Well, if she asked, I’d happily fuck her right here, right now.
She doesn’t, though, and after a moment, I give her an out.
“Why don’t you swim?” I ask, circling back to my earlier topic. I should probably let it go, but I’m curious, and honestly, I can’t really remember the last time I cared about what someone did or thought.
She shakes herself as if she were in some kind of trance, blinking hard a few times before her eyes move back up to mine, and she notices she's been caught.
The flush on her cheeks makes her look guilty but adorable as I raise a brow at her, waiting for an answer.
She looks at the pool, and her eyes get sad, her once-happy expression melting away.
“I have other things to worry about.” Her voice is so monotone as she speaks that I’d swear it was someone else if I didn’t see her lips moving. Something about it feels off, as if the words aren’t her own, but I don’t dare push it.
We might be getting closer, but I doubt she would love me prying into every inch of her life.
No, I need some self-control, even if that sounds like a terrible idea.
“Well, if you ever get some free time, you're always welcome to swim with me.”
That seems to cheer her up a little, and that smile is enough to make me turn and leave, not trusting myself to behave when she's looking at me like that. I make quick work of drying off in the locker room, changing quickly since I feel like such an ass for leaving her.
I get dressed in record time, my mind still back in the room with Wren, or at least back in the room where I hope she is waiting.
I can’t help but think back to the way she said that.I have other things to worry about,and the look in her eyes, and the more I do, the more they seem familiar.
Like when I was younger and had to skip out on birthday parties and dances, and well, just about everything else, because swimming was the most important thing.
Ford’s don’t waste their time. We’re winners, so you win or find another way to earn your legs.
My father said those words so often that I learned not to waste my time asking.
I’d rather swim, but thanks for the invite.
It was the same generic response I fell back on nine times out of ten; the only time it didn’t work was with the guys, because they knew me better than that.
They knew I hated swimming, or at least I did now.
Once upon a time, I enjoyed it, loved the rush of being in the water, the thrill of a win, but that was before it was all I was.
I hate that for whatever reason, Wren has been made to feel like that, too, as if she only matters if she’s getting good grades.
I wonder if Gavin would still hate her if he knew she didn’t go out of her way to do better than him just to make a fool of him. I have to believe he wouldn’t; he’s not a bad guy, just stubbornand has a drive that makes him want to be the best, and it’s currently blinding him.
By the time I make it back to the pool, Wren’s gone, and I can’t help but feel like an asshole for hoping she would still be here. I don’t deserve her time or her help, but I’ll be damned if I don’t want it anyway.
I collect my bag and head out when my phone vibrates in my pocket, and I stop to see who texted me.
Come keep me company?
The message preview from Rose pops up with a picture attached, and I don’t even bother opening it.
Rose is hot and always down to fuck because that’s literally where she gets her magic stores. She was perfect before because she wants Dimitri and Julian, so I knew I would never have to worry, and there was no buildup needed, just a text.
For a while, I’d been worried my father would try to get me in line to marry her; it seemed most of the old families were fighting for that. I’d thought maybe he just wanted me to stay focused on swimming, but now I wonder if maybe he knew about Wren all this time.
I relock my phone and slide it back into my pocket, heading toward the dorm. Wren might not have waited, but I know where she is. After all, it’s Wednesday night, and that means I have a date.
The thought stops me in my tracks because it’s not a date, not really. We’ll only be studying, with Julian there, and we’ll also be in the dorm, which means anyone can come and join us.
