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Joel shrugs. “Take a shower, then we’re all meeting for breakfast.”
I contemplate it.
“Shower,” Joel instructs. “Trust me.”
Knowing that I probably smell like sweat and crappy pizza, I give in and go straight to the shower. When we get to breakfast, I’ll get Rae one of those smoothies she likes, and then we can go for a walk together.
I shower quickly, then rush to the dining hall—as much as I can without working up too much of a sweat—and find everyone at the table. Everyone, except for Rae.
Fuck.
I walk over to them and the table goes eerily quiet.
“Where’s Rae?”
Sarah’s eyes lock on me. She’s not mad, but she is intense. “Did you guys have some kind of fight?”
Double fuck.
“Uh, a minor one last night. But we texted a little—it doesn’t matter. Why do you ask?”
Sarah sighs and shakes her head. “Because she barely talked to me this morning, refused to pull the covers off her head, and vehemently said she wasn’t coming to breakfast.”
Shit. This is bad. Very bad.
I know what she’s doing. She’s putting up walls. She’s hiding. I hate when she does this. But how can I blame her when it’s because of me?
“I gotta go,” I call, already bolting from the table.
I haul ass back to the dorm, no longer caring if I smell like a sweat locker when I get to her. I need to talk to her. I need her to talk to me.
I plow through the door of her suite. “Rae?” No answer, so I go straight to her room.
She’s not here.
I shake my head. I can’t believe this is happening. One bad moment, now she’s running away? I’ve gotta fix this.
I walk back into the common room and see Lila looking at me tentatively.
I raise my eyebrows in question.
“She left,” Lila says quietly. “Not long after Sarah and Mackenzie left, she left, too. Sorry, she didn’t say where she went.”
I nod. “That’s okay. Thanks, Lila.”
She nods and goes back to her room. As I head for the door, I notice Rae’s keys and purse still on the hook. At least she’s still on campus.
Now I’ve gotta find her. I whip my phone out to text her as I run from her room.
I need her to know I’m sorry, I love her, and I’m going to be better. She deserves that much from me.
Rae
My phone vibrates for at least the fiftieth time this morning, but I silence it. Add it to the slew of missed calls I already have, at least five of which are from Aaron. And I’m guessing the rest of them have all called plenty of times, too.
I know my relationship with Aaron is always on display to everyone, but I wish they’d butt the hell out. I don’t need them putting more pressure and stress on me.
And Aaron. I have no idea which version of him I’m going to get at any given moment of the day, and I need a break. Some time to myself. That’s allowed, right?
