Page 35 of Nothing Like the Movies

Wes.

Immediately, “Everywhere” by Niall Horan cued up in my brain, because it was the only song I could possibly assign to this moment.

Feels like every time I turn a corner

You’re standing right there

Becausekill me now, Wes was studying at a table over by the windows.What the hell is he doing here?I liked studying in the music library, as opposed to Powell, because it was small and quiet and lacking in people who might distract me.

But why wouldhebe there? He wasn’t a music student, and I was pretty sure he was a south campus guy (if he was still going for engineering). In addition to that, I knew he was a freshman, so how had he even stumbled upon this spot?

He had on glasses—he only wore those when his eyes got tired—and his blue baseball cap was on backward, making him look…gaaaaahso annoying.

Because what were the odds? And how long had he been there?! I wanted to scream because it was ridiculous. How was it that he’d been entirely absent from my life for almost two years, and now all of a sudden he was popping up every time I went anywhere?

And shouldn’t he be at the baseball study hall right now?

He was looking in my general area, but hopefully he hadn’t noticed me.

Because I still didn’t know how to act around him. Clark was a champ and had been doing most of the filming that was Wes-centered, so I hadn’t had any one-on-one interactions with him since the day he tried running me down with his scooter.

Thank God.

But Lilith wanted me to help her with the intros next week, so I needed to begin the process of reaching out to the players to schedule our meetings. Players that included—sigh—that guy over there in the glasses.

When I wasn’t near him, I was able to think very adulty about the whole thing. Last night I lay in bed thinking things like,it’s been two years, that was a long time ago, andhe doesn’t matter to me anymore. We were in the past, and he was simply someone I used to know.

But for some reason, the second he appeared in a room, those thoughts left my head. They disappeared, and all I was left with was the confusing way it felt like I still hated him.

I didn’t care anymore, so why did his face make me want to hurt him?

It could have something to do with the cocky expression he’s always wearing.I mean, yes, it’d been years, and we were both over the mess of us, but shouldn’t he at least look like he felt the tiniest bit guilty when we ran into each other?

I went back to staring at my book, hoping he’d disappear while I read the text.

But I read one paragraph before I heard, “I know you saw me.”

I glanced over and yes—he was talking to me. It would’ve been yelling anywhere else, talking to someone from a few tables over,but in the nearly empty library, he wasn’t even raising his voice.

“How come you aren’t at the study hall?” I asked, my eyes going back to the book.

Don’t look at his face.His glasses were like Medusa’s snakes, capable of turning my already stone heart into something squishy.

Or something.

Shit.

“I needed a break from all the togetherness.” I heard him clear his throat before he asked, “How comeyouaren’t?”

It’s none of your businesswas what I felt like screaming, but I politely said, “I needed to study. Clark’s there.”

“Ah, yes, of course,” he said, his voice thick with sarcasm as I heard him close his book. “Your boyfriendClark.”

I rolled my eyes and kept reading, not wanting to do this. Or anything. I just wanted him to disappear.

“You said it’s new, right?” he asked. “You and Clark arenew?”

I sighed and kept my eyes on the page. “Yes.”

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