow my eyes. There’s no way that the girl who snuck out of my bed last weekend is standing on the third floor of the library.

Her wide blue eyes stay locked on mine as shock colors her expression.

Something at the back of my brain prods me into movement, and I shoot to my feet. Fear flashes across her face as she swings away and races down the staircase.

“Fuck.” I grab my backpack and take off after her.

As I hit the staircase, I catch a flash of long blonde hair from below and hurry my steps, only wanting to catch up to her.

A potent concoction of anxiety and frustration swirls through me.

“Hey!” I raise my voice, even though I know it won’t do a damn bit of good. “Wait up!”

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