Page 26 of Rivals

Revna

“Youwouldn’t,”Igritout.

“I would,” Lachlan says. He leans down so his lips barely skim my ear. “Don’t test me, Revna. End the date, we have work to do.”

My stomach twists and my chest goes strangely light. I don’t know what to do with any of it. He’s ruined the date at this point. But who does Lachlan think he is with his threats? Would he? He could, and that’s what scares me. There are very little repercussions for him because he covered for me. He would be kicked out of the MoMA competition, though.

I glance over at Ryan because I have been dancing with Lachlan for way too long.

“You have no right to ask me to end a date with a guy that I want to be out with.” I release him and take a step back. “This will be on my terms. I’ll call you later.” I walk away from Lachlan to Ryan. He sets his beer on the table and watches me approach him.

“Let’s go.” I take his hand, and we head for the stairs.

Lachlan’s glaring eyes burn holes through my back as I ascend the steps with Ryan. The moment we hit fresh air I take a deep breath and slowly release the tension from my neck. “Are you ok?” he asks.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I wanted to get out of there.”

“Ok, well, the night is still young. Where would you like to go? I had plans to take you to dinner. What are you in the mood for?”

Ryan is too good for me. He totally brushed Lachlan off and my willingness to dance with him. He is fully focused on me again. I’ve actually had a great time with Ryan, but why does he like me?

There is a little part of me that wants to end the date and go to Lachlan. I should have known the peace would be short-lived. But it’s late. Would we get that much done? I’m sure he would make good on his threat, which scares me more than anything else. Everything I’ve worked for would be done, over.

“You know, Ryan, I’ve had a great night, but I still have some finals to work on, so I think I want to go home.”

Ryan tilts his head and looks at me. “You are more than just teammates, aren’t you?” I jerk my head back at his statement. It’s not like Lachlan, and I have been caught making out in the hallways like teenagers. This is the first time we’ve ever worked together, so why would he think that? I don’t respond and stare at him, wondering what he’s trying to get at. “You’re going to him, aren’t you?”

“Why would you ask me that?” His lips pin together. I can see the little bit of anger, the jealousy like he’s writing them out for me.

“It’s obvious to everyone, Revna. You and Lachlan have always had this thing between you. I figured nothing came of it because you never appeared to be dating each other, so I took my chance. I was too late, wasn’t I?”

My heart sinks. He really is too good for me. I am damaged goods, and as much as I hate it. The only one who seems to know what that feels like and is unbothered by it is Lachlan. “Let me walk you home,” he says, turning toward my apartment.

I reluctantly follow behind and try to ignore the guilt building in my chest. This is why I don’t date; someone always gets hurt. I don’t mean for it to happen, but it does. Yet another reason I keep my distance. I have always had to defend myself or stay away from others. It’s safer for me that way.Safer for everyone else, too.

We get to the door of my building, and Ryan rubs his neck. My feet are killing me, yet the pain in my sternum is worse. “Ryan…”

“Save it, Revna. I…I really like you, and I’m sorry I waited so long. If you change your mind, you know how to find me, alright?” He pauses. “He’s not good for you, and maybe I’m misreading the whole situation, but he will hurt you.” He looks at me with sad, pleading eyes, and I can’t bring myself to be mad at what he said because he is probably right.

“Though that may be true, Ryan, we aren’t a thing. He’s my competition partner; there are…things you don’t know, and I have to hold up my end of the deal, that’s it.”

He huffs a laugh and slides his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, ok, Revna. You can believe that, but I recognize the way he looks at you. I saw it when you were dancing with him. You may be partners for a project, but he wants more from you. Just be careful.” He pins me with a stare, and I am rendered speechless. I can’t disagree with him because I felt it. That doesn’t mean I’m going to lean into it, though. This is an agreement to solve a problem that I started, end of story.

He stares at me a little longer, glancing at my door like he’s waiting for me to safely get in. Even after all of this, he’s still a gentleman. I take a step up the stairs and turn to look at him.

“Ryan?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m no good for you anyway.”

He rubs his jaw, and his kind, bright eyes stare into my dark, dead ones. He takes a step up the stairs, stopping at the one below me, and kisses my cheek. “If you genuinely believe that, then you’re probably right. Goodnight, Revna.”

I look at him one last time and unlock my door. “Goodnight, Ryan.” I step in and close the door behind me, watching him walk away through the sidelight of the door.

I either messed up any chance at possibly having something more with a guy who appreciates me for who I am, or I saved him from me. I’m more willing to believe I saved him from myself. I don’t want to hurt him. I don’t want to hurt anyone.

Once I get back into my place, Joshua, my roommate, looks up from what he’s cooking on the stove. “Hey,” he mumbles.