Page 20 of Not Fooling Anyone

I won’t push my luck by dropping my arm over her shoulders the way I want to. I’ve already pushed her far enough for now.

After class, she’s silent as I make plans for us to be at Chapman Hall at six to study and walks ahead of me as we exit the lecture hall.

“Where’s your next class?”

She points vaguely in front of us.

“What? You won’t talk to me now?”

“Oh, am I allowed to talk? I figured my input isn’t necessary since you’re making plans for me and all.”

“I was staying in character. A couple would accept an invite for something like that.”

She stops in the middle of the path, spinning toward me. “That’s the thing, though. We’re not a real couple. This is totally unnecessary. You don’t even know what my plans are for tonight.”

“Did you have plans?”

She throws her hands up, narrowly missing a guy trying to bypass us. “That’s not the point!”

I tug on her arm, pulling her to the grass so we’re not blocking the way.

“Don’t make decisions for me, Ethan,” she says in a serious voice. “And don’t try to control me.”

She stares at me, flinty-eyed, nostrils flared, and it’s at that moment I realize I fucked up. A dull ache spreads through my chest, settling in my stomach disconcertingly.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know…” I clear my throat hastily, hating how dry it is. “I didn’t think it was that big of a deal, but I was obviously wrong. I wasn’t trying to control you, I just wanted—”

To spend more time with you. To get to know you better. To crack that hard outer shell you keep so solidly around you. “I won’t do it again. Promise. And I’ll text Christian and tell him we can’t make it after all.”

The hardness gradually leaves her face, and she hugs her arms tight over her midsection, looking about five feet to the left of me. “No, you said we’d go. I don’t want to raise suspicions. But this counts as your tutoring for the week.”

“Of course. Can I pick you up and drive you there after your class?”

“I’ll walk.”

“What about after? I don’t want you walking back in the dark.”

“Fine, whatever. Pick me up.”

She tells me what building she’s in and the time her class lets out then stalks off, pulling her hood over her head so she’s an anonymous, shapeless form. One more college student among thousands.

But as much as she tries to hide herself, she ends up unintentionally revealing more every time we’re together. And one day soon, I’ll have her figured out.

* * *

Leaning against the outer brick wall, I keep an eye on a set of double doors for the second time today, waiting for Lexie.

They open, a stream of students pouring out, my gaze flicking from person to person. No… no… there.

I pick up the grocery bag at my feet, dodging people walking the opposite way until I’m in front of her, watching as her gaze lifts to meet mine, recognition hitting.

“I got you something,” I say before she can tell me again how much I hurt her, thrusting the bag in my hands toward her.

She takes it, brows knitting as she pulls out what’s inside. “Are you serious with this?”

Shit. I thought it was the right thing to get her.

She lifts the lid off the pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream and hands it to me, then reaches back in the bag for the plastic spoon. As the frozen dessert hits her tongue, her face transforms into an expression of bliss, different from anything I’ve seen from her so far.

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