Page 83 of Touch Me Not: Anniversary Edition

This time it was Nikoli’s turn for his eyebrows to shoot up. Ah, he was finally getting the message of how pissed she was. He probably had no clue why, but he didn’t need to know why, only that she was.

“So, Kade, you’re working on the serial killer case?” she asked so she wouldn’t have to deal with Nikoli. “Do you guys have any leads?”

“I really can’t discuss an ongoing case,” he said. “I will tell you that we just got here last night and are catching up on everything. We’ll get him soon.”

“I hope it’s sooner rather than later. That last one was too close to campus.”

“Yes,” Kade murmured. “We’re asking for the university to allow a police presence there, just in case. Make sure you never go anywhere on your own, always bring someone, walk back to your dorm with a friend. Never alone.”

“I’ll make sure of it,” Nikoli promised.

Kade’s food came, and Lily turned her eyes back to the TV. The news was still talking about the latest victim. If the FBI was here, then the situation was serious. She’d been nervous about the whole situation since she’d seen the first news broadcast over the summer.

She hoped they caught him soon.

~*~

When Lily returned to her dorm room, she expected to find it empty, but Adam was sitting on her bed, his face troubled. She closed the door and leaned against it. When his eyes met hers, they were dark and thoughtful. The hangover was evident from his wince when the girl in the next room slammed her door.

“You look like hell.” Lily pushed herself away from the door and plopped down in her desk chair.

He ran a hand through his hair. “I feel worse.”

“Getting shit-faced will do that to you.”

He fell back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. “Lily, we need to talk about…well…”

“What you said last night?”

“Yeah.” He still didn’t move. “I know blurting that stuff out at you when I’m drunk wasn’t the best idea.”

“Ya think?”

“I may have been drunk, but I meant every word I said, Lily.”

Lily closed her eyes and counted to ten. A month ago, this conversation would have meant the world to her, but not now. Now, it only meant she had to hurt the one person who had always been there for her through everything.

“Adam, you don’t mean that…”

“Yes, I do.” He sat and looked her in the eye. “I love you, Lils. I’ve loved you my entire life. I just didn’t think you’d ever get better…”

“So you’re only interested in me now that you think I’m getting better?” Anger leaked out of her voice. She couldn’t help it.

“That’s not what I meant.” Adam rolled his shoulders. “I tried, Lily, I tried so hard to help you, but I couldn’t. I don’t understand why Nikoli could, when nothing I did worked. That is what I meant.”

Either way, the outcome was the same. He hadn’t shown any interest until Nikoli. It still stung a bit, but she’d forgiven him somewhere along the way. Didn’t mean she wasn’t pissed he only told her this after Nikoli.

“Adam, I love you. God knows, for the longest time, I thought I was in love with you, but I’ve only recently discovered the difference. You’re my best friend, and you did help me more than you know. Just being there for me, never letting me push you away. That kept me from going off the deep end. You will always be my best friend, and I will always love you, but I’m not in love with you.”

“You love the campus manwhore.” Adam’s eyes dilated, his anger evident in the way his body tensed. “He’s going to break you into little pieces.”

“Then my best friend will be there to put me back together again.” Lily offered him a small smile. She knew it was true. Nikoli was going to hurt her, but she’d take the hurt for the way she felt right now.

“But, Lils, if you’d only listen to what I’m saying, you won’t be broken.” Adam stood and started to pace. “I love you, Lily. We can be so happy together, if you’ll just trust me and let me show you.”

“Adam, what about Sue?”

“What about her?”

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