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Small. That’s what they were.
I could feel my heart beat harder against my chest as I fumbled through the dark toward the library. Fortunately, the broad glass windows of the building were still ablaze with light, and a few students were trickling out from the revolving doors. I wasn’t alone, and yet, I felt alone—unsafe.
Because he could be here. This was his territory.
All of a sudden, I paused, my hand reaching for my phone. A moment later, my phone was pressed against my ear as I called Felix.
“Please pick up …” I muttered, glancing around at my surroundings. It’s not like I was expecting anyone to sneak up on me, but I wouldn’t have been surprised to bump into Tommy or Derrick. “Please …”
“Kat?”
His voice, warm, raspy, familiar—it was just what I thought it would be. Never, in all my years at Woodman, would I have ever expected to one day pick up the phone and call Felix Rosenberg, let alone Elliot or Leo.
“Hey, yeah,” I started out awkwardly, and let out a short chuckle at how stupid I sounded. “Sorry. This is … a really weird ask of you, but I’m at the Durham campus. There’s something I need to do here, and … I think it might have something to do with Vivian.”
He was silent at the other end for a moment, once again waiting for me to finish.
“I understand if you’re busy, or something,” I continued, “but I was wondering if you could come here? I just … I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’d rather have someone with me.”
He was quiet for another moment, and then he said, “Yeah, of course. I can be there in ten.”
“Thanks so much,” I breathed, not realizing how much of that breath I was holding in.
“Where are you?”
“Near the library,” I answered. “Sorry, this is so … abrupt. I can explain it to you when you get here.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Felix said, and hung up. Slowly, I let my arm fall to my side, and slid the phone into my coat pocket. No matter how hard I tried, how much I listened, it was impossible for me to get a read on him. He made it sound as if it would only make sense that he would be here with me—not because he cared, but because it was the right thing to do. Just like stopping Tommy was the right thing to do. He would’ve done that for anyone.
“Fuck,” I muttered, shaking my head at the thought that maybe, just maybe, there was something more than lust going on between us. “If you catch feelings, I swear …”
I swore what?
That I’d never forgive myself?
Rolling my eyes, I started pacing around the grassy area surrounding the library, trying to unwind the generous fog of thoughts that now clouded my mind. Liking Elliot was … complicated. There was something about him that made my heart beat faster, that gave me energy, a thrilling feeling. Being around the other two boys was a different experience. I was attracted to them because they were hot. That was the bottom line.
But I didn’t give a shit about them as far as anything else went. I guess, somehow, they’d become my friends.
I just couldn’t imagine actually falling for either of them.
A few minutes later—exactly ten, to my surprise—I recognized Felix’s figure come walking up to me from across the quad. The sky had dimmed even more since we had talked on the phone, a product of the toughening winter. Still, it was easy for me to spot his chilled-out, loping stride, even though his face was hidden by the shadow of his hood.
It was weird. When he wasn’t around the other two, it was like his personality changed completely. He was humble, confident, independent—and I liked that about him.
But was it the real Felix?
Or was this just another guise?
Guess I was about to find out.
“Hey,” we said at the same time, which prompted a chuckle from us both as we started walking toward the library entrance. For some reason, I was a little nervous, and despite the cold I could feel myself blushing, as if this was our first date rather than an investigation of some middle-of-the-night ruse. Felix didn’t seem to mind the silence, though, as we entered the library. While I flashed an extra student ID that Pierre had given me, Felix simply nodded at the kid manning the reception desk. Guess everyone knew who he was here.
“So,” he said, as we came to the elevator. “What’s the plan?”
Nodding, I stepped a little closer to him, and glanced over my shoulder to make sure we weren’t being listened to.
“I got a text from this number,” I explained, pulling out my phone to show him. “Do you recognize it?”
