Page 55 of The Devastation You Reap

Your King: Of course not. I'd be studying real hard…

My fingers hover over the screen as I battle with myself not to tell him that I'm heading for lunch and asking if he can meet me.

Since we ran into each other at Paolo’s four days ago, I’ve seen him every single day and even now all I can think about is the next time I'm going to see him.

I'm not sure I like this new version of myself.

Never before have I cared where anyone else is, what class they're sitting in, or what they're doing afterward. I usually spend my time actively forgetting anyone else exists and avoiding as many people as possible.

Cutting my thoughts off, I shove my cell into the depths of my bag and push through into the coffee shop to grab some lunch and read over some notes for this afternoon.

* * *

I can barely keep my eyes open as I sit around our usual table in the library for our weekly study group. My lack of sleep the night before has long caught up with me.

I know I should be paying attention to the debate everyone is having around me, but I don't remember the topic let alone what they're actually arguing about right now.

"Macie, you usually have something interesting to add," Wyatt says, turning his stare toward me, and in turn the rest of the table's.

"I… um… I'm sorry, I spaced out."

A mixture of disappointment and concern covers the five faces staring back at me.

"I'm just going to go and get some air."

Without waiting for them to respond, I push my chair out and race away from the table, embarrassed that I'd lost focus and had no choice but to admit it.

I can see the stairwell in the distance that will lead me outside when I collide with a body.

"Whoa… this is a nice surprise," a very familiar deep voice rumbles from above me.

I blink a couple of times, his Panthers jersey that's spread across his wide chest appearing before me.

"Are you stalking me?" I blurt out.

He laughs. "No, Red. Stalkers stay hidden in the shadows. I have every intention of you seeing me."

My lips part but I don't have any words to respond with, my head is still half zoned out.

"What's got you running so fast?" His brows pinch together in concern as he looks behind me to see if I was actually running from something specific.

"N-nothing. I'm in a study session but—"

"Must be good if it's got you running in the opposite direction."

"I… uh… couldn't focus," I confess.

"Oh?" A cocky smirk appears on his lips. "Something got you all distracted, Red?" He takes a step closer and reaches up to tuck a lock of my hair behind my ear.

"U-uh."

"Wanna get out of here?"

"I-I can't. I need to—" I look back over my shoulder.

"Really? You're running away. You can't tell me that you'd rather be there than wherever I can take you."

"And where would that be exactly?"