No, bad Wren. The last boy you liked was a bad boy and gave you a wonderful lesson on why everyone says to stay away from them.
Julez stops just short of coming face-to-face with the glass wall that divides us, and all I can do is watch as he reaches out, tracing his hand over what would be my face with a smile that would surely melt my panties if I were wearing any.
I stand frozen yet overheating as he turns and walks away. It's not until the door clicks closed behind him that I manage to shake myself loose of the hold he just had on me.
I’d never imagined that co-ed rooming might actually be a problem, but it seems Julez has other plans.
Rubbing a hand down my face, I step back into the spray of water, but the hot water isn’t what I need now. I reach back and flip it to cold, needing a moment to cool off.
I let out a little yelp, but it does what I needed, clearing my head almost instantly. I finish my shower quickly, constantly looking toward the door as I dry off and yank on my leggings and comfy sweater.
Starting tomorrow, I’ll have to wear a uniform again, so I want to be comfy while I can.
I braid my hair, brush my teeth, and drag my feet as long as I can before I have no choice but to leave or risk someone coming in to get me.
Pass, once is more than enough.
I pull the door open and find everyone in the little kitchen area. Nobody pays me much attention except Julez, who beams at me.
Fuck, I’d decided I wasn’t going to talk to him anymore after his little stunt, but how can I possibly stick to that when he’s looking at me like that?
Nobody’s ever this happy to see me…
My chest feels tight as I swallow down the lump in my throat and give him a shaky smile in return.
He all but skips over, and it’s impossible to miss the fact that he’s still very shirtless.
So much for that cold shower helping.
His chuckle is deep and amused, and I snap my eyes up to his to see a knowing smirk on his lips.
Well…
“I got you a chocolate muffin and a banana.” He holds up a plate in offering.
Did he have that the whole time?
“I didn’t know what you liked, but I figured you can’t go wrong with chocolate.” He shrugs, and I take the plate.
“Thanks,” I mumble, rolling my lip under my teeth as I turn and head back to the couch.
Note to self, breakfast in the cafeteria is for the best.
I take my plate back to the couch and pull out the folder with all the papers that the office gave me yesterday.
Anything to keep busy.
I feel eyes on my back, but I don’t dare look to see who they belong to. I’m unwilling and ill-equipped to face off with whoever it is that’s trying to burn a hole through my skull right now.
Between the weird encounter in the bathroom and then Julez feeding me, he makes my head spin and my heart race, and that’s the last thing I need.
No, what I need is to graduate so I can go, well, anywhere that isn’t ‘home.’
“You think she always studies this much?” Julez says to one of them in the weakest attempt at a whisper I’ve ever heard, and I roll my eyes.
“She has to if she’s been beating Gavin all these years.” I think it’s Nolan who answers him, but I can’t be sure with how little I’ve heard them speak.
“Was beating. We haven’t faced off in anything for years, and I have top marks now. She won’t be changing that.”
