Page 76 of Someday Away

“You know it,” Trey says with a sexy grin.

Lincoln just stares at me with those unreadable gray eyes.

I leave their dorm and head down the elevator. I wonder nervously what kind of crazy-ass situation I just got myself into while I run across campus, pulling my tangled hair into a ponytail as I go.

I covertly sniff my sweatshirt, wondering if I smell like sex.

Fiona is totally going to know.

It’s a blustery morning, and gusts of wind tear at my clothes and hair, and fat drops of rain are starting to fall, splashing coldly against my cheeks and forehead.

I push through the gate leading out to Main Street and run the couple blocks to the coffee shop. When I enter, I spot Fiona sitting at a table with a textbook open and a large coffee cup sitting next to her half empty. She looks up at me as I approach, raising her eyebrows as she takes in my disheveled appearance.

“You look like hell,” she says with a smirk.

“I’m so sorry,” I say, trying to catch my breath. “I forgot to set an alarm. I think we still have time to do the flash cards if you want.”

I sit down across from her, unzipping my backpack and pulling out my history notebook. I slap it onto the table and start to open it when her hand slams down on the cover.

I look up at her, startled. Her emerald eyes are narrowed like she’s trying to figure something out. Then they widen.

Shit.

“You didn’t go home last night,” she whisper-hisses.

“Uhm, what makes you think that?” I ask, biting my lip. I’m not sure what I should actually tell her, but I also don’t want to lie to my friend.

“You’re wearing the same clothes you were in when you left to go to the library,” she says, looking at me deadpan.

I look down at my outfit, wincing. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

“And your hair is in a ponytail.”

“So?”

“You hate ponytails. You say they make you look like Paul Revere.”

“Well, they do.”

“That probably means your hair was messy and you didn’t have time to do anything else with it.” Her eyes light up and she leans forward. “You’re hiding just-fucked hair! Oh my God, you were with one of the guys!”

“Shhh!” I resist the urge to press my hand over her mouth. I glance around to make sure no one is looking at us. “Don’t say that so loud.”

She’s stares at me, her eyes huge and full of questions.

I shift nervously. “We should probably start studying.”

“Screw that. Don’t change the subject.” She drops my notebook back into my bag. “Tell meeverything.”

Maybe not everything, but I’ll give her something, I think.

I take a breath, deciding what I should say. “Fine,” I sigh. “I had a weird conversation with Serenity in the library last night.”

“Go on….”

I nod hesitantly. “Promise you’ll keep this to yourself?”

She nods back solemnly.

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