Page 14 of Trust Me

Chapter 5

Oliver

My phone chimed, making me groan. I knew the notification sound, was intimately familiar with it. That was why I nearly got to my feet and went home. Instead, I checked Discord quickly, then put my phone back on the table.

No games. Not yet, at least.

I flipped to the next page in my statistics textbook and scanned it until I reached the part I’d been looking for. This was from a class last quarter, and I’d forgotten to return the rental, so I owed the bookstore money, but I’d deal with it later. Maybe I’d call it fate because I’d remembered something that I thought would be helpful for our project, and lo and behold, I’d been right.

The phone went off again. At this point, I was considering dropping it in the toilet. Or dropping Remi in the toilet. Seriously, did he ever sleep?

I wasn’t one to talk. I’d barely gotten a few hours every night for the past week. Between work and the two classes I was taking, I found it difficult to carve out time for myself. So, what was my answer to that dilemma? I decided sleep was the least important part of my life. I’d never really been a fan of it anyway. There was a whole world out here, so why would I want to close my eyes for eight hours every day?

“I’m going to be locking up soon,” a guy said.

“Jesus,” I exclaimed, putting a hand to my chest.

“Sorry. You must’ve been super focused.”

I looked over at him. I was pretty sure we’d been in a class together at some point. He was watching me curiously with his hands in his pockets. When he shifted, his copper hair fell over his forehead, and he jerked his head a little to move it to the side.

With a nod, I stretched my arms above my head. “I was. Once I put my mind to something, I sort of get locked in.”

“Any particular reason you’re doing it here?”

“It’s the library. Isn’t that what it’s for?”

“Sure, but you’ve been here for six hours. Loud roommates?”

I chuckled as I flipped my notebook closed. “Nah. Not yet, anyway.”

My mind went to Dean, who hadn’t given me an answer yet. I figured he’d come to his decision on his own, so I was just waiting.

Shifting my gaze to the windows, I frowned. “It’s raining.”

I stopped at the door, staring at the downpour. I loved the rain, but I hadn’t brought a backpack. Adjusting my hoodie, I slipped my book underneath and crossed my arms over it.

“I’ve got an umbrella,” the guy said. “I’m heading to the parking lot.”

“You’re a freaking star, man. What’s your name?”

“Aiden.”

I opened the door, then held it for him. After he locked up, he angled the umbrella over both of us. I squeezed closer to keep from getting wet, and as if it had a vendetta against letting us stay dry, the rain started coming down harder. It even slanted so that it could hit both of us beneath the umbrella.

I laughed. “This is pointless.”

“Run for it?”

“I like the way you think, Aiden.”

He grinned before he took off. I held my book to my body as I ran through the courtyard, laughing the entire way.

Aiden pointed to the left once we reached the curb. “I’m going this way.”

“Alright, man. Thanks for trying to keep me dry.”

“I’ll see you around.”