Page 39 of True Blue

“Bentley.” Her voice comes out a little breathless.

His eyes meet mine and his jaw tightens. “Axel.” His tone is harsher for me.

Janette’s hand reaches out, gripping his arm. “Don’t,” she whispers.

“It’s fine, Blue,” I spit out, trying to calm down so I can speak to her. “Don’t coddle him.”

She flashes me an incredulous look.

“So, you two are together?” Bentley asks, looking between us.

“What do you care?” I say at the same time as Janette whirls around to face him and says, “No, he was just helping me out!”

The ache in my chest that Bentley created fractures even further at her words. She glances back at me with a stern look, and I feel the embarrassment of my assumptions crash over me. I once again assumed what happened between us meant more to her than it clearly did. I suddenly feel like they’ve both strandedme at sea, left treading water in the middle of the ocean rather than standing on solid ground.

“Why do I care?” Bentley hisses. “I care if you’re being a dick and stringing her along just to get back at me.”

My brain rushes, trying to catch up to the conclusion he’s somehow drawn. “What?”

“Bentley, no,” Janette says, still gripping his arm.

“You’ve been pissed off and avoiding me ever since—” He glances down at Janette before looking back up at me stonily. “Ever since what happened between us, and now you’re using her to get back at me for something, aren’t you?” He practically vibrates with indignation, and I stare at him open mouthed not understanding a single thing he’s saying.

Dr. Howards walks into the room, shutting the door and making his way to the desk at the front.

“Can we talk about this after class?” Janette hisses, swiveling her head between the two of us.

“No, I don’t think we need to,” I say, leaning away from the two of them. “I was just helping you out, right? And I’m only interested because I want to get back at him.” I shake my head, looking at each of them in turn. “I’m tired of you both ignoring what what’s happening with us.” I try to gesture between Bentley and I and then Janette and I but end up just making a swirling motion between the three of us.

“You would know all about ignoring someone, wouldn’t you?” Bentley spits back, eyes still alight.

“Something you three want to share with the class?” Dr. Howards calls out, glancing between the three of us. We all shake our heads, settling into our seats to face the front of the room. “No? Then if you don’t mind, I’m going to start class now.” Some people titter at the comment, but I barely hear it over the sound of blood roaring in my ears.

Bentley and I sit rigidly throughout the whole class while Janette spends the hour peeking over at each of us and trying to catch our eye. When Howards finally releases us, I spring up, not even bothering to put my notebook back in my bag as I walk out with it in my hand and my bag over one shoulder. I hear Janette call my name, but keep walking, her words buzzing around in my head like a horde of angry bees.

I stand on the sidewalk outside of Riggs, usually going back to the suite after class, but not wanting to be anywhere near Bentley right now. Knowing they’ll both come out of the building soon, I turn and start walking down Ring Road, not even seeing anyone around me as I just keep walking, ribs cracking around the growing ache spreading throughout my whole body.

18

Isit on the couch in the dark, knee bouncing as I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans. Axel left class last week and disappeared. He started avoiding the suite again, coming home late at night and leaving in the morning before I even woke up. I tried to catch him before each of our classes, but he managed to arrive just as the profs did and run out the second we were dismissed. I’d been angry when I thought he was going to hurt Janette just to get back at me for Cassie. But seeing his confusion in class made me rethink the whole thing after we all left. If he wasn’t using Janette to get back at me and genuinely liked her, then maybe I was getting in the way of them being together?

But then why did Janette kiss me back outside of the restaurant? And why was he so pissed at me for asking out Cassie if he wanted to be with Janette? The questions had swirled around in my brain for days and I tried cornering him to ask them, but he slipped through my grasp every time I thought I had him.

So, here I am, skipping class and sitting in the dark on the hunch that I might be able to catch him coming back to the suite.

The digital clock under the TV glares at me as I watch the numbers climb slower than they should. I start to think this was another futile attempt when I hear a key jangle in the suite’s door. Sitting up straighter, I wait for him to come in and flip on the light, trying to stop my knee from bouncing and giving me away too early.

He closes the door and turns around, eyes landing on me instantly. We both freeze, gazes locked, and my mouth goes dry, all the preplanned speeches flying out of my head now that he’s here.

“What are you doing here?” he asks. “You have class.”

“I skipped,” I say, shrugging and having no idea where this nonchalance is coming from. My chest feels like it’s about to explode.

He looks around, both hands going to the straps of his backpack, still slung over his shoulders.

I stand and his eyes find mine again as he takes a step back.

“I wanted to talk,” I say, holding my hands up.

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