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He gives me another meaningful glance. “I meant what I said.”
I nod. “I know, thank you.”
Holden is waiting by the door, opening it for me and doing the same when we reach the car.
I thank him and slide into the back seat, releasing a breath and closing my eyes while Holden gets behind the wheel and heads for campus.
Thankfully, the mix of caffeine, sugar, and carbs does wonders for my system, and by the time we walk into my first class, I feel marginally better.
Today,I share a few classes with Ruby and Mason, but I manage to avoid them as much as possible. They seem to have calmed down some after last night’s chat, but I know they must still have questions and things they want to say. My luck runs out at the end of a long day when they wait for me in the bathroom, of all places. No wonder they ran out of our math class like their butts were on fire. They know I usually go to the bathroom before I head home and probably thought it would be their best chance to corner me.
I snort. “Mason, you know this is the girls’ bathroom, right?”
His only response is a shrug.
Ruby has her Sherlock Holmes face on, staring at me with narrowed eyes like she can see straight into my brain.
Sometimes, I wish she actually had that ability so there wouldn’t be any lies or secrets between us.
But then you wouldn’t have any friends anymore either.
These two are the only good things in my life, and I can’t give them up. I won’t survive without them.
“Soooooo?” Ruby waves a hand through the air. “Is this how things are going to go now? You avoid us and sneak around with The Thing?”
I cradle my binder against my chest like a security blanket and sigh. “Honestly, I don’t know. I’m still processing what the hell is happening.”
Mason steps up and wraps an arm around my shoulder to pull me into his body. “You know we’re just worried, right?”
He smells like our laundry detergent, like home.
But their home isn’t my home anymore.
Not any longer.
That thought rips another small tear into my already tattered heart.
How can I navigate this mess without them by my side?
My eyes tear up as I lean closer.
“Oh shit, don’t cry. I’m sorry, Evie.” Ruby steps closer and wraps her arms around me and Mason. “You know I’m shit at handling tough situations sometimes.”
I sniffle and sag into the security blanket they’ve formed around me.
Ruby is definitely a shoot first and ask questions later kind of girl, the first of us to raise her fist in the air andmake demands.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a situation where I can do either.
I wipe my cheeks. “Things are going to be different—they already are—but I’m going to figure out how to keep as much of my life as normal as possible.”
Phoenix will probably cherish the thought of me suffering, but he also told me he needs my help to get donations for his foundation. It’s a small bargaining chip, but I’m willing to see how far I can push him and how much of my freedom I can keep while giving him what he wants.
Maybe he’ll shut me down at every corner he can, but I have to try.
Almost in unison, we step back, but they both keep their arms around me.
Mason gives me a sad smile. “You’re really going to stay with him and marry him?”