Page 79 of Meet Me at the Metro

I really wish things could go back to the way they used to be.

A calm October wind greets me as I push open the doors leading out to the campus courtyard. I loved the quiet tranquility of the school in the evening like this—loved the hush that would settle over the dimly lit corridors and around the tall stone buildings as the sun set in the sky. During the day, the cobblestone sidewalks were always bustling with fellow students and faculty, but as nighttime approached, the school’s occupancy slowly dwindled to a few passing bodies here and there.

“There you are, stranger,” a voice says, startling me out of my moment of tranquility. “I’ve been hoping to run into you again.”

My stomach immediately coils when I spin around to find John behind me. He’s got a bright smile on his face as if he doesn’t remember—or want to acknowledge—the way our last interaction ended. I don’t return his cheerful gesture.

“You could at least look a little happier to see me.”

“I’ve gotta get to class,” I mutter, abruptly turning on my heel.

“Hey, just wait a second.” He rushes in front of me. “Please, Ellie. I just want to talk, alright?”

“No.I don’t want to talk to you. Why can’t you get that?”

“I seriously don’t understand why you’re being like this. You’re not acting like yourself at all.”

“You’re not acting likeyourself!I need to get to class. I’m going to be late. So, move!”

“Not until you fucking talk to me!” he growls, roughly grabbing me by my arm as I try to slip past him. He pulls me toward a secluded awning of one of the outside corridors and corners me against the wall. “Dammit, can’t you at least give me that?!”

Tendrils of icy fear snake through my veins as his breath spills against my skin. “John, p-please.”

“Talk to me, Eleanor.”

“I have nothing to say to you. Absolutely nothing,” I say, my voice wavering. “I don’t want to be with you anymore. I just want you to leave me alone.”

“Why can’t you just give me one more chance?” I flinch as his hand fastens around my wrist. “Just one more chance, please?”

“No,” I breathe, trying to break free of his grasp and hold my calm composure. “I’m not giving you another chance, so let go of me.”

“You’re fucking him, aren’t you? That guy who was at the train station that night.”

“Get your hands off of me.”

“I heard what he called you—Nora,” he scoffs. “Got a nickname for you and everything. You know, you want to paint me out like the bad guy, but look how fast you’ve managed to move on. I wouldn’t be surprised if you two were hooking up before we even broke up.”

I’m not even going to entertain that accusation.

His hold on me tightens to the point of pain, and my heart rate kicks up several notches. “Let me go.”

“I want you, Eleanor.” I try not to tremble as his hands smooth my hair away from my face. “I love you so much. And I know you still love me, too. You’re not his—you’re mine.”

My panic emerges as he pushes me back against the brick wall and runs his hands down my chest. His palms leisurely travel along the expanse of my torso, trailing down to my waist and then my hips, and I can’t even fucking breathe.

What he’s doing feels dangerous, but I don’t know how I’m supposed to react—I don’t know how to keep this from escalating further.

His hands move along my inner thighs as he presses his body closer, and I feel utterly sick. “Please, John. Stop. I don’t want this. Please listen to me.”

“Don’t lie to yourself,” he whispers against my ear. “We used to have so muchfun together.”

I try to push John away, but he doesn’t budge—not even an inch. “Get your hands off of me. Right now!”

“Is there a problem over there?”

John tears away from me the second the voice cuts through the air, and I can finally breathe again. A tall, shadowy silhouette quickly approaches us, and John steps back with a frustrated sigh. “We aren’t done here.”

With that warning, he swiftly turns on his heel and hurries away, disappearing into the darkening evening.

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