Page 32 of Classroom Confessions

Mouth suddenly dry, I gathered up my stuff and carried it down, settling into the seat with a grin and a nod of thanks.

“Lucas, was it?” Ethan looked over my head. I’d never seen so much raw fury in a man’s eyes before. “Get out of my class. This is not a social gathering or a dating site. If you’re not on my roster, you don’t belong.”

Lucas stood, the scrape of his chair obnoxious in the deathly quiet. He stalked down the steps with his hands in his pockets, not even bothering to pretend he was a student but watching me, studying me in that creepy-as-fuck way of his.

I turned my back on him and flipped open my notebook. I’d learned that pissed him off more than anything. He hated being ignored.

The rest of the class passed in a blur. Trying not to think about Lucas made me think about nothing else. By the time Ethan dismissed us, my head throbbed and all I wanted was to find a quiet place to rest. So much for my amazing day.

Ethan’s gaze followed me with enough ferocity to lift the hairs on the back of my neck.

Just breathe. I shouldered my bag and marched toward the door.

“Is everything okay?” Quiet, almost hesitant, the softness brushed over my skin in complete contrast to the heat I’d seen in his eyes.

I nodded, the move jerky as I tried to maintain control. “Fine.” I couldn’t stay here any longer without spilling the whole story, one that made me sound like an idiot. I already looked like a fool in front of Ethan. Adding Lucas to the mix was unacceptable. I joined the students leaving, letting the press of bodies carry me out into the bright sunshine.

The back of my neck prickled, but I kept my gaze straight ahead, my senses on high alert until I made it into my next class with no sign of Lucas.

Professor Willis had us studying social media marketing trends—a class I desperately needed to pay attention to—and the next hour slid past without incident.

“I’ve been waiting on you.” Lucas stepped out of the shadows when I left the building and walked alongside me.

“Fuck, Lucas.” I stopped and backed away. “Don’t be an ass, creeping up on me like that.”

His wry laugh grated. Despite the heavy sunshine, he looked cool and glamorous. I’d been attracted to his looks first, but his personality quickly overshadowed anything pleasant about him. “Come on, baby. You know you missed me.” He stretched out a hand.

I jerked back. “The hell I did.” Walking backward to keep him in sight, I made my way toward the center of the quad. People. I needed to be around people. No way I’d let myself be alone with Lucas when my skin crawled every time he stood within arm’s reach. “You need to leave.”

“After I came all this way?” His head tilted sideways, causing his hair to flop over his forehead in a way I used to think was adorable. Now, I knew it was a calculated move meant to draw sympathy. “I came here for you, Becca.”

“Don’t call me that.” I gripped my bookbag tight with both hands, ready to run if things turned desperate. He’d catch me, but maybe I’d at least get close enough to a group that he’d pretend to be nice long enough for me to leave. “We’re not together anymore, Lucas.”

“Aw. You know you don’t mean that. It was just a little fight. You know how you get sometimes. I was angry.” A boyish smile flashed, and he shrugged.

Red warning lights flashed in my mind. Classic Lucas.

“I’m leaving.” I held up my hand when he reached for me again. “Leave me alone. I’m never going out with you again. Stop trying to touch me.” His hand came within inches of my arm, and I smacked it away. “Leave.” My voice pitched high, too high to be taken seriously. Fuck. Why did I always sound like a little girl when someone pissed me off?

“I’m willing to overlook our little fight.” Lucas stalked forward, his steps measured and certain. That little half smile tipped his lips. “I got us a reservation at Marco’s. I know you love their garlic bread.”

I did, but the thought of going anywhere with Lucas churned my stomach. We were gathering a crowd of curious onlookers. Students sitting around on the quad watched us with a mixture of curiosity and dismissal. A few girls gave me looks from behind Lucas that quietly asked if I needed help.

I wasn’t about to get any of them involved. I could handle Lucas. “No.” Normally, I’d say, “no, thank you,” but I knew he’d take the thank you as encouragement. I’d tried that before, with disastrous results. “Goodbye, Lucas.”

Turning my back on him was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. Like turning my back to a grizzly bear. Still, it was my best chance of getting away. He’d never been violent, but I’d felt the threat of it constantly buzzing beneath my skin.

“Rebecca.” This time, when he said my name, it came with a warning.

I kept walking, my pace even and controlled.

Strong fingers wrapped around my arm and squeezed. “I won’t say it again.” The low hiss of his breath over my ear sent my pulse pounding. “I tried being polite and giving you a chance to make things up to me.”

“Let go of me.” I spun around so fast that my book bag slammed into his side. His fingers dug in tighter. “Fuck you, Lucas. Fuck you and your bitchy attitude. I’m never going out with you again. Let me go before I call the police.”

“And tell them what?” He sneered in my face. “What could you tell them?”

“This is assault, motherfucker.” I curled my hand into a fist, ready to land a punch across his jaw if he kept trying to pull me away from the crowd. I planted my feet and dug in my heels, wrenching my arm away from him. “Touch me again, and I’ll file charges.” This time, my voice held firm.

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