Текст книги "Date Me"

Автор книги: Jillian Dodd

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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 20 страниц)

Sunday, October 2nd

I’m not kinky enough?

8am

Dallas and I are the first ones up. I’m toasting us English muffins when he says, “So last night was interesting.”

“What do you mean?”

“Katie and I did it.”

“Did it! You had sex? I thought you wanted to wait?”

“I thought she’d make me wait. We haven’t even been dating for a week.”

“So what happened?”

“Did you see the way she looked? That hot little thing she was wearing? It was all silky and her boobs were just like, Bam! But even then, I was going to wait.”

“And?”

“And she decided to convince me otherwise.” He blushes.

“You’re blushing. How did she convince you?”

“She put Dawson’s party favors to good use. But it didn’t go well.”

“Why not? Because it was your first time or because you were kind of drunk?”

“No, it’s just that she was sucking the, uh, lifesaver, pretty enthusiastically. When I was close, she stopped and we did. And so as soon as we did, I did.”

“Believe it or not, I actually followed that. So it was over fast?”

“Very fast. I was sort of embarrassed, but she didn’t care. She came back out here, grabbed us a bottle of vodka, poured me another shot, and said that we needed to do it again.” He sits up straighter. “I obliged.”

“Still, you could have said no.”

“Why would I want to do that?”

I put on a pout. “What about me?”

He grins. “We got high. We kissed. We’re not friends with ben-e-fits. We’re friends who hit-and-kiss. Ha! Get it? That rhymes.”

“You’re hilarious. But you didn’t answer my question.”

“No offense, but you're sorta straight.”

“I'm not kinky enough? And you think Katie is? She's hasn't even done it much. And neither have you, for that matter.”

“I didn't mean it that way. I just meant, like, your body. I prefer shorter, curvier figures. That's what I'm attracted to.”

“I’m straight and unattractive. Great.”

“Straight, yes. Unattractive, no. You’re hot. Just not my type. Seems like you’re pretty happy being Dawson’s type though.”

I smile big. “That’s true. Last night, he did things to me that were so hot.”

“You’re gonna have to tell me about them, so I can make Katie hot.”

“Seems like that’s not a problem.” I glance at the clock. “We better get everyone up. We have to be back at school soon to work on the dance float.”

You’ll cause a riot.

2pm

I spend most of the day working on the dance team’s float for the Homecoming parade. A group of alumni dancers really do all the planning and designing of the float. Basically we’re just here to be worker bees. I flit around like a good bee should and do what I’m told.

Maggie and I are sitting on the ground, legs crossed, stringing fake red and yellow flowers onto streamers to make garlands for the sides of the float.

Maggie goes, “So I know that I’m in lust with Parker right now. And I know that you are in love with Dawson, but I think we should take a moment to admire the magnificence that is right in front of us.” She nods her head toward Aiden and sighs. “Look at the way he’s swinging that hammer. He’s so intense. And those biceps. Totally jacked. Can’t you picture him building you a gazebo or something?” She scrutinizes me. “Come on, say something. Gush with me.”

“He’s good with a hammer,” I say, knowing I sound totally lame.

“I’d let him hammer me any time,” she says with a naughty grin.

“Maggie!” I giggle.

“What?” she says as we both lean our heads to one side to get a better view. “You know you’d let him hammer you too.”

“I would not! I love Dawson. Oh, look. He’s starting to sweat.”

“I don’t see sweat.”

“Yeah, look at the back of his neck, right below his hairline. There are little beads of sweat. He must be hot.”

Maggie fans herself. “You’re not a kidding, he’s hot. Oh. My. God. He’s taking off his shirt!”

I lower my head and try not to watch, but he catches my eye with those damn tractor beams of his just as he pulls his shirt over his head.

He tosses it to the ground, gives me a little grin, looks down at his chest, and then looks back at me with one of those freaking smiles. The same smile he was flashing to numerous girls at the Cave the other night.

I think he just can’t help it. It’s just in his godly blood to make girls swoon.

