Page 61 of Don't Leave
Her gaze narrows as if she doesn’t believe me. “You two have been hanging out quite a bit lately.”
“But that’s all we’ve been doing. I…” my voice trails off as we reach the social sciences building and I catch a glimpse of Cole walking toward it.
She gives me a questioning look as I grind to a halt.
“Cass?”
The wet lump of sawdust lodged in the middle of my throat makes it impossible to speak. My gaze stays pinned to him as heartache tears through me. All the pain and grief I’ve been trying to keep bottled up inside bursts free, flooding through every cell of my being, making the breakup feel tender and raw all over again.
I just want him back.
“Who’s the girl?” Brooklyn asks.
I’ve been too wrapped up in Cole to notice the pretty brunette he’s walking with.
And talking to.
And smiling at.
Just kill me now. I don’t think I can deal with anymore of this pain. And seeing him with another girl?
Completely devastating.
From this distance, it’s impossible to tell if it’s his ex.
“I don’t know,” I whisper.
“She’s probably no one,” Brooklyn says. “They’re just walking to class together.”
“It’s not my business who he spends time with,” I force myself to say. Maybe if I repeat it enough times, I’ll be able to move on as easily as he has. “We’re not together anymore.”
My fingers rise to gently rub at the spot over my heart because releasing those words into the atmosphere hurts. It’s a physical pain that constricts my heart.
Brooklyn wraps her arm around me before squeezing tight as if she’s trying to force all the air from my body. Or maybe all the heartache. “It’ll be okay.” She pauses before adding with a groan, “I’ve got to hustle otherwise I’m going to be late. You know how much I’d seriously hate to miss a single word of Professor Ling’s Calc II lecture.”
I force my lips into a slight smile. “Okay. Catch you later for dinner?”
“Definitely.” She tosses the response over her shoulder as she jogs toward the mathematics building, which is at least a block away.
I straighten my shoulders and gather my courage before trudging my way to Dorin Hall. Once inside, I head to the first-floor lecture hall where psych 201 takes place. Cole has thrown me off today. Normally, I’m already seated in the front when he slinks in right before class begins. Most of the time, I don’t catch a glimpse of him, and I try not to turn around and seek him out. I don’t need to look any more tragic than I already do by staring at him like some pathetic stalker-type-chick who can’t move on.
For the second time, my footsteps stall as I pause outside the lecture hall doors, not wanting to pull them open. I don’t want to see him, and I certainly don’t want to see him with the girl he walked to class with. I don’t need any further confirmation that he’s moved on with his life while I’m stuck feeling depressed over the sudden demise of our relationship.
As my hand rises to the handle, I remind myself to keep my gaze trained straight ahead of me. There’s no straying to the left or right. No searching for Cole like a heat seeking missile. Just as I’m about to yank open the door, a large male hand reaches around and does it for me. I feel the heat of his body behind me. My head whips around as my gaze collides with his golden, whiskey-colored eyes.
“Cole.” Every muscle goes on high alert as electricity zips across my skin.
“Hi, Cassidy,” he murmurs.
His gaze holds mine captive for a heartbeat. Before I’m able to think of a way to extend the conversation, the moment ends and I realize other students are piling up behind us, waiting to enter the lecture hall.
He holds open the door as I continue staring up at him like a lovesick puppy. My fingers itch to plow their way throughhis tousled strands. Instead, I tighten my hand so I won’t be tempted to reach out and touch him the way I want to.
I’ve missed him so much more than I realized.
It’s almost painful to be this close to him. To have his masculine scent slyly wrapping its way around me.
It takes effort to shake myself out of the trance that has fallen over me as I force myself to break eye contact and step over the threshold.
