Page 17 of Run For Me
“I wanted to make eggs, but didn’t see any, so I settled on pancakes.”
“Pancakes are good,” I tell him with a smile. “Uh… I’m going to get ready. I have class soon.”
He nods. “Breakfast will be done when you are, baby.” He goes back to the stove, and I watch him for a moment before I turn around and gather my things for the shower. Is there a way for him to be more perfect?
I spend my time in the shower talking myself through this; convincing myself that I’ll get used to it all. He’s only here for a few days, then I’ll have a break. The next time we spend time together, it’ll be easier. Of course, that makes sense.
When I’m done showering, I hurry to get dressed. I only have an hour before class. I should have woken up sooner, but I must’ve forgotten to set my alarm.
As promised, breakfast is done when I am. There’s a plate of perfectly round pancakes on the dining table. Seriously, it looks like he made them with a compass. There’s also a glass of orange juice that is most likely expired because I don’t remember when I bought it. That’s embarrassing.
“Eat up so you’re not late,” Sam says from the sink as he washes the dishes.
My god… and he’s doing the dishes right after he dirtied them? Groaning inwardly, I sit down to eat. I only finish half, and I don’t touch the juice, dumping it into the sink when he goes to take his shower. I wash the plate, cup, and fork, placing theminto the strainer and then get my stuff together since I have to leave.
Sam walks out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around his narrow waist, and my jaw drops. Water drips from his shaggy hair, landing on his shoulders and chest, running down his firm abs, and I watch in awe.
The man is beautiful. I smile when I find my legs clenching together over it…
I’m not broken after all! I can do this. I can love him like I’m supposed to. I’m attracted to him.
That thought makes me happier than I can explain, and with a big smile, I go to him and lean up on my tiptoes to kiss him. “Thank you for breakfast. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Have a good day, baby,” he whispers against my lips.
Today is going to be a good day because my boyfriend is here to make it so.
Chapter Thirteen
Sailor
As I close the car door, something clicks into place. Like I stepped out of the protective bubble and my brain is back.
This morning, I was so occupied with Sam and not being late for class that I didn’t think about the journal thief, and how he could be lingering around any corner.
Does he know who I am?
If he knew who I was, would he still talk to me?
There are no photos of me in my journal, and I don’t think I ever wrote my name anywhere. My username must have been in there, which I don’t remember doing, so it is possible I wrote my name somewhere and forgot.
It’s not a matter of remembering, though. I’m certain I didn’t write any direct personal information. No name, number, address, none of that.
I’d risk the username because I can hide behind it. I have no personal info on my Surge profile. No photos, no names, not even a location. My profile says I live in Texas, which is so far from the truth. I’ve never even left Washington state!
But still…
Worry creeps up my spine as I walk through the parking lot and toward H Building. There are people everywhere; students and teachers—
I stop abruptly, right by the steps, and someone bumps into me from behind, letting out a hiss.
“Sorry,” I mumble in apology while the person scowls and keeps going. I move away from the stairs, away from traffic, and take a minute to breathe.
What if the person who found my journal is a teacher? Would someone risk their job over something like this? Surely it’s against policy to have a relationship with a student, but if they aren’t my teacher, does it count? This is college, everyone is of legal age…
No. It couldn’t possibly be a teacher.
Right? I mean, it can’t be. Absolutely not. It’s a student. It has to be.