“Would you look at that?” Maggie continues. “It’s like he’s perfect. Hey, help me out here. Look at him carefully and see if you can find anything that isn’t perfect.”

“I’m not going to sit here and stare at him. He already has a big enough head as it is.”

She giggles. “I’ve heard that he is big.”

“Big? Like, down there?”

“Yes, down there. What are you, ten?”

“Where did you hear that?”

“Well, he’s been with quite a few girls. They talk, you know. About his package.”

“Which girls? No. Wait. I don’t want to know. I couldn’t care less.” I bite the corner of my lip and try to focus on the garland I’m supposed to be making. But then I look around and realize Aiden and I are the only ones getting any work done. Half the dance team and most of the alumni have stopped what they’re doing and are all drooling in his direction.

I feel a little bad for him.

Being objectified and all.

“This is ridiculous, Maggie. I’m going to tell him to put his shirt back on.”

She gives me an evil eye. “Don’t you dare. You’ll cause a riot.”

“Still, I’m going over there.” I get up and walk toward Aiden. He is hammering nails.

I said that already, didn’t I?

I lean down to talk to him just as he stands up straight, which means his abs are now staring at me.

Hello, sexy, perfect abs.

Hi, amazing deep V-line.

Howdy, . . .”

“You need something?” he says, bending over at the waist and taking my view away.

“What?” I’m feeling just a bit dazed. Must be all the spray glue fumes. “Oh, I was going to say that you’re doing a great job. With the hammer. With the, uh, hammering. Like, you seem to be pretty good at hammering. Uh, I mean pounding. Or, um, nailing.” I shake my head. “You know, whatever it’s called.”

Why does every word I say suddenly sound perverted?

Aiden tosses the hammer into the air. It spins in a circle then drops back into his hand. “I like to hammer things.”

I gulp.

Damn Maggie for turning basic carpentry all sexual.

Aiden pulls a drill gun out of the little tool belt that he’s wearing and holds it up. “I’m good at screwing too.” He laughs. “That didn’t come out quite right. I meant that I’m good with a screw gun. I’m good with lots of power tools.”

My mind immediately goes to his tool. His godly, powerful tool.

I glance down at his crotch before I can think better of it.

He catches me, leans in, and whispers to me, “I’m good at all kinds of screwing.”

I blush.

I’m blushing.

I know I’m blushing.

“That’s just gross,” I say, trying to recover, while peeling my eyes off Aiden’s body.

He sets the hammer down to reach up and wipe the sweat off the back of his neck.

When he does this, it causes the muscles on his entire right side to flex. I hear an audible gasp from a woman near me, whose face looks permanently surprised from way too much Botox.

Aiden ignores her or maybe he’s so used to it he doesn’t even notice. He whispers to me, “Trust me. When we do it, it will so not be gross. It will be amazing. Best you’ll ever have.”

“We are never doing it. And you need to put your shirt back on.”

“Why? I’m hot.”

“Because you’re going to cause one of the old alumni women to have a stroke or something. And that would sort of ruin the Homecoming festivities.”

He takes a step toward me. His naked chest almost touching mine and trapping me between him and the float.

“I think I’ll leave it off, just for you. You can think about us naked. Hammering. Nailing. Pounding. Screwing.” He gives me a totally naughty and completely adorable smirk.

“I will be thinking no such things.”

“Oh, yeah, you will. It will be all you think about for the rest of the day.”

No two are ever the same.

5:35pm

I’m on my way to meet Aiden, the dirty carpenter, in the library, but the sunset is so gorgeous that I have to stop, sit on the bench, and admire it. I close my eyes and pretend that I’m on my deck in Malibu. Mom and Tommy are sitting next to me. We’re having a glass of wine and talking about our day. My little sisters run out in their pajamas to give us good night kisses.

When I open my eyes, Aiden sits down next to me.

At least he put his shirt back on.

“How come you’re sitting out here?”

“I was just looking at the sunset. Thinking about home.”

He looks at the sky. “It is gorgeous. Sunsets are like fingerprints. No two are ever the same.”

