Page 120 of Give In

“No, why? Is he okay?”

Her smile faded, regret replacing the playfulness in her expression. “Uh huh. Yeah, he’s fine.” Standing, she looked at her wrist even though she never wore a watch. “It’s Wednesday, don’t you have class starting soon? I’ll let you get ready.”

“Tonia,” I warned, pulling her back down.

She sighed. “I swear, I thought it was you. I’m so so so sorry, I wouldn’t have said anything.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“Brooks just started dating someone. I went to a party last night with his friend, Keith, and he was telling me Brooks has been out every night for a week. We thought, with you being gone so much, it was you he was seeing.”

He hasn’t called me gorgeous. Or walked me out of class. Or hugged me or kissed my cheek.

I smiled, relief flowing through me that Brooks hadn’t been in a horrible accident and I wasn’t about to be homeless. “Nope, not me. I’m glad he’s seeing someone, though.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You really are.” They widened as she gasped. “Because you’re seeing someone, too. Who?”

“No one. I’ve been at work and school. You’re the one who’s never around.”

Thankfully, my shot in the dark landed and Tonia nodded. “True. Our schedules never lineup since I’m a night owl and you’re a… Wait, you’re an early bird and night owl. What does that make you?”

“A perpetually exhausted racoon.”

She bolted up. “That’s it! My photography final is to shoot an animal in a raw and natural way for an exhibit. A racoon is perfect. I’ll call it,” she raised her arms and spread them apart like an invisible banner, “‘Perpetually Exhausted Eden.’”

“Uhh, thanks?”

“I’ve gotta find a racoon.”

“Right now?”

She shook her head on her way out the door. “No, right now I need to go back to bed for six more hours. I was just going to the bathroom but then I heard you in here and decided to put my foot in my mouth.”

“It’s fine. Go back to bed.”

“Like a normal person at this time.” Tonia walked out only to stick her head back in. “When I said shoot an animal—”

“With a camera.”

“Okay, phew.”

“I know. That kind of misunderstanding could’ve gottenThree’s Company-Dextercrossover real quick.”

“There’s only so many lies that old dude will believe, and blood coated plastic probably crosses that line,” she said as she closed the door.

I looked at the clock and saw it was insanely early for Tonia to be awake, but late for me to still be in bed. I’d showered with Damien that morning, but I still needed to get ready for class and be out the door in less than fifteen minutes.

Despite the ticking countdown, I spent another minute in bed, taking stock of my life.

As of less than twenty minutes ago, I’m unemployed.

Brooks, an amazing guy, is dating someone on a frequent enough basis that the rumor mill is in overdrive.

Meanwhile, I’m secretly sleeping with my professor and letting him spank me, use a crop on me… basically use me in general. Plus, he does a whole load of other magical and stalkerific things that I’m fairly certain are against teacher guidelines.

All in all, my carefully planned life has gone completely off the rails. I no longer have ducks in a row. I have perpetually exhausted racoons.

And they’re at a rave.