Page 22 of This Is War: All's Fair Duet
Are you running late?
I hope practice was okay.
Going outside to check out there.
Then a few minutes later, there’d been a few more texts, demonstrating her rising anxiety.
Logan?
I guess I’m going back to the dorm on my own.
See you when you get there?
Logan?
I dampen my lips, quickly tapping out a message. Her texts were sent ages ago.
Shit.
I’m sorry.
You aren’t going to believe what happened.
Are you still here somewhere?
I wait and wait for the dancing of the dots on the screen, but there’s nothing. Wherever Rya is, she’s not answering. With a marked grimace, I shove my phone into the pocket of my joggers and stand, snatching up my bag and hefting it over my shoulder in one motion.
My mind races as I jog from the gymnasium all the way across campus to Deveney Hall. There are only a handful of people milling about, but Rya is nowhere in sight. I bypass the elevator in favor of the stairs and take them as fast as my feet will carry me. Once I reach the third floor, I burst from the stairwell. She said she was coming back here, so… Her room seems the obvious choice. I pass my own and head straight to the one Rya shares with Hazel. Rapping lightly on the door elicits no response, so I knock harder. Neither of them appear to be here. Unless they’re sleeping. I knock again. Then with more force until I’m pounding the shit out of the door. “Rya! Are you in there?” Impatience bleeds from my pores, and it hardly registers when the door to my room opens and Levi sticks his head out. Fucking hermit. “What the fuck, man. You trying to wake the dead?”
I freeze. “Don’t say shit like that.” My words are clipped, my thoughts irrational.
“What’s going on, Logan?”
Turning, I lean against the door. “Can’t find Rya. I was supposed to have met her.” I run a hand down my face, then shake my head before whirling around and banging on the door again. “Rya!”
Levi’s response comes out with an amused huff. “Well, you’re making an ass out of yourself.”
Hazel appears a moment later, her eyes wide. She jogs down the hall to me, her blonde hair tucked neatly on top of her head, reminding me that she was in dance class with Rya. That was hours ago, though.
Before she can ask what I’m doing or I can say a word, Levi grinds out, “Jackass has been bloodying his knuckles on your door for at least three minutes now.” He looks at me pointedly. “She’s not in there, man. What’s up with you?”
“Fuck. Off. I was supposed to meet her. I couldn’t. I?—”
Hazel peers up at me, giving my arm a reassuring pat. “I haven’t seen her since class. You know, since she said she was doing something withyou.” Her pink lower lip pokes out in a pout, though she quickly shoots me an unconcerned smile. “I’m sure she just got hung up somewhere. Did you text her?” When I give her a sour look, she continues, “Well, do you want me to help you look?”
Levi snorts behind me. “Good idea. Whatever you do, take Mr. Lovesick outta here. He woke my ass up.”
“Whatever, Levi,” I growl.
And for once, Hazel comes to my rescue, letting out a billowing laugh. “Levi. It’s eight o’clock. What are you, two?”
“He’s fucking with my beauty sleep,” he grumbles, jerking a thumb over his shoulder. “If you’ve got him, I’m climbing back into bed.”
The two of them exchange a look, and Hazel holds up a hand. “Don’t worry. I’ve got him. And we’re gonna find Rya.” Taking my hand, she drags me away from their room, down the hall, and out into the central part of our floor where the elevators, small kitchen, and communal bathrooms are located. We split up, checking all over before admitting we need to look elsewhere.
I glance down the opposite hallway where Jaxon’s room is.
Hazel doesn’t miss a thing, her mouth dropping into an O. “You don’t think she’s doing the dirty with Jaxon in his room or something, do you?”
