Page 26 of Wylder and the Secret Rockstar
“About eight minutes.” Killian shook his head.
“Don’t lie. It’s been at least an hour.” Wylder clutched her side.
“Well, I won’t keep you.” Sebastian stepped around them. “Just don’t overdo it.”
Wylder took a few steps forward, and her calf muscle protested. “Cramp! Bad cramp!” She hobbled toward Killian, ