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For the past three years, he worked harder in school than he ever had, not that he let anyone know. It was his way of making sure it wasn’t his scores that kept him from attending. He still had that old folded up brochure he’d gotten from the man at the airshow a few years before, in his desk drawer. It was his reminder of what he was working towards.
“This is it?” Tabitha snuck up behind him.
He turned to see her walk further into his bedroom and nodded. His hands shook slightly. He’d been holding it for ten minutes and was no closer to opening it.
“It’s a big envelope.” She smiled. “Would you rather I leave you alone?”
He looked up at her. Fuck, she really was beautiful. He thought about asking her to prom, but panicked and turned it into a group thing instead.
“I want you.” He swallowed. “To stay.”
She nodded.
He took in a deep breath, then flipped it over and started to tear into the envelope. He slowly pulled out the letter. He closed his eyes as he finished pulling it out, then opened one eye and looked down.
“Congratulations.” He did it. He really got in.
“I’m so proud of you, Arch.” She wrapped her arms around him.
His hands moved to hug her back. “Thanks. I can’t believe it.”
They slowly pulled apart. “I guess that means we really won’t be at the same school in the fall.” She bit down on the edge of her bottom lip.
Part of him hated the thought of being far apart from his best friend for four years. The bigger part of him knew when he was done would have something to offer. A chance of making his best friend into more, if she felt the same way.
He wanted to deserve her.
CHAPTER37
TABITHA
She waited until Jill was in the stall before sneaking out of the bathroom. It wasn’t that she wanted to ditch her friend, but her best friend might be in trouble. There wasn’t much she could do in a fancy dress like this without a weapon. She just needed to see him with her own eyes and know he was okay. To see that he wasn’t around her ex still.
Rounding the corner, she heard two voices get closer. She stepped quietly as she approached, then peaked around the corner. Archie and James were talking. She pulled back around so they wouldn’t see them.
She was going to turn around and walk away. It’s what she should’ve done. Then she heard part of the conversation.
“What about Tabitha? She loves you,” said James.
“It’ll never work,” answered Archie.
She spun on her heels and quickly walked away. It shouldn’t still bother her, but she couldn’t hear anymore. He pushed her away months ago and hadn’t said a word to her since. Seeing him, it felt like a fresh wound.
She glanced back one more time before rounding the corner. Maybe she should go and talk to him. Could they salvage a friendship at this point? Would that be enough?
Hands gripped her as she bumped into someone.
“Sorry,” she looked up, and it was like being thrown into a tub full of ice.
Cold blue eyes looked down at her.
“Well well, deary.” Ryan gripped her arms tighter. “You should know better than to be alone around here.”
She tried to pull out of his grasp. “Let go,” she spoke between clenched teeth.
“I wouldn’t try anything.” He started to pull her down the hall. “You may have people looking out for you, but I have more. Right now, several guns are pointed at Archie if you don’t cooperate.”
There was no way. Between the bodyguards and the club, she had to have at least eight guys here. They would all have Archie’s back. What if Ryan was telling the truth? It wasn’t something she could risk.