“It sounds like you’ve watched a few.”

“Sunsets remind me of home too.” He looks sad for just a second then changes the subject. “So I hear you helped my sister find the perfect dress.”

I study Aiden’s face. Even though he’s trying to act happy about the dress, the way his jaw is set makes me think he isn’t thrilled about it. Maybe he uses his godly telepathy on me, because I suddenly understand why. “You’re not thrilled she asked Camden, are you?”

“I’m just really surprised she would ask him after all he put her through. They used to date, you know? And he broke up with her right when she needed him the most.”

I squint my eyes at him. “I know they dated, but I didn’t know the break up was bad. I got the impression they’re still pretty, uh, close.”

Close being a bit of an understatement.

Seeing as they were naked in my hot tub.

Aiden shakes his head. “They might be now, but not back then. That’s why I ended up coming to school here. I had no desire to live away from my family. But Peyton wasn’t doing well, so I came here to take care of her. Which was a tough decision because I had been helping take care of my mom.”

“Your mom. Why?”

“She had cancer.”

“Oh, wow. I’m sorry.”

“It sucked. Cancer sucks.”

“Is your mom, um, like, is she okay?”

Aiden brightens. “She is. Her having cancer definitely changed our lives, though. We lived in Atlanta when we found out. They didn't give her long to live and the thought of losing her really affected my dad. He realized how short life can be. He told us that love is the most important thing in life. As part of her treatment, Mom made a list of all the things she wanted to do when she beat cancer. One of the things on her list was something my parents always said they wanted to do when they retired. Buy a vineyard in Napa Valley. Dad decided not to wait until Mom beat cancer to do it. Within a month, he had sold his business and our house in Atlanta, and he had bought her a vineyard. They made Peyton and me make lists too. Peyton was having a hard time with it all. She was mad. Mad that Mom had cancer. Mad that Dad made us leave all our friends. On her list she wrote that she wanted to go to boarding school. I don’t think she really meant it, but they thought she did, so they sent her here Freshman year.”

I realize now why Peyton turned to the teacher after she and Cam broke up. Why she was more worried about upsetting her parents than telling the truth. It must have been terrible to have Whitney hold something like that over her head. Much worse than my being a stupid virgin.

I was really, really shallow.

Aiden continues. “I loved California. I could play soccer pretty much year round. I had made some friends. Liked school. But then one night she called me bawling, and I decided she needed me more than Mom. When I got here, Peyton still looked perfect on the outside, but on the inside, she was hurting.”

“Because of the breakup?”

“Because of everything, I think. So when Cam broke her heart, he changed my life too.”

“It was really sweet of you, Aiden.” Now I understand why Aiden seems more mature than most boys his age. He’s lived a lot already. We kind of have that in common. We came here for reasons other than ourselves. “So do you wish you weren’t here?”

“Not at all. Even though I came to take care of her, I ended up loving it. With us being only a year apart, people used to think we were twins. We did everything together. I liked us being back together, if that makes sense. I made Varsity soccer right away and the girls seemed to like me.”

I laugh. “That's cuz you're hot.” Shit. I didn’t mean that. Why did I say that?

“You think I'm hot, huh?” he says with an easy grin.

“I mean, not me, but I’ve heard that a lot of girls think that.”

He raises an eyebrow at me.

I roll my eyes at him and laugh. “Fine. I think you are a nice looking boy.”

He stares at me for a beat then looks back out at the sunset. “One of my favorite things about Napa is watching the sun set. We’d sit outside, have a glass of wine, and talk. Mom said that no matter how bad a day she’d had, the sunset was comforting because it meant she’d made it through another one.”

“Your mom must be amazing.”

“She is. And that’s why I like sunsets. They’re, like, hopeful.”

“My family used to do the same thing. Watch the sunset together. Only we had a house on the beach. How is your mom doing?”

“For now, the cancer is in remission and she and dad are working through their lists. Traveling all over the world.” He gets a pained expression on his face. “She decided though that if it comes back, she won’t fight it. She won’t go through chemo again.”

