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I silenced the call and went to the back alley.
I was a block from the house when my phone started again.
I answered, “Hey.”
It was Tasmin.
“So.” She hesitated, then took in a deep breath. “Okay. I am calling you to give you a heads-up.”
Oh no…
She kept on, “My brother just called me. He found out that Zeke’s friends with a guy from Alpha Mu here, and yeah… Zeke’s coming this weekend for a visit.”
I almost dropped the phone. “Zeke is coming?”
“Knowing Zeke, I’m sure he’ll have other guys with him, but yeah. I think my brother freaked over what you said to him. He’s sending Zeke to make sure you don’t hurt me or something like that.”
Jesus. My head was pounding.
“Are they staying at the Alpha Mu house?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t know why my brother’s so worried. You don’t actually do anything. Threats, but those are always empty. It’s like I know you better than he does.”
Right.
I frowned. “Okay. Thanks for the heads-up. I appreciate it.”
“Yeah. Um…are you going to be studying again tonight? At the library? Maybe we’ll see you there?”
“I don’t know what I’m doing tonight, but I’ll let you know. Sometimes we study at my house.”
“Oh. Yeah! That makes sense. Where you live. I’d study there too if I lived in a house now. You know. Except for the dorms, not that the dorms are bad. We have the lounges and…yeah…”
My headache was getting so bad.
“I gotta go, Taz. Thanks for letting me know.”
“Yeah! Sure. Okay. See you later…”
I ended the call and went to unblock Blaise.
I couldn’t believe I had to freaking deal with this.
Once he was unblocked, I hit call.
He didn’t answer, but I left a voice message. “Jesus Christ, Blaise. If you actually think I’m going to hurt your sister, you never knew me. Taz is nice. The fact you think I could hurt her? What’s the one thing I avoid like the plague? Drama. Hurting your sister would bring that in copious amounts. You can chill out. I’m not going to do anything to he–BEEEEEP!”
The call cut out.
My mom. Now my ex.
I growled, stuffing my phone back in my pocket, and ignored the buzzes coming in. When I got to the house, I went up to my place, and stopped just inside the door.
She’d been here.
She’d invaded my space. My dishes were moved. Food that wasn’t mine was in their place.
She had started to go through my bag.
I hated that she was here. I hated that she had violated this sanctuary of mine.
Fuck her. Fuck–just fuck her.
And fuck how I felt guilty at thinking that.
No one would understand the feeling of someone getting under your skin, taking your life as if it’s theirs to control, and how much energy it took to fight to get it back. No one would understand unless they were in the same shoes.
My phone buzzed.
Cruz: I forgot I drove you last night. Did you get home already? I can come back and give you a ride.
Me: I’m good.
I was such a liar.
28
CRUZ
I’d texted Miles when I knew Mara was at class, so he met me in front of her door. He was leaning against the wall as I came from the stairs, and shook his head. “If you’d asked for this before the party last Friday, I’d be like hell no. But…” He unlocked her door, and let me in. “Don’t fuck anything up, because our girl takes no prisoners.”
I dipped my chin towards him. “It’ll be fine. I’m just doing something to help her out.”
Suspicion flared in his gaze, but he cocked his head to the side. “If she’s pissed about whatever you’re going to do, I’m throwing Gavin under the bus. I’ll tell her that he stole her keys to give to you.”
“Dude. Just tell her I stole her keys.”
His eyebrows dipped down. “That’s a better idea. Anyways.” He held up a finger, making a clicking sound. “Have at it. This never happened.”
I shut the door.
I saw the look on Mara afterwards. Someone violated her safe place. I got it. I understood.
Garbage bags were pulled out of my backpack, and I got to work.
I hit the kitchen first.
The food her mom had brought was put in the garbage bags.
I found Mara’s real food, and put them back where she had them before. Her towels. Washcloths. They were taken and put away. I was guessing a little, but remembered which went to the bathroom, and the others were put in the hallway closet. When I opened that door, I saw I’d been right. There were two giant empty spaces on one of the shelves.
Dishes were put back.
Glasses.
Even the silverware was returned to the original drawer.
Mara might’ve had no idea that I remembered this shit since most of my time was entering, then exiting her bedroom, but I noticed things. Always had.
