Page 74 of His Property

I squint as I try to recall someone who matches that description.

Lorenzo waves dismissively and continues out of the enclosure.

I walk to the elevator and ride up to the first floor, all the while wondering who could be here to see me. I find the guy Lorenzo described sitting on a bench at the entrance, and when I walk his way, he makes eye contact and stands.

He holds an envelope in his hand, and my heart drops, but I don’t show it on my face. I know what this is. It isn’t the first time I’ve been served.

Is it Mae? Did she issue a restraining order?

“Victor Stoll?”

I sigh and hold out my hand. “Yup.”

He hands me the envelope and squares his shoulders. “You’ve been served.”

“No shit. Get the fuck out of here.”

He shuffles away, and I open the envelope. I hold my breath while I pull out the piece of paper and scan the document.

My eyes widen, and my heart skips.

I was right. It’s a restraining order. But it isn’t from Mae.

It’s from Gabi.

20

MAE

Movers will be here in an hour. Could you pick me up when you leave school?

I frown at the message from Gabi and type out a quick reply. I really hoped she wouldn’t go through with this, and I held onto that hope the whole time I took her to look at apartments, sat with her while she signed a lease, and then helped pack her things while Victor was away.

As far as I know, he doesn’t realize Gabi decided to move out. I’ve tried my best not to pry, but I couldn’t help but ask how Victor responded to all this. Her answer: he didn’t. She refuses to speak to him.

I text her, “Okay,” then pull up Victor’s number and tap the message icon. I stare at the empty text box, twisting my lips.

It isn’t at all my place, but I still want to tell him. I understand Gabi’s hurt and the betrayal she feels, but she’s everything to Victor, and this will devastate him. The least I could do is lessen the blow so he doesn’t show up to an empty house.

“Ms. Keller?”

“Hmm?” I look up from my phone and lock eyes with Victoria, a student in my senior English class. Her eyebrows are raised, and when I look over her shoulder at the sixteen other students who are supposed to be taking a pop quiz, almost all are staring at me. TJ sits in the back frowning at me.

How many times did she call my name?

“Yes, Victoria?” I ask, sitting up straight and pushing my phone away.

Victoria comes around my desk and points at something on her pop quiz coveringThe Scarlet Letter. “Is this section true or false? It doesn’t say.”

I squint at the paper a moment then look back at Victoria. “Yes, it’s true or false.” I look over at the rest of the class. “Section four is true or false,” I say, my voice raised.

Most students go back to their quiz, but a few continue staring at me. Victoria goes back to her desk, and I stand. I cup my hands behind my back and walk up and down the rows of desks, something I should’ve been doing in the first place. I’ve been distracted lately. Enough that I forgot to label a quiz correctly.

Ten minutes go by, and most of my students have their papers turned in. I look up at the clock on the wall. One minute until the bell rings, then it’s my lunch break. Thank goodness because there’s no way I can make it through another class without texting Victor first.

My heart beats faster, and my hands get clammy. I haven’t spoken to Victor since he opened up to me then immediately shoved me out of his life.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss him. Every night for the last two weeks I’ve lied in bed at night and stared out my bedroom window, my curtains wide open for anyone to see. I didn’t realize how lonely and dissatisfied I was before, but now I can’t get the ache in my chest to heal.

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