Page 65 of Save You

“Well, now I know what I’m going to be doing tonight,” Wren says after a while.

“What’s that?”

His dark eyes start to sparkle.“I’m going to read your blog.Every single post.”

Now I have to smile too.“That’s quite an undertaking.I’ve written at least twice a week, for a year and a half.”

“Oooooh-kaaay,” he drawls, stretching the syllables out.“It might take me a little bit longer, then.”

Just then, the choir stops singing, and I break into a mini round of applause.A man down below seems startled, stops, and looks up.I hastily duck my head down, hoping he didn’t spot us.I have no idea if we’re even allowed up here.

Wren laughs softly.“Anyone would think you didn’t want to be caught with me.”

“If my sister finds out I’ve been spending time with a boy, alone in a dark corner, she’ll freak out.”

Every bit of amusement drains from Wren’s eyes.He opens his mouth and shuts it again.Whatever he wants to say, he can’t psych himself up to it.In the end, he sighs.

“Then I should probably take you back downstairs.I hope Ruby didn’t notice that you snuck out.”

For a moment, I’m disappointed, but I guess he’s right.

Wren stands up and holds out his hand.Automatically, I put my hand in his and walk along the corridor with him and down the stairs, until we’re outside the doors to the hall.

“Thank you for rescuing my evening,” Wren says, and he sounds like he means it.

As he gives me one last smile, I feel a sudden urge to stop him leaving.But he’s already turned away.

Something in my belly clenches with longing.I sincerely hope that that wasn’t my last encounter with Wren Fitzgerald.

21

Ruby

I didn’t sleep a wink.

I spent the whole night thinking about what happened at the party.About a setback like that happening right when James and I had been cautiously getting closer to each other again.I’m most frustrated by the fact that I can’t tell James in my own words what happened between Wren and me that time.Before the party finished, I messaged him to say I wanted to explain, but he hasn’t replied.I get that he’s disappointed in me.But on the other hand, him going silent is really winding me up.

Lying in bed, I stare, lost in thought, at my acceptance from Oxford, which I printed out and pinned up on the board over my desk.As always, my stomach does a little leap for joy at the sight of it, but I’m thinking about what James told me two days ago.

The person you got to know in Oxford…that’sthe real me.And I’d like to have more days with you where I can prove that.

The thought that it might already be too late makes my throatclench.I groan with annoyance and get up and dress.I absolutely have to leave this room and take my mind off things or I’ll go mad.

I creep over to Ember’s room and breathe a sigh of relief as I see light under her door.

“Ember?”I whisper.

“Come in,” she calls out, and I open the door.

My sister is lying on her front on her bed, smiling at her phone.As she sees me glance over curiously, she blushes and shoves it hastily under the duvet.

“What are you doing?”I ask.

“Reading the comments on my new post.”Her reply is instant.If her cheeks weren’t so pink, I’d believe every word of it.

“You look like I’ve caught you in the middle of something naughty,” I say, sitting on the edge of her bed.

“I’m in my PJs, so it can’t be that disreputable,” she retorts, waggling her eyebrows.