Page 23 of Study Buddies

God no, he replied instantly.Let’s just work for another 10-15 and call it a night. There’s no way Kyle will come back here, so things’ll be back to normal next time.

So, you know him too?I asked. He’d already told me that they went to the same high school, but it seemed like the problematic history—whatever it was—was between Lucas and Kyle.

Kyle abruptly closed the textbook, slid it back to me, and pushed back from the table. “Well, this has been fun.”

Guilt washed over me. I was supposed to help him and all I’d done tonight was push him into an uncomfortable situation. “Are you leaving? We should really?—"

He shrugged. “You’re texting. If you’re not studying, why should I?

Lucas responded before I could even think of what to say. “She doesn’t need to study. She’s your tutor.”

Kyle stood up, and I gawked up at him. He looked taller than usual, somehow.

Lucas stood, too. Uh-oh.

Jayden looked between the two of them and then tilted his head up at Kyle. “Don’t start.”

“I didn’t,” Kyle pointed out. Then he ran his hand along the top of my head, squeezing my ponytail and giving it a possessive little tug. “See you later, Tori.”

Crap. I’d let him down. And Lucas and Jayden. And basically the English and Athletic Departments, too.

I got to my feet and shoved my book and laptop into my bag. Kyle paused, looking back before he disappeared into the gloom of the library basement.

“You’re leaving?” Lucas asked.

“I’m sorry, I have to go talk to him. This is my job.”

The expression on Lucas’s face killed me as I walked past him.

But then his voice reached me just as I caught up with Kyle. “I’ll see you at home, Tori.”

Kyle’s jaw dropped. “You live with that guy?”

“Yeah,” I stammered. “I needed a place to stay, and he’s got a little house…”

“Does he, now?” Kyle’s flat tone was unreadable.

“Yeah.”

We walked to the elevator, and my nerves got the best of me. I rambled on, telling Kyle everything about the paper he was supposed to be writing—things I hadn’t been able to get through to him earlier. He nodded throughout, but I suspected he wasn’t listening. I couldn’t really blame him.

We halted by the circulation desk. I had no reason to follow him out of the building—Jayden was my ride, and he was still downstairs.

“Uh, about whatever happened just now…” Nothing more came out. Why the hell had I started a sentence I had no clue how to finish?

But he just smiled. “Catch you later, Victoria.” Then he strode out of the building.

Embarrassed by the whole evening, I remained on the first floor, sitting at a table by the door until Lucas and Jayden joined me.

No one said much on the ride home.

Later, due to my lack of focus during the study group, I had to stay up late to finish my homework. But after I climbed into bed, recent events played through my head on a loop.

Lucas and Kyle hated each other. That much was clear. Jayden—well, I wasn’t sure how he felt about Kyle. It had definitely seemed like he and I had been stuck in the middle tonight.

Then the memory of Kyle sitting so close to me surfaced. Under other circumstances, I probably would’ve enjoyed it. Hewas really good looking—there was no doubt about that. I closed my eyes, and I could almost smell the cologne he’d been wearing. Something with spice and a hint of outdoorsy freshness.

I was still thinking about him when I drifted off to sleep.

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