“That’s got to be hard on you. My dad died when I was eight.”

He reaches out and touches my pinkie with his. “I’m sorry.”

We both sort of sigh, lost in our own thoughts, look out at the sun, and don’t say anything else until it slips below the horizon.

Rough to handle.

10:35pm

Katie and I are getting ready for bed when Garrett calls me.

“I just wanted to let you know that your mom cut her trip short and is safely back in Vancouver.”

“Why did she cut her trip short?”

Garrett sighs. “You told me that you want to know everything, right? Even if it’s rough to handle?”

“Yes.”

“When she woke up this morning, there was an envelope pushed under her hotel room door.”

“And what was in it?”

“A photo of you. From that day on the beach when you let him take your picture. You were blowing a kiss.”

I shudder remembering the kiss he shot me yesterday and know that the photo was not really meant for Mom.

Is was meant for me.

I try to sound unaffected. “He already sent us that picture.”

“Yes, honey, but this one was different.”

“How so?”

“It was stabbed numerous times with a very sharp object. All that was left intact was your face.”

My stomach lurches and all I manage to say is, “Oh.”

Katie says to me, “Hey, I’m gonna hop in the shower.”

I nod to her, wait for the shower to turn on, and then say to Garrett, “Poor Mom.”

“Poor Mom? Poor you, if he finds you. You need to tell me everything that happened on Saturday.”

I give him the run down.

“So it was a completely chance encounter?”

“Yes. You told me Mom was planning a trip, but you didn't tell me where she was going. I had no idea.”

“I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you'd try to see her.”

“I’m sorry about the Brooklyn thing, Garrett. I wouldn’t have gone to see her. You know what was really weird though? He didn't call me Keatyn. He called me Abby. He’s never called me Abby before.”

“He’s getting worse. More out of touch with reality.”

“Did he leave when Mom did? Are you following him?”

“We were. We tracked down his hotel. He might be out of touch with reality, but he’s still not making any mistakes. He didn’t stay at the same hotel as your mom and he had what appeared to be a business dinner tonight. Since neither you or your mom are in the city, I saw no need to continue surveillance. He's scheduled on a flight to LA tomorrow night at seven. We’ll make sure he’s on it.”

“Even though I know I’m safe here, I’ll feel better when he's back in California.”

“You and me both.”

You need to chill.

1:30am

Everyone is still in a party mood and looking forward to this week, so we all meet up at the Cave.

I’m sitting between Jake and Dawson, sharing a joint and getting chewed out by Jake.

“So you invited Peyton but not Whitney on your little shopping trip? How is that any different from what she did to you?”

“For one, I didn’t take her boyfriend with me and lie to him. For two, Peyton invited herself. And for three, my loft only sleeps so many people. So, I couldn’t have invited Whitney because she doesn’t really go anywhere without Rachel and the minions. I mean, do they follow you into the bedroom?”

Jake squints his eyes at me. “That’s mean.”

I roll my eyes at him. “It’s different, Jake. I didn’t purposely exclude her. I didn’t invite everyone else in front of her and then tell her she wasn’t worthy of going.”

“Dude,” Dawson says to Jake. “You need to relax. We’re supposed to be partying.”

I look at Jake. “Are you mad because you think I excluded Whitney or because I didn’t invite you to the Mission: Impossible party?”

“The party sounds like it was a lot of fun.”

I feel bad. “Maybe we could all hang out sometime.”

Dawson giggles. “Fuck that. I’m not hanging out with her.”

“Dawson, be nice!”

“What do you expect, Jake? Keatie is right. Whitney wouldn’t have gone even if she was invited.”

“Maybe not, but I would have.”

“It was a couples’ thing that wasn’t planned in advance. It was completely off the cuff. We were supposed to have a girls’ weekend. Shop, drink wine, watch romance movies. Then we started doing shots and felt like a party. We only invited our Homecoming dates.” He keeps staring at me. “Next time I’ll invite you. Okay?”

“Thank you. And we need to talk about Homecoming. What are you planning?”

