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“We were jerks back then,” Bryce continues. He’s fiddling with the keychain on his bag, a nervous tick, it seems. “We thought we were cool.”
“You keep saying ‘we.’” I finally find my voice, although it comes out in a soft squeak, cracking a bit, and Bryce looks up to meet my eyes. “You keep saying we,” I say again. “But I don’t see the other two here apologizing.”
“Yeah, well—” he starts, but I hold up my hand to cut him off.
“I’m not interested in their excuses, Bryce, but thanks.” I clear my throat once more, trying to dislodge the insecurity buried deep down in the core of my soul. “Thanks for your apology, I guess, but it doesn’t change what happened.”
“I know that.” Bryce steps forward this time, gaining a closeness I’m not comfortable with, but it’s too much … and not just for the reasons I know. I can’t let him get too close, because if he does, I might just go weak at the knees and let him touch me ….
Or fuck me.
I take a step back, hand still in the air, ready to turn and flee. Before I can, however, someone turns the corner and steps up beside me. It’s Jason from class, and I’ve never felt so relieved to see another person as I do now.
“Hey, Rowan, right?” Jason asks, but his eyes land at once on Bryce, and his eyes narrow in suspicion. “Is everything okay here?”
“Everything’s fine,” Bryce says, a muscle in his jaw twisting.
Jason looks at me, eyebrows raised, and I nod once. “It’s okay. We were just talking.”
It doesn’t look like Jason fully believes this, but he shrugs one shoulder instead and turns his body in my direction, cutting Bryce out almost completely.
“Can I walk you to class?”
“Oh, um …” I glance over his shoulder at Bryce, who is scowling at Jason like he’s ready to punch him in the face. “Yes,” I tell Jason with a quick nod. “I’d love that.”
Bryce says nothing to this as I turn away from him, but I catch his gaze over my shoulder. He’s annoyed, angry even, but I can’t bring myself to care.
“One more thing,” I say, breathless, and Bryce’s eyebrows shoot up hopefully. “Don’t call me Row.”
