Page 21 of On Broken Wings

“Thanks, but no,” I called back.

“See ya tonight!” he yelled before I heard the door to our apartment slam shut. That right there is why I told him no. He’s been in a bad mood, and I’m avoiding him until he tells me why.

After pulling out a pink shirt, I quickly dressed, pulled my hair up in a messy bun, grabbed my books, and rushed out the door. I could get a ride on the L, and get to class in a few minutes. I didn’t mind walking to the station, and this way I could think of ways to avoid HIM; Evan.

You know how sometimes you meet someone, and no matter how hard you try to stay away from them, they constantly show up wherever you are? Well, Evan Shaw is that person. He’s tried to talk to me in class a few times, but I’ve worked really hard to not be friends with him.

I know all of this makes me sound like a bitch, but he doesn’t understand that I can’t be friends with him. I’ll never be friends with another guy ever again, and I’m ok with that. Nate Carter ruined me. He was just like Evan. Charming, sweet, good looking, persistent, and the most dangerous… charismatic.

On the first day of ethics class, Evan looked right at me and smiled. I knew then that I’d have to avoid him. His piercing brown eyes with little gold flecks could stare right through a person. His floppy brown hair and crooked boyish smile were sure to make any girl swoon. When he sat down beside me, I got up and moved across the room. He furrowed his brow at first, but then in true guy fashion, he shrugged it off and talked to the girl who took my seat. Today, I needed to make sure that I came in the classroom after him, so I wouldn’t have to do that again.

ooooooooo

When I reached campus, it had started to drizzle. I tugged my shirt closer to my body to ward off the chill as I picked up my pace across campus. When I reached Booker Hall I jogged up the steps, not paying attention to what I was doing. The one person I wanted to avoid was right there with me.

“Hey!” Evan smiled as we both reached for the door handle at the same time.

“Hi.” I gave a tight smile as I released the door, and let him pull it open.

His smile turned down as a confused look washed over his face. He tugged at his shirt where it was fitting rather snuggly on his chest, and sniffed it. Next, he did a quick check of his armpits. “I don’t smell, so why do you detest me so much?”

“Detest?” I pinched my lips together to keep from laughing. Who uses words like detest?

“I’ve said hi every day, and every day you work really hard to get away from me.” He kept pace beside me as we walked down the hallway to class.

“I’m busy,” I muttered.

“Too busy to say hi?” He chuckled as we reached the door to the classroom.

“Hi.” I forced a smile on my face as I glanced up at him. He really didn’t deserve my weirdness, but I couldn’t be friends with him. I had terrible judgement when it came to men. Nate was proof. I’d never put myself out there again for something like that to happen. I finally escaped all the videos and pictures about a year ago. I will never go back there.

“Why was that so hard?” Evan laughed this time. His head tipped back as his hair ruffled, and I used that moment to sneak past him and claim a desk that already had someone next to it.

“See ya after class.” He lifted his chin as he selected a seat on the other side of the room.

I tried, I really did, but I don’t remember what the professor talked about that day. The entire time he was teaching all I could think about was the fact that Evan was trying not so subtly to stare at me. When the bell rang announcing class was finished, I rushed to get out of there. Evan was talking to another guy in the class, so I thought I might actually get away, but I was wrong.

“Wait up!” he called as he jogged down the steps of Booker with his backpack bouncing on his back.

“I have to get to class.” I waved my hand in the air, but as my sleeve started to ride up, I quickly wrapped my arms around myself and tugged at the fabric.

“I won’t keep you long.” He caught up to me, and when his hand landed on my shoulder, I spun towards him ready to fight. I didn’t like to be touched, and the look on Evan’s face said he knew he’d done something wrong.

“Sorry.” His hands flew up in a defense pose. “I didn’t mean to overstep.”

“It’s fine,” I muttered as I wrapped my arms tighter around my middle.

“No, it’s not. I obviously did something you don’t like. I’m sorry.” He shook his head, real concern written on his face. A cloud washed over him before it disappeared and the boyish grin was back. “Let me make it up to you. Do you drink coffee?”

“Sometimes.” I should have known what he was getting at, but my inexperience in the dating scene prevented it.

“Let me buy you a coffee sometime. There’s a great place right near the edge of campus. We can study after.” He shrugged. “Or not. I’m fine with just coffee.”

“I can’t.” I started to step away from him.

“Some other time, then.” He moved closer, and I shook my head.

“No. Sorry.” I turned and started walking to my next class.

---