Page 129 of The Substitute

Rhys gives me a smile loaded with emotion, and I realize maybe I don’t hate him as much as I thought, either. This was nice, being able to talk to him. Weird, but nice.

“Look at us, Reese’s Pieces,” Teddy says. “Bro bonding.”

I scrunch up my face and lift my head. “Does this mean Teddy and I are getting along?”

Rhys laughs. “He grows on you, don’t worry.”

“Like a fungus.”

Teddy squeezes me and lets me go to pull his phone from his pocket. “I’m telling Mom you’re using science to insult me again.”

“Seriously, who is Colin, and can I meet him? I would like to know more about scary sex things.”

Rhys thinks about it for a second before a big grin transforms his face. “That will annoy Oliver, so I’m saying yes.”

FORTY

AMBROSE

It’s been awkward with Tobi since our fight or whatever that was, so when I get to the dorm and find Tobi on his bed with his school stuff spread out, smiling at his phone, I assume he’s Savage. Great.

He looks up and sees me, his smile falls, and he starts chewing on his lip. Fucking shit. I really am losing him.

“Hey,” he says, but it’s quiet and unsure.

“Hey.” I look at his books. “Are you almost done?”

“I was just getting some studying in while I waited for you. I’m done.” Tobi was waiting for me? That almost makes me hopeful.

He packs it up while I stand over him like a fucking creep. Get your shit together, dude.

I scrub a hand down my face and pull my shirt off while I toe off my shoes. I want to touch him so badly, but I don’t know if he’d be into it. Not with how everything is between us.

Once everything is put away, Tobi sits on the edge of his bed and picks at his hands.

“Can I touch you?”

He looks up, surprise clear on his face. “Of course, you can.”

I’m kneeling at his feet in the next heartbeat. Tobi sucks in a startled gasp and freezes, but I don’t stop. I wrap my arms around him and bury my face in his stomach to breathe him in.

He curls his body around me like he’s protecting me from something. If only he could, but what I need shielding from lives in my head. No one can fight that for me.

“I hate how awkward this is,” I say into his shirt.

“Me, too.”

“I don’t know how to fix it, but I’ve really fucking missed you.”

Tobi stretches his arm down my back and circles my waist with his legs, covering more of me. “Me either.” There’s a sadness in his voice that breaks my heart.

He runs his fingers into my hair. “Thank you for having Savage check on me last weekend. It meant a lot.”

“I’m shocked he told you it was me who sent him.” I can only imagine he’d not want to say anything good about me. “I sent him to check on you because I couldn’t get back in time to help. It was only for you, not to help him.” I tighten my grip on him and pull him into my lap. “I don’t like you sleeping over at his place.”

Tobi stiffens then sighs. “What do you have against him? He’s been encouraging me to talk to you.”

I grind my teeth. Fucking Savage, sticking his nose into places he doesn’t belong. “My issues with Savage are just that. Mine. They don’t have anything to do with you.”