Page 110 of Exactly What I Needed
One that still owned my heart.
“I’m sorry, but we don’t have a Miss Duval in our English department. Look,” our receptionist said, and I heard the scraping of plastic on top of a counter. She must have spun the computer screen so he could see.
More footsteps entered the open common area, and a faint humming I also knew by heart filled the tension swirling within me.
“Oh, hello. I recognize you,” Mrs. Wallace said in her sing-songy voice.
Please no.
“You do? I thought he looked familiar, too,” our receptionist replied. That same scraping sound happened once more.
“Sorry to bother you. I didn’t mean to sound frustrated,” Asher politely said.
A tear slid down my cheek.
“It was no bother. I’m sorry I couldn’t find Miss Duval for you,” she said.
“Miss Duval? You mean Miss Cosi?” Mrs. Wallace asked, and my stomach dropped.
No.
“Cosette Duval,” Asher stated.
“Well, everyone here knows her as Miss Cosi, but yes. She’s in our music department. Probably thebest—”
I didn’t wait for Mrs. Wallace to finish. Spinning on my heels, I sprinted away. Back down the dark hallway, away from the common area where what I just heard wasn’t happening. Denial. Why was he here?
No, he wasn’t here.
It had been three years; he wasn’t looking for me after three years. This was all in my head. Aurora and Luna brought up Void, and that’s why I’d imagined him in the office area.
What I needed was a moment to cool down in my classroom. A moment to bury myself in so much work that I would forget about their brief conversation informing me that Void was coming to our little town.
A town I’d chosen so specifically because it was supposed to be the last place someone famous would come. It was the last place anyone, including my parents, from my past life would find me.
If he were here, if anyone from that life showed up, I would have to confront feelings I wasn’t ready to deal with and possibly be reintroduced to danger. I was still trying to hear that music in my head again.
But it also had been three years. Maybe…
I dropped my paper down on my desk and braced against it as the door clicked open behind me.
Chapter 38
Ididn’t dare turn around as footsteps entered and then the door swung shut with a soft clang. If it was really him, I wasn’t sure I was ready to see him. There was a twinge in my heart, begging me to look. After all, it had been three years since I’d left, and he was asking for me.
Of all the days for him to show up…
If it was him.
Footsteps cautiously came a little closer, and I remained frozen forward, my hands braced against the table.
Maybe it was Mrs. Wallace, but she usually came dancing in here as loud and vibrant as could be. Whoever this was, was quiet.
Patient.
Slowly, I stood up straight, pushing off my desk, and took a small step sideways. I drew in a deep breath, steadying my racing heartbeat. Confused with what I was feeling, what I wanted. I wasn’t even sure.
There was so much time, so much change, maybe he wouldn’t want me anymore.
