Page 10 of In the Net
His lips split into a big, toothy, teasing grin. “Wait until you find out how the chapter you’re on ends on page one-thirty. I couldn’t believe it when?—”
I cut him off with a pointed glare. “Sebastian, I swear, if you spoil something in this book for me, I’m going to put your balls in my shoes and walk around on them all day.”
He grimaces, his hips twisting. “Ouch. Why does something so implausible actually hurt to think about?”
“Don’t test me,” I warn.
“I was just kidding, anyway. I’d never spoil a book for someone, even you.”
“I guess it’s good to know that you havesomedecency.”
He holds up his hand with just a sliver of distance between his thumb and index finger. “Some.”
“Well, try to keep your eyes in front of you for the rest of the day. Wouldn’t want to walk into a wall and break your glasses, four-eyes.”
Sebastian’s brow lowers. His glasses suit him, even I have to admit it, and I’ve overheard way more than one conversation of girls talking about how hot he looks in them. But I remember back when he started wearing glasses in fifth grade, and how self-conscious he was about them at first.
“Same to you,” he replies. “If you run into someone whose reflexes aren’t as quick as mine, you might actually fall and hurt your dainty self.”
I huff an ironic laugh at the worddainty. “Uh-huh. Catch you later, Sebastian.”
“Unfortunately,” I hear him say as I brush past him.
My first afternoon class passes quickly. Instead of scrolling on my phone or chatting with students sitting near me, I spend the time before the professor begins her lecture devouring my book.
My second afternoon class, my last one for today, is in Peek’s Hall. It’s the tallest building in all of Cedar Shade. That’s not exactly saying much for this cozy Vermont college town, but still, its seven stories can make for a formidable walk if you’re taking the stairs, especially since my class is on the top floor.
Today, though, I’m sticking with the elevator. It’s notoriously slow, which is exactly what I want right now, because I’m just going to stand in the corner and use the transit time to keep reading my book.
My eyes are riveted to the pages as I wait for the elevator doors to open on the ground floor. A major plot point is coming to a head, and I’m hanging on every word.
I can sense someone waiting next to me, but it’s only when the doors slide open and we both step into the cabin at the same time, our hands holding something in front of us and our necks tucked down in identical poses, that I realize who it is.
When the elevator dings and the doors slide closed, I find myself alone with Sebastian.
“Could you stop stalking me for one day?” he asks, his eyes still on the open book in his hands.
“In your dreams,” I parry.
“More like my nightmares.”
“I think you’ve unintentionally revealed a stalking fetish. I’d hate to see the contents of your Kindle.”
“Sigmund Freud all of a sudden,” he grumbles.
I stumble as the elevator cabin suddenly comes to an abrupt and jerky stop, way sooner than it should have. We’ve only just passed the fourth floor, not even arriving at the fifth.
Sebastian and I both look up from our books, expectant expressions on our faces as our eyes dart around the stalled cabin.
We wait … and wait …
The elevator still hasn’t moved.
Sebastian and I turn to each other, looks of realization crossing over our faces.
Now, I’m not just sharing an elevator with Sebastian. I’m stuck in one with him.
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