feeling what he’s hiding is the real reason we can’t be together.
“Wait.” Her eyes widen. “Is he still—?”
“Yeah, in my closet.”
“Unless Andy found him.”
That would make for an awkward conversation. Darren was freaked out enough already. Getting caught by Andy without me there might send him over the edge. “Come on.” I tug Noelle’s elbow and yank the door open. The hallway is filled with people, all talking about the evacuation.
I race to our room and open the door. Andy is lying on Noelle’s bed with the remote in his hand, flipping channels on the TV. I look at him briefly before rushing to my closet and pulling the door open.
It’s empty.
Darren’s gone.
Chapter Seven
I text Darren a few times, but he doesn’t answer. Finally I crawl into bed, staring at the double lump in Noelle’s bed. Andy’s become a permanent fixture in our room. I’m happy for Noelle. I really am, but seeing Andy just reminds me of what I don’t have. I want Darren in my bed next to me. I roll over and face the wall, sighing and holding back tears. My pillow smells like Darren, and I pull it closer to my face. I close my eyes and try to pretend it’s him I’m holding in my arms.
Tuesday passes without a word from Darren, and since I only have Intro to Art on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I don’t even get to see him in class. By evening, I’m a mess.
Noelle opens our door and flings her bag onto her bed, something she learned from watching me. But I don’t even have the energy to fling my bag, so I let it drop to the floor. She pulls Andy’s keys from her pocket and waves them in front of my face. “Go clean yourself up. We’re going to McEntire’s for dinner tonight.”
My face brightens. “Seriously?”
“Yup. Andy has swim practice tonight, and I’m not going to sit around here while you mope over Darren.” The swim team usually practices early in the mornings, but once a week they have evening practice. It’s just about the only time I get to spend with Noelle without Andy attached to her hip.
“And Andy said you could take his car?”
“Not exactly, but I’ll make it up to him later.” She winks. That’s my girl.
“Give me five minutes.” I rush to the bathroom to wash my face and fix my hair. I stare at my freckles in the mirror, completely exposed after I rinsed the makeup off my face. Maybe if I’d gone to the pub like this the night I met Darren, he wouldn’t have asked me to go back to his apartment with him. Maybe he has the same dislike for them. But as I look at the freckles I realize covering them is ridiculous. They’re part of me, and I want Darren to see me the way I really am. I decide to skip the makeup tonight.
Noelle smiles when I walk back into the room. She notices my freckles, but isn’t about to comment. “Ready?”
“I think so.” I’m still not sure if just showing up at the pub is a good idea, but I have to see Darren. I need to know what he’s keeping from me. Not that he owes me any explanations, but with how close we’ve gotten in the few days I’ve known him, I think I have a right to ask why he’s pushing me away.
Noelle puts her arm around my shoulders as we head out of the dorm and to Andy’s car, which is parked in the lot across the street. The drive to the pub is silent. I’m collecting my thoughts and trying not to freak out at Darren’s possible answers—if he’s even willing to talk about it.
Ev en though it’s early, McEntire’s is packed. My hopes for getting a chance to talk to Darren plummet, but Noelle makes me go inside anyway. “What if he’s not even working tonight?” I say as we walk up to the hostess station, which is crowded with people waiting for tables.
“Let’s find out.”
I stretch up on my tippy toes and see Darren at the bar, reaching for a bottle behind him. I stare, enjoying the view. He must make a killing in
“Wait.” Her eyes widen. “Is he still—?”
“Yeah, in my closet.”
“Unless Andy found him.”
That would make for an awkward conversation. Darren was freaked out enough already. Getting caught by Andy without me there might send him over the edge. “Come on.” I tug Noelle’s elbow and yank the door open. The hallway is filled with people, all talking about the evacuation.
I race to our room and open the door. Andy is lying on Noelle’s bed with the remote in his hand, flipping channels on the TV. I look at him briefly before rushing to my closet and pulling the door open.
It’s empty.
Darren’s gone.
Chapter Seven
I text Darren a few times, but he doesn’t answer. Finally I crawl into bed, staring at the double lump in Noelle’s bed. Andy’s become a permanent fixture in our room. I’m happy for Noelle. I really am, but seeing Andy just reminds me of what I don’t have. I want Darren in my bed next to me. I roll over and face the wall, sighing and holding back tears. My pillow smells like Darren, and I pull it closer to my face. I close my eyes and try to pretend it’s him I’m holding in my arms.
Tuesday passes without a word from Darren, and since I only have Intro to Art on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I don’t even get to see him in class. By evening, I’m a mess.
Noelle opens our door and flings her bag onto her bed, something she learned from watching me. But I don’t even have the energy to fling my bag, so I let it drop to the floor. She pulls Andy’s keys from her pocket and waves them in front of my face. “Go clean yourself up. We’re going to McEntire’s for dinner tonight.”
My face brightens. “Seriously?”
“Yup. Andy has swim practice tonight, and I’m not going to sit around here while you mope over Darren.” The swim team usually practices early in the mornings, but once a week they have evening practice. It’s just about the only time I get to spend with Noelle without Andy attached to her hip.
“And Andy said you could take his car?”
“Not exactly, but I’ll make it up to him later.” She winks. That’s my girl.
“Give me five minutes.” I rush to the bathroom to wash my face and fix my hair. I stare at my freckles in the mirror, completely exposed after I rinsed the makeup off my face. Maybe if I’d gone to the pub like this the night I met Darren, he wouldn’t have asked me to go back to his apartment with him. Maybe he has the same dislike for them. But as I look at the freckles I realize covering them is ridiculous. They’re part of me, and I want Darren to see me the way I really am. I decide to skip the makeup tonight.
Noelle smiles when I walk back into the room. She notices my freckles, but isn’t about to comment. “Ready?”
“I think so.” I’m still not sure if just showing up at the pub is a good idea, but I have to see Darren. I need to know what he’s keeping from me. Not that he owes me any explanations, but with how close we’ve gotten in the few days I’ve known him, I think I have a right to ask why he’s pushing me away.
Noelle puts her arm around my shoulders as we head out of the dorm and to Andy’s car, which is parked in the lot across the street. The drive to the pub is silent. I’m collecting my thoughts and trying not to freak out at Darren’s possible answers—if he’s even willing to talk about it.
Ev en though it’s early, McEntire’s is packed. My hopes for getting a chance to talk to Darren plummet, but Noelle makes me go inside anyway. “What if he’s not even working tonight?” I say as we walk up to the hostess station, which is crowded with people waiting for tables.
“Let’s find out.”
I stretch up on my tippy toes and see Darren at the bar, reaching for a bottle behind him. I stare, enjoying the view. He must make a killing in
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