Page 92 of Broken Bonds

“I had to meet up with your brother before class, and he didn’t leave me much time for the bathroom, you know?” she retorted as if I understood her dilemma.

If only she knew how I wished I were having that kind of problem on a Monday morning.

“You just saw him yesterday. It’s not like much has happened in his life since then or yours, so what took up so much time?” Her cheeks darkened again along with mine this time. “Never mind; don’t tell me!” I whisper-shouted.

Our laughter finally caught the nutty professor’s attention. “Do you two have something to share with the class?” Her voice was shaking with nerves, but her eyes remained emotionless as she glared at us.

“I mean, only if the entire class wants to know about my sex life with her brother,” Amber retorted, earning a few chuckles from the other students, and surprisingly, a blush from our professor. I gaped at her.

“Keep it to yourself, Miss…?”

“Just call me Amber.”

“Very well, Amber. Since you so kindly started the class discussion today, why don’t you share something else about yourself besides the fact that you’re with her brother.” The professor’s pointed gaze landed on me, making me flush.

I expected Amber to falter, but the girl never ceased to disappoint. “I mean, there really isn’t much to know besides the fact my boyfriend is hot as hell. I’m sure you can relate, right?” Without realizing it, I face palmed, not believing the audacity of Amber for speaking to the nutty professor like that.

“Seems like your friend is a little embarrassed by your behavior, Amber. Why don’t you tell us something interesting about yourself?”

And just like that, every pair of eyes turned their gaze from my attention-seeking best friend to me, and I was ready for a hole in the ground to swallow me whole.

“My name is Celine and I—” Just like that, the room erupted into whispers.

“That’s Celine Wilson, Ryan Wilson’s little sister.”

“Did you hear what happened to her?”

“I heard she was trapped in a shelter with Ace Danvers.”

“I heard she forced herself on him in the courtyard, and then, they both disappeared.”

“Didn’t she have surgery last year?”

“She’s dating Ace Danvers, or so I heard.”

My whole world turned upside down, and I stood up on shaky legs, turning for the door just as Amber grabbed my hand. The fierce protectiveness in her eyes comforted me instantly.

“It was a tragic accident,” she snapped at everyone, immediately stopping their whispers. “Now shut up and move on with your pathetic lives.”

All the attention returned to Amber, then to the professor, whose jaw was on the ground.

“I didn’t sign up for this crap,” she mumbled, pulling at her brown hair. “Forget introducing yourself. I don’t care who you are. I’m going to give you the class syllabus.” Amber snorted as I took my seat again. “Please sign it, return it, and then leave. Class dismissed.”

“What a shit show,” Amber said as soon as we exited the classroom, her red locks swishing with every step. “I can’t believe I’m paying for this.” Pulling her phone out of her bag, she instantly started texting, and I could only assume it was my brother.

Guilt pulled at me when I remembered he hadn’t told her about his deployment in January, but it wasn’t my news to share.

“Thanks for saving my ass in there,” I told her, pushing the thoughts of my brother joining the military aside.

She didn’t stop the loud tapping on her phone as she answered, “You’re my best friend, Cece, and nobody gets to talkabout you—not while I’m around.” After walking through the double doors of the building, we sat on one of the benches right outside, and she put her phone away, looking at me.

“I wanted to run. I just wanted to get away,” I confessed. “How did they know all of that?” She shrugged as if it didn’t matter, but it did. They knew details about my life, about me, about Ace and me.

How did complete strangers know about us?

“Probably just rumors. Don’t think too much about it. They don’t know you, Celine. They don’t know what you’ve been through and survived. Don’t let your armor crack now, hun.”

If only it were that easy. But with Ace’s disappearance, I felt more fragile than ever. As least Aidan had stuck around until death ripped him from me. Ace hadchosento leave.

---