Page 233 of Small Town Firsts

“Yeah.” Gabe slouches down in his chair and scrubs his hands over his face. “Zach laughs all the time over the fact that I’m a communications major who majorly sucks at communicating.”

I laugh at his admission. “Is Zach your...”

“Boyfriend? Yup. For over a year now.”

“Do you like girls, too?” I ask, immediately wishing I could stuff the words back into my mouth.

His green eyes twinkle as he regards me.

“Why? You interested?”

I cough out an unintelligible reply.

“Kidding. But yes. I’m into the person, not what they’re packing below the belt, you know?”

For the first time since I ran into him, Gabe looks self-conscious. “I think... that’s perfect. Brave and perfect.”

My behemoth of a friend grins. “I knew I was going to like you, sweets.”

We chat for a few more minutes before tossing our trash and heading out. “Let’s do this again soon, yeah?”

I nod. “Yes, for sure.”

It’s not until Gabe’s out of sight that I realize we never exchanged numbers.

Oh, well. I suppose if our friendship is meant to be, it will find a way.

The weather is mild, and I decide to use the rest of my afternoon to explore the gorgeous, sprawling campus. If anything, maybe it will help orient me by the time classes start in a few days.

Twenty minutes into my exploration, I stumble upon a wooded walking trail. The temptation to venture down it is too great, and I find myself stepping off the sidewalk and onto the narrow, leafy path.

The sounds of the campus fade away as those of nature wrap around me. Branches rustle as the wind whispers through them, carrying birdsong with it.

In the distance, I can see the peaks of the mountains rising up into the sky, cementing the fact that I’m no longer in flat-as-a-pancake Texas anymore.

Thank. God.

If I never step foot back into that godforsaken state, it will be too soon.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against the actual landmass. But every bad memory I have happened there, and Ijust... I can’t handle the idea of returning. Escaping to eastern Georgia is my fresh start and I am going to make the most of it so I never have to return to the four walls that masquerade as a home.

Eventually, I reach the end of the walking path and have no choice but to head back. As I approach the mouth of the trail, the hustle and bustle of the campus comes crashing back into focus.

People are scattered about, but there’s one in particular that has me frozen, as fear and confusion tear through me, rooting me in place.

I squint against the harsh light of the sun, hoping... praying... begging that my eyes are deceiving me.

I’m hallucinating; I have to be. Even if the erratic thumping of my heart says otherwise.

Because directly across the street, front and center, is the devil’s right-hand man. His piercing gray eyes are locked on me, and his lip is curled in a snarl.

I want to run, or at the very least to look away, but my fight or flight instinct seems to be stalled, rendering me completely immobile.

I’m a sitting duck in the face of a wolf. A hungry wolf, with very sharp teeth, if the way he’s glaring at me is any indication.

My vision tunnels as he steps off of the sidewalk, moving toward me with a single-minded focus.

Move, dammit! Run!I shout at myself, and yet, I may as well be a statue for how still I remain.

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