Page 138 of The Unravelings

Easier said than done, though. I have to make friends. It’s a part of this mission. And you know what? For the first time in five years, I feel a sense of… Well, I’m not quite sure. There’s something there, though. Building deep in my bones.

Maybe I’m right where I need to be.

I’m home.

The place to get answers. The place to make friends like Simon and Daniel. Hell, even Wilder. The rest, though? Yeah, I’m not too sure about them. Malic is suspect as fuck every time I’m around him. Plus, he obviously hid my glasses from me for whatever reason. After our study session, Wilder invited me to his house while he changed for the gym, and I poked around. What did I find? A bunch of nothing. Literally. Their house is so neat and clean; it’s a weird comparison to the home next to theirs. JJ, Mack, and Hux’s frat home was an absolute disaster the night Simon and I went to the party. Ratty couches. Old pizza boxes. I mean, I guess they’re college guys, so I can’t expect much.

So that brings me to another big issue. My glasses are still missing. Jonathan is going to fire me if I don’t get them back soon. Or possibly bury me. For real, this time. I know for a fact Malic still has them. I watched him take them. So I’m going to have to get desperate to get them back. Either I’m sneaking in through their back door, or I’m going in the front. And maybe that won’t be such a bad thing.

I sigh, pulling myself from my thoughts when my phone buzzes in my pocket.

JJ: Sorry for canceling our study session earlier…I had something I needed to look into.

Oli: It’s okay. I had other things to do…

Like wrestling around with your mortal enemy and get invited out again. No biggie.

JJ: Would you care if I stopped by tonight? Your dorm room? They’re still gone, aren’t they?

Oh, so he’s keeping up with my roommates and me. Wonderful. I mean, I wouldn’t expect anything less from him, but still. It’s the principle of it all. Hell, I bet JJ is watching me through the camera systems right now.

Bastard.

Oli: That’s fine…

It’s really not. I don’t want JJ in my space, but what else can I do? He wants to stop by. Maybe I should follow Jonathan’s advice and get in their good graces. I need to get this job done. And if I can go through JJ, who seems hell-bent on proving their innocence, then so be it. Maybe he will prove me wrong.

But my memories don’t lie.

Do they?

The hairs on my arms rise as a cool breeze blows through campus. My shaggy hair blows over my ears and into my eyes. I peek around the almost deserted campus, taking in the trees and bushes swaying in the growing wind. The hint of moisture hits my nose, and my brows furrow. I’m about to look up at the sky when familiar blond fur catches my eye. A grin stretches over my lips, and a sense of home runs through me. Without hesitation, I make my way to him, stopping directly in front of the dog that so many people on campus are terrified of. He sits up, looking up at me with big brown eyes, and his tail wags against the grass until I kneel down, coming face-to-face with the ferocious beast.

“Waffles,” I mumble, looking around the area for any of the three idiots.

He follows them around like…well…a lost puppy dog. I’ve seen him a few times, freely roaming the campus on the heels of Hux or Mack. If Waffles is here, then he surely followed one of them to this spot. But he’s sitting here on the edge of the grass near my dorm building.

“What are you doing here, boy?” I discreetly check the area again. I almost snort at the students’ faces as they pass by. Not only do they give me a wild look for getting so close and touching him, but they maintain a wide berth around Waffles. “You’re such a big, scary dog, aren’t you?” I coo, rubbing under his chin with a grin until he licks the side of my face and whines at me. His paw lands on my knee, holding me hostage as I continue to run my fingers through his fur.

I forgot how this felt. To be so close to Waffles and put my face in his fur. Or run my fingers through his fur. Waffles is fucking home. One of my best friends.

Waffles’s fluffy tail wags more, thumping against the hard earth. He stares at me with big puppy-dog eyes, begging me to pet him more. Or take him. He really needs a good cuddle, and I could use one after today’s events. The sparring session helped fix the tension building in me. Well, somewhat. Now, there’s a new pressure building there. Like something isn’t quite right, but I haven’t figured it out yet. My agent senses are tingling. But for what? Why? No clue.

I peer around again, looking for any sign of Hux, Mack, or JJ. Waffles doesn’t stray too far from them, I’ve learned. Although he does have access to the entire campus. Obviously, he’s sitting here and not with them. But where are they? Near? Far? Wherever they are, they’ve left Waffles to fend for himself outside my dorm. And that doesn’t bode well with me. They should do a better job of watching our damn dog and not letting him potentially get hurt.

“Aren’t the guys going to be worried about you? How could they leave you here without watching you?” I ask, standing beside him and lightly petting his head. His ears perk up, and he slightly leans into my fingers with what I could only describe as a happy puppy smile. “You’re such a good boy, aren’t you?” I coo at him softly, my heart instantly melting. Tension? What tension? Waffles took it all away. And now, it’s time to take my damn dog back. “I’ve missed you so much, Waffles,” I whisper as the emotions from my sudden disappearance roll through my mind.

I didn’t get to say goodbye to anyone. Not my mom. Not my sister. Especially not the assholes who plotted my murder. But Waffles. It’s sad to think about what goes through dogs’ minds when their owners disappear or die. How do they feel when they go through their routine, but the person they loved the most isn’t there to take them for walks? Granted, I know the guys have kept Waffles fed, walked, and safe.

But did he think about me as I thought about him?

He’s one of my oldest friends. A friend who never turned on me. A friend who never killed me. Even if the idiots who own him now really didn’t do anything to my family or me. I’m still not sure.

I’m not sure about anything.

My spine stiffens when a familiar rumble echoes in the distance. Waffles nudges my hand again, trying to get my attention off the thunder in the distance. Standing tall, I eye the dark clouds slowly making their way into Greenwood. A cool breeze blows across campus, kicking up a notch and sending everyone standing outside to the safety of the indoors.

All this rain feels like a bad omen. Like the night I was at the cemetery with Jonathan. It stormed so hard our clothes were soaked, mud caked our boots, and lightning lit up the sky.