Page 69 of Darkest Obsession

“Ew,” I grumble. “Don’t give it a name.”

We stop at the edge of the path at a tree marked aggressively with a hunting knife.

“You carved a ‘T’ into the tree to mark your car? Won’t that kill the tree?” I say to him.

“Bloody hope not. Come on.”

“I have to be crazy going into the woods with an asshole who threatened to kill me,” I mutter once the insanity of my situation hits me. Walking along a trail with Thomas is one thing — disappearing with this creeper into the woods could mean my life. I ain’t into that Ted Bundy shit.

“What’s the problem?”

“You threatened to kill me.”

“Oh. I didn’t mean that.”

“That makes it alright.”

He stops walking for a moment and faces me, his grey eyes all serious like one of those droopy dogs.

“No,” he says. “But I was scared.”

“Scared of what?”

“Follow if you want to know.”

Ugh… I stumble off the trail and try not to mess up my uniform as I traipse through the woods behind Thomas. Hopefully his car isn’t that far away or I might have to try to beat his ass again to get away from him. That might be a touch more difficult without those ‘cricket’ bats.

“Why the hell were you up all night?” I ask when I catch up to him.

“I wanted you to be safe. I meant that.”

I guess I didn’t have to stay up all night freaking out. Maybe I should have just let Thomas in the door.

“Thanks.”

“Cheers.”

“And what were you so scared of?”

He changes the subject abruptly. “Are you going to Kit’s Halloween party?”

Ugh. I don’t want to talk about Thomas’ roommate with him. I’ve kept out of Kit’s way recently but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to make a solid plan for introducing his legs to that incredible cricket bat I found.

I shrug. “Kit and I⁠—“

“Fucked?” Thomas asked.

“No. He… You know what. I don’t kiss and tell.”

Thomas scowls. He knows I’m not the only guy who has kissed me here. I don’t want him getting all upset about it. I just feel so… awkward.

“Sorry,” Thomas says. “I know it’s… I know we’re not even…I…”

“Why do we keep kissing?” I ask him.

Thomas shrugs. “Dunno. You have big lips.”

“That has weird racial undertones.”