Page 36 of The Gargoyle in the College

But I want to hold her and tell her that I care about her.

Maybe she wasn’t in a good mood. And maybe I did show up a bit too much.

She doesn’t understand. It feels like I need to be there even though I know I won’t be dead if I’m not there and she didn’t need me to be there either. She is capable of taking care of herself.

I grit my teeth, trying to make myself stop. She doesn’t need me to be there and I’m probably scaring her. I’m a bigger male, and I’m a gargoyle, which can’t be more different from a human. Maybe if I was something else, she wouldn’t be as intimidated.

But maybe she was just tired and I’m just imagining things.

Slowly, there are people walking on the road, most of them heading to the other side of the college campus, where the teaching buildings are.

Today, no one stares at me, which is good. Even though I’m pretty used to getting gazes because I’m a pretty awesome gargoyle, it sometimes makes me uncomfortable. I can’t even blink, or at least I’d feel like I can’t blink without getting spotted.

Where’s Laura? She has lessons for the day, right? I can’t wait to see her.

I sniff in the air, trying to catch her scent. It’s not easy given how the wind blows this time of the year, but I try regardless. Maybe she was too tired last night.

Wait...

Today’s Saturday, so she’s not going to have lessons. That’s probably also why the party was held last evening.

Now... Given how she was too tired to even talk to me, she probably isn’t going to be around for a while.

I take a deep breath, letting out a sigh. Maybe I should take a nap before she show ups. She loves reading, so the chance of her staying in her dorm room is high.

My wings itch, wanting to get to her and hold her. But after she told me to leave last night, I should respect her personal space.

Students walk past me without giving another side eye to me. The freshness of a gargoyle sitting at the gate wears off quickly to most, which I don’t mind at all.

Time slowly ticks along, the sun gets stronger and stronger. The fog and thick clouds are gone, but the air is still moist.

I’m still lonely here.

Wait...

I sniff in the air again. There’s a very faint sweet scent. It can’t be wrong, Laura is nearby and heading my way.

Where’s she going? To the library? She’s been a hardworking one, at least from how it looks. But this is a weekend, humans take a break from their jobs and studies on these two days, no?

Laura is there with a man, no, a kid compared to me. I know that curly-haired boy. He’s the one who keeps showing up around her. Now, he’s chatting with her. She seems to be happy. Her eyes are on him, not even glancing at me.

They walk along the road, arriving at the gate. Instead of heading to the buildings and the library, they turn at the gate and probably head to the bus stop.

Where are they going?

I want to follow and figure it out, but I know better than that. She deserves her own space and gets to know new people.

But... Was that guy also at the party? And...

I swallow with a heavy knot in my stomach. Did Laura already decide to date him? That can be the reason she doesn’t want me to be around her room as much, or at all.

Did I lose my chance with her? Because I didn’t ask her quickly enough?

I knew something was up when I caught another male’s scent on her. Even though I know I can’t make her stop getting to know others when I didn’t make it clear to her that I want her as my mate.

It’s a bar, so she probably danced with that guy.

But I’m the one who can protect her. What can that tiny human male do if something’s to happen? I’d never wish for bad things to happen to her, but who knows about the future?

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