Dawson looks at me. “We haven’t really talked about the details, but I’ve made a few plans.” He leans over and kisses me. It’s a sexy kiss, full of tongue.

“We were talking about planning Homecoming?” Jake says, interrupting us.

“We’re just doing what everyone is,” I say. “The day’s festivities. Dinner. The Dance. Coronation. Then changing and going to the club.”

“Are you riding one of the buses to the club?”

I nod my head yes at the same time that Dawson shakes his head no. “We have to go to the after-party, Dawson. You’ll love my outfit.”

“I love everything you wear.” Then he says under his breath, “And everything you don’t.”

I kiss him again. Smoking makes me want to kiss. So I kiss him.

He pulls me over onto his lap and I kiss him some more.

Jake gets a frustrated tone in his voice and interrupts us again. “So how are you getting to the club?”

Dawson pulls his lips away from mine. “I got a limo for Keatie and me. Just the two of us.” He grins at me. “I also got us a hotel room.”

I run my fingers through his hair and snuggle up closer to his chest. “Really? That sounds fun. I like just the two of us.”

Jake lets out an audible sigh.

“What?” Dawson says to him.

“It’s hard to carry on a conversation when you keep making out.”

“Fine. Keatie, stop attacking me.”

I giggle, then do just that. Attack his neck with kisses while he tries to carry on a conversation with Jake.

“What are your plans, Jake?”

“I just thought we’d party together. It’s our senior year. We’ve gone to every Homecoming together.”

“We will be partying together. At the dance. The after-party. You and Whitney are welcome to come in the limo with us to the club if you want. We’re stopping at the hotel first. Changing. Which might take awhile. Going to the after-party. Then back to the hotel. I booked it for two nights, so we wouldn’t have to check out at noon. We’ll crash. Get room service. Enjoy some private time. Then head back to school after dinner. Did you book a room?”

“No. Whitney is taking care of all of it.”

I can tell that Jake is bummed. I stop kissing Dawson’s neck. “What about dinner? We could sit together.”

“Whitney already has planned the seating arrangements too.”

“Do you get to plan anything?”

“Sure, from the list she gave me.”

“She likes to plan,” Dawson says.

“Yeah, well sometimes it takes the fun out of it.”

I hand Jake the joint. “Here. I think you need this.”

Monday, October 3rd

I thought you’d never ask.

8:20am

I’m in history class with Riley when I get called to the office. I smile, grab my bag, and figure that Peyton got me out of class again.

When I get to the office though, I don’t see her.

Instead the Dean’s secretary says, “Miss Monroe, the dean will see you now.”

The dean will see me now? Why does the dean want to see me?

What did I do!?

I walk into his office.

Be calm, Keatyn. Don’t look guilty.

The dean looks up from his desk. “Sit down, Miss Monroe. There’s something we need to discuss.”

“Yes, sir,” I say as I fidget with the zipper on my handbag.

“This is a delicate situation,” he tells me. He’s got a little bead of sweat on the upper corner of his forehead, where his hairline just barely recedes.

Is he nervous?

“We pride ourselves on security here at Eastbrooke, but it appears that someone was in our office last night. We believe that your file was accessed.”

My eyes get huge, my thoughts immediately racing to the rehabs that were broken into. To Vincent being in New York City.

Vincent tracked me from New York.

He had me followed, and I didn’t know it.

He knows I’m here.

But if he knows I’m here, if he broke in last night, why didn’t he come and get me last night while I was sleeping?

Didn’t Garrett say Vincent was too smart to do it himself? That he probably hired someone.

Does that mean he’s on his way?

I clear my throat. It’s obvious that the dean expects me to respond. “Were there other files accessed?”

Please say yes.

“It appears to have been just yours.”

I try not to panic.

I need to know what Vincent knows. “What exactly is in my file?”

“The basics. Your school transcripts. Current class schedule. Parking pass. Dorm assignment. And, well, the financial arrangements regarding your tuition.”

