Page 36 of The Ruse

We made it to the back of the library where the study tables were located, and after glancing around for a second, I spotted my friends at our usual table in the back.

But as we got closer, I realized it wasn’t just Scarlett, Ava, and Hunter at the table.

No, sitting on the other side of Hunter with his back to us was Nash.

A flutter of excitement filled my stomach because I was excited to spend more time with him. But then I remembered who was standing next to me and how it would probably make Nash feel.

Crap.

Asher had noticed him as well because he mumbled under his breath, “I don’t remember you mentioning that Nash would be part of the study group.”

“That’s because I didn’t think he was,” I mumbled back, my heart rate climbing. I thought he said he was going home for the night—not just dinner.

What should I do? Nash wasnotgoing to like that I’d invited Asher to join us.

Here I was just trying to be nice to Asher after seeing him look so lonely during dinner, but now I was looking like I had gone behind my crush’s back to hang out with his enemy.

I was considering uninviting Asher and telling him he could join us another time when Nash swiveled around in his seat and looked right at us.

Noooo!was all I could think of when his gaze went from me to Asher.

And the betrayal in his blue eyes was instant when he realized I’d invited Asher here.

11

ASHER

Think,Asher, think.

If I could come up with a reason for why I just walked over here with Elyse, maybe she wouldn’t look like she was going to puke.

“Oh, good. I’m glad you found us, Asher,” Ava said, probably noticing the way Elyse and I were both panicking. “I saved you a spot right here next to me.” She patted the empty seat beside her that she must have been saving for her sister.

“Perfect,” I said, leaving Elyse’s side to sit next to Ava. And then, since I figured Ava was trying to be Elyse’s wing-woman and keep Nash from feeling like his territory was being threatened, I added, “I just got done talking to Owen about that question you had about our chemistry assignment, and I think I figured out the right chemical formula for us to use.”

I was lying out of my butt, of course, since I hadn’t talked to Ava today whatsoever, but it was the best I could come up with at the moment.

“I hope you don’t mind that I invited Asher to join us,” Ava addressed the rest of the table while I took the seat beside her. “I saw how good he was at chemistry today and figured he’d be a good study partner for all of us.”

“Fine with me.” Scarlett barely lifted her gaze from the textbook page she was currently scanning.

“The more the merrier,” my roommate Hunter added.

Nash’s eyes darted between Ava and me and Elyse, a worry line between his eyebrows, like he thought something might be going on but wasn’t sure what. But then he said, “I already finished our chemistry assignment, but who am I to say who can and can’t study with us.”

Since no one was running me out of the library with pitchforks, I unzipped my backpack and started pulling out my books.

“Were you and Asher rehearsing a scene together or something?” Nash asked Elyse in a hushed tone that he probably thought I couldn’t hear. “Is that why you walked in together?”

I peeked at Elyse, curious what she would say. She looked startled for a second, like she hadn’t expected him to flat out ask why we’d been together. But then she said, “We weren’t rehearsing anything. We just ran into each other on the way here.”

Which was kind of true, I guess. If you counted walking all the way from the great hall to the dorms and then over here as being “on the way here.”

Nash visibly relaxed, the tension in his shoulders releasing as he leaned back in his chair, so I allowed myself to relax, too.

Because as much as I didn’t like Nash or the way he seemed so obsessed with Elyse and how much time we may or may not have spent together this evening, I didn’t want Elyse to feel more uncomfortable than she already did being around me.

I needed a friend, and I wasn’t delusional enough to think that if put in the situation where she had to choose between Nash and me, she would pick me.

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