Page 26 of The Game

Darryl’s turned all of his charm on, and he’s got a lot of it when he wants to, but he can’t fool me anymore. I can see the darkness underneath the thousand-watt smile.

“Jazmin, I brought you these.” The sweet smell of the red roses is enough to turn my stomach sour. Roses were never my favorite flowers, but he never listened when I told him that, and now the sight of them sends a chill up my spine.

I glance over his shoulder, searching for an escape route, or someone to help me out, but everyone is in a hurry, rushing to their next class. Everybody probably thinks this is some romantic gesture from a sweet boyfriend, anyway.

Other students are milling around, heading off down the path I need to follow as I try to duck around him. “I’ve got to get to class.”

He shadows my movement, blocking my path. “I just want to talk to you, Jazmin.”

His heavy hand lands on my shoulder as I flinch away. This is what I get for avoiding conflict. Now it’s haunting my every step this year. I can’t have him showing up every single place I go.

“I’m going to be late, Darryl. Please get out of my way so I can get to class.”

“Take the flowers and promise you’ll talk to me later and I’ll let you go.”

Flames rip through me. “You’ll let me go? You don’t get to let me do anything. I’ve got to go. I’m not making you anypromises. My boyfriend wouldn’t like it if he knew you were threatening me.” My mind was so clouded with fear, I didn’t think to drop that oh so important fact before. The whole point of our fake relationship.

He jerks back, so many emotions crossing his face. Shock, then doubt, then the smug satisfaction I hate. As if he still thinks he can control me. His fingers clench in a painful squeeze then relax, giving me my chance.

I pull away, darting around him to hit the path. I can feel him behind me, but I don’t turn around. He won’t do anything out in the open like this. I don’t love that he’s following me to my next class, but he clearly knew where to find me. He probably knows where all my classes are. I clutch my bag to my chest, pushing myself into a walking speed that verges on running.

“Who is it? Who are you dating?”

Who do I need to threaten is what I’m hearing. The tiniest of smiles cracks my lips at the thought of him trying to take on Cole. That would be a fight he would lose.

“None of your business.”

“I don’t need you to tell me. It’s got to be that hockey player. I’ve seen you hanging out with him.”

That almost stops me in my tracks, and my blood turns to ice in my veins. “What?”

“I’ve seen you around with that Schaeffer. I looked into him. He’s bad news. Got kicked off his last team for fighting.”

It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so creepy. Cole is bad news? Compared to him. I leap up the concrete steps two at a time to get into the relative safety of the building.

“It’s none of your business. You need to stay away from me.”

And even though Darryl’s words mean nothing, a tiny particle of doubt is lingering as I duck into my classroom, leaving him behind.

Cole never told me about getting kicked off his team. Could that be true? It could, but what difference would that make? He’s been nothing but kind to me. On the other hand, my instinct for spotting an asshole is trash.

No. It’s fake. I’m fine. I can’t let my asshole of an ex get to me. He’s already taken up far too much of my life.

Darryl’s visit lingered in my mind all day, leaving me a little jumpy. I’m running my gloved hands up and down the thighs of my fleece lined leggings, watching each set of headlights approach and then drive by my apartment building. It’s still five minutes until he said he’d be here, so I’m not sure what’s got the butterflies dancing away in my stomach.

Cole said he’d drive me back to campus for our first Walk Safe shift together. The kiss we almost shared after bowling last week is nagging at me. I hope he doesn’t say anything about it. I need this even more after today. The protection of my fake boyfriend. I can’t let anything mess it up.

A car finally pulls up into the curved drop off area in front of our building, and I’m flying out the front door. The pleasant crunch of leaves accompanies me to his car.

The dim lighting under the overhang does nothing to diminish his smooth walk as he exits the car and walks around to hold the door open for me.

“You didn’t need to do that.”

“My grandfather would disown me if he thought I wasn’t opening doors for ladies.”

Affection for his grandfather comes through in the warm tone of his voice, and I love that. I’m so close to my own family, and I miss my grandfather so much.

“So you’re close with your family.”

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