That’s why he broke in. He knows I’m here, but he needs to know what dorm I’m in. Tonight, he’s coming to get me. Or maybe he’s waiting for me inside my car. Hiding in the backseat, waiting for me to drive off, then he’ll overtake me. Or maybe he wanted me to know he found me. Maybe he’ll make me wait. Make me crazy with wonder as to when he’s coming. Maybe he’s playing with me. Garrett said that stalking is all about control.

What am I going to do? Where am I going to go? I just started building a new life here.

“Thank you for letting me know, sir. Is there anything else?”

“No, we just needed to make you aware of the situation. Particularly since your financial data may have been compromised.”

“Thanks,” I say.

He has no idea. He’s worried about money. About getting sued.

I’m worried about someone grabbing me and never being seen again. I grab the locket around my neck and pray that whatever they installed in it actually works.

I think I’m going to need it.

“You should probably take a few minutes to check your account and then head back to class,” the dean says as he shoos me out of the relative safety of his office.

My mind is reeling.

I imagine Vincent waiting for me outside.

I remember Garrett telling me to go where people are.

I can’t go to my dorm room. He could be there. I can’t go to class. He knows my schedule. I have to be unpredictable. I have to do something he couldn’t have planned on.

I stand outside the school office, trying to think.

“Earth to Keatyn.”

“What?” Riley is standing in front of me. Big, strong Riley. The boy who said I’d need protecting.

“Did you get in trouble?”

“What? Oh, uh, no.”

He wraps his arm around me. “Then what's wrong? You're shaking. Is your family okay?”

My eyes get tears in them. I don't know what to do.

Riley sees that I'm about to start crying.

“Come on, let's go talk.” He tries to drag me down the hall.

“No! Wait!” I yell.

“Why? Tell me what's got you so upset.”

“Just give me a minute!”

Think, Keatyn. Don't stay in this building. Don't go to dorm. Your car is out. Lots of people.

But then I think about the crazy people that come into classrooms with guns. No classrooms. I need to hide.

I remember Garrett telling me that Hawthorne House was next to my dorm. That it housed most of the school’s athletes. That I should go there if I was ever in trouble.

“Can we go to your room?”

Riley grins and raises an eyebrow at me sexily. “Baby, I thought you'd never ask.”

I don’t laugh at his joke. “I, uh, don’t want anyone to know. Can we sneak down there? Go the back way or something?”

“It’s gonna be a secret affair, huh? You want me to tie you up?”

My face goes a shade whiter. I think about what was in the van. Imagine being tied up in the back of it.

Riley looks at me closely. “Okay, you're scaring me.”

“I’m sorry. I just . . .” I can't even come up with a lie. I'm stuck in one spot. I thought if he ever came and got me, found me, I'd be all badass and fight him, but I'm not a badass. I'm a scared, freaked-out mess.

I’m paralyzed with fear.

Snap out of it and make a decision, Keatyn.

I look at Riley. He’s got on a hoodie over the tie-dyed shirt he’s wearing for 70s day today. “Can I have your jacket?”

He pulls it off and hands it to me. I put it on and pull the hood up over my head. I look over and see the big Lost and Found box. There are a pair of Cougar Athletics sweatpants lying right on the top. I grab them and pull them on over my skirt and fringed cowboy boots.

“What are you doing? You’re acting very strange. Are you on something?”

“What? No. I’m . . . I, uh, just thought that I shouldn’t walk in your dorm looking like a girl. It’s a disguise.”

“When we get there, you are going to tell me what the hell is going on.”

I nod my head and pull on his arm. The second bell already rang for the next period, so the hallways are empty. I peek around a corner to look outside. To survey the area. To see if Vincent or any other stranger is lurking there.

“Let’s sneak down by the trees.”

“No way. If we look like we’re doing something wrong, we’ll get caught. We’re walking straight down the pathway to the dorms. If anyone asks what we’re doing, we’ll say getting a paper out of my room, for class.”

I’m beyond logic but that sounds good. “Give me your sunglasses.”

“A hoodie, sweats, and sunglasses. Are you afraid Dawson will find out? I swear, I’ll never tell.”

