Page 11 of The Vengeance You Crave
It's tiny, barely more than a closet, but it's got everything I need and it's a hell of a lot more than I'd be able to afford if I were out on my own right now.
Ripping the hoodie from my body—one of Elijah's I stole years ago when he stayed with us for a week or two—I grab a clean pair of pajamas and head for the shower to wash the scent of the bar off me.
* * *
I walk onto campus the next morning already feeling like I belong. Meeting Ella and Letty yesterday was exactly what I needed. Just like the day before, I lose myself in class the second our professor starts talking and the morning flies by.
Before I know it, our class is drawing to an end and I’m taking notes on our first assignment before following all the others from the auditorium and heading out of the building.
The winter sun blinds me as I step out into the coolness and suck in deep lungfuls of fresh air.
Checking my surroundings, I head in the direction that Ella and I walked from the coffee shop I met them both in yesterday. I can't see either of them when I pull the heavy door open and step inside, so I once again join the line and order myself some lunch, my stomach growling loudly as I wait, seeing as I woke up too late to grab any food this morning.
I stayed up long after I should have, trying to get on top of yesterday's assignment and when the alarm went off this morning, I turned it off and rolled over. Needless to say, it was the wrong move and I ended up running around like a headless chicken to get here on time this morning.
With my veggie wrap and cappuccino in hand, I make my way over to an empty table for four at the back of the coffee shop and get comfortable.
I push down concerns that Ella and Letty might bail on me. They have every right to do so, we don't actually know each other, but I really want to trust them and tell myself that their class just has run over.
Sitting back in the chair, I look around at all the students eating their lunch and chatting with friends. I don't recognize anyone. It's no surprise. Aside from Ella, Letty, Luca, or Leon, I would probably struggle to recognize anyone I went to school with in Rosewood if they're here, just like I wouldn’t expect anyone to give me a second glance. It's not just my hair that's different these days. I'm older, wiser, hardened to the realities of life and the pain that comes along with it. I barely recognize myself in the mirror some days, anyone else doesn't stand a chance.
Moving my eyes to the windows, I gasp in shock when they land on a very familiar figure.
Luca.
My heart jumps into my throat and my stomach knots, threatening to bring up the few mouthfuls of lunch I've already had.
He's standing with three other guys. I don't think I know any of them, but I find it hard to really focus on them because I'm still too drawn to Luca even after all these years.
His hair is shorter than it was back in high school and instead of flopping down on his brow, it's styled away from his face. His jaw is squarer, sharper, and covered in dark scruff from days of not shaving. His lips are just as full as I remember and I can't help running my tongue along my bottom one as I wonder if he still tastes the same. His nose is still straight and just the perfect size. Seriously, if football didn't work out, he could totally be a model. But what I really want to see but can't from this distance, are his eyes. They were always the most mesmerizing green. I could get lost in them for hours and I'm sure that's something that's not changed.
I'm so lost in watching him with his friends that I don't notice when Ella and Letty join me. The movement of them pulling the chairs out around me causes a small shriek to fall from my lips.
"They're pretty distracting, right?" Ella asks, her eyes locked on the same guys that mine were on only seconds ago.
"U-uh…" I stutter, really not wanting to get into anything about the reason behind my fascination. "Y-yeah. Don't tell me, they're part of the football team?"
"What gave them away?" she asks with a laugh. "The arrogance they ooze or their over-the-top confidence?"
"B-both," I confess.
Letty looks over at them, but she shows much less interest than Ella whose eyes seem to linger on one of them a little too long.
"One of them yours?" I ask Ella, the thought of her being Luca's girlfriend—or anyone being with him really—makes my stomach knot painfully.
"Pfft," she says, ripping her eyes away from them and focusing on her lunch. "All they do is fuck and chuck. Fucking pigs."
"Ignore her, she's been burned by number twenty-two," Letty chips in.
"I have not been burned, thank you very much."
"Riiight, so you don't spend most of the day looking around for him," she deadpans.
Ella's back straightens but her anger is hard to take seriously with the smirk playing on her lips.
"Oh, did you want to revisit your issues with certain members of the team, Miss Hunter?"
Ella's eyes hold Letty's for a beat before they drop to the table. Intrigued as to what's holding her attention, I follow her stare.
