Page 116 of Bad for Me

“Dangerous to my career, obviously. If you say anything, I could get fired?—”

“Jesus, I’m not going to say anything.Icould get kicked out, too, you know.”

“No. I’d never let that happen,” he growls. “But either way, secrets like this, they tend to get buried at Graveston. And not in a way that we’d like.”

I frown. “What the hell does that mean?”

His sigh is heavy between us, and my chest aches at the resignation seeping from him. “It means that if the wrong people find out we’re doing this, you won’t be safe, and I want you—” He shakes his head. “I mean, my father made me promise to keep you safe.”

“Your father,” I spit. “Hold on, Thad told you to—what—babysitme?”

Woods shrugs. I’m beginning to tell from the quick switches in his demeanor that this air of “I don’t give a fuck” he’s putting on for me is an act. But I still haven’t figured out exactly why he’s so wishy-washy, and his insisting that he doesn’t care still irritates the hell out of me.

“Well obviously he was right about you needing a babysitter. You’ve only had one class and you’ve already gotten yourself into trouble.”

“But the trouble I’m getting into is you!” I shriek before he claps his hand over my mouth.

“Keep your voice down, Everly,” he hisses. My eyes narrow into slits until he lowers his hand.

“You know what?” I whisper, pushing past my confusion, anger, and hurt to give him a piece of my mind. “When I came to Graveston, I was hoping for something different. But I’m already sick of this hot and cold with you. Just leave me alone, ’kay? I’m not leaving your class, but believe me, I won’t try anymore with you. Promise.”

His brow furrows. “Try with me? What does that mean?”

“Nothing, I have my own class to get to anyway. Just let me go, alright?”

“Fine,” he spits. “Go.”

I tug at his strong grip, showing him that I can’t go anywhere while he grasps my wrist with one hand and his other rests tight on my hip. He looks down like he didn’t even realize he was still holding me.

He drops both hands as if I’ve burned him. Once again, his reaction stings worse than anything else he’s physically done to me, but I cover it up with a dry laugh.

“Goodbye, Professor. See you in class.”

“Everly, wait?—”

I push past him into the maintenance closet, through the opposite door and into the normal hallway, and then slam that door shut behind me. It isn’t until I’m on the other side, with brighter lights, stone walls, and paintings of past Graveston alum, that I realize I didn’t even check through the closet’s age-warped window before bursting through it. Thankfully no one is around, just as Woods said.

I look behind me to see if he’ll open the door and try to stop me, but there’s nothing but darkness on the other side of the window.

I really am alone.

Just as I’m about to throw myself a pity party, my phone buzzes and I snatch it from my backpack pocket. The notification shows a text from a number I don’t recognize, but I swipe to read it anyway.

Unknown

Hey! This is Cadence! Got your number from the hall directory the RA made. There’s a party tomorrow night at Corvus House. Wanna come with me and Marleigh?

For the first time since Woods called on me in class, the heaviness in my chest lightens and excitement fills me again. I quickly shove away my disappointment from the awful morning and text back my enthusiastic yes.

Thisis what I want from college. Friends. Family. I wish I could have the second with Woods, too, but making my own family will be just as good.

“Who needs arealfamily, anyway?” I laugh to myself out loud, making an echo.

Who needs a real family…

The words reverberate against the stone walls and back at me, panging into my aching chest.

6

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