He’s trying to make me laugh, I know.

But it’s not working.

We safely get to his dorm room without running into anyone.

I shut the door, slump against it, then slide down to the floor.

Riley kneels down next to me. “Okay. Tell me what the hell is going on.”

“Just give me a minute, okay? I need to think.”

I open the file copy the dean gave me and look through it. Look for any link between me and my old life.

A school I didn't go to. A fake transcript from a fake school but with my actual classes and grades.

A fake mailing address for my fake parents in France.

My schedule. My activities. My parking pass.

The account that my tuition comes out of from the bank in Atlanta.

Nothing to connect me to my old life.

Except the picture on my school ID. If he saw that, he'd know it’s me.

I look up at Riley and tell him as much of the truth as I can. “Someone was in the school office last night and accessed my file. Only my file.”

“Why are you so upset about that? Jeez, I thought someone died or something.”

I think about me being the one to die.

“I just feel a bit violated, I guess. Why would someone do that?”

Please let there be a viable alternative to Vincent.

“Maybe it was just a prank?” Riley guesses.

I shake my head. “Why?”

He snaps his finger. “Maybe it was Whitney. Jake said that she was pissed about Peyton going shopping with you. About her weekend.”

“Whitney? Why would she do that?”

“Because she’s a bitch and she hates you. Maybe she was looking for dirt.” He grabs my printout. “Any dirt in here? Did you get kicked out of your last school? Do you have an illegitimate child? An affair with a teacher? Been to rehab?”

I listen to him rattle off all the fake life ideas my family came up with.

“Riley?”

“What?”

I throw my arms around him and hug him tightly. “Thanks for being my friend.”

He hugs me back, which causes me to start crying.

“Are you on the rag? What's with all the tears?”

“I’m not sure.” I laugh.

He starts reading my file. “Wow. This is scandalous.”

“What is?” What did I miss?

“You got a B. Seriously?” He scans the pages. “You've only had one B in your life?”

I shrug. “Yeah.”

“Brains and beauty. It's a deadly combination. No wonder my brother is crazy about you.”

“Do you see anything else that might come back to haunt me?”

“Well, you should probably call your bank and check your account. I bet that’s why the dean was freaking out. They have your whole account number on here. They aren’t supposed to do that.”

I nod at him. I know just the banker to call.

“You’re right. Let me call my financial guy real quick.”

I get out my cell and press Garrett's number.

He answers. “Are you okay?”

“For the moment, yes. But I just got called to the dean’s office. Someone accessed my personal information last night. Only my information.”

Garrett is quiet. I wonder if the call dropped. “Are you still there?”

“Yes. I’m thinking. This sounds a lot like the rehabs.”

“That’s what I thought.”

I internally panic. Even Garrett thinks it’s him.

I let out a little cry.

Riley looks at me with concern. “What happened? Is your account okay? Is their fraud on it?”

“Who are you with?” Garrett asks.

“A friend. My file has my full bank account number in it.”

“I’m putting you on hold. Give me just a second. Do you feel safe right now?”

“Yes, and I’ll wait.” I point to the phone and tell Riley, “I’m on hold.”

“Tell me what's really going on.”

Should I tell him? Can I trust him?

What I need to do is leave school. Now.

Get on a train to nowhere.

Run.

Garrett comes back on the line. “Your school has excellent security measures in place. Did he say the school was breeched or just the office?”

“Just the office, I think.”

“Keatyn, take a deep breath. Calm down for a minute. I’m almost positive that this was not Vincent.”

I turn to Riley. “Riley, will you excuse me, please?”

I walk out his door and down the hall.

“He was in New York City, Garrett. What if I didn’t lose him? What if I just thought I did? What if he followed me here? What if he didn’t know where to find me on campus and broke into the office to find out my dorm number. And what if he’s just waiting for me?”

“The timing is troubling and no security system is infallible. That and the rehabs getting broken into is too much of a coincidence to ignore. I’m sending a car for you. I want you out of there until we can locate Vincent. Until we’re certain it wasn’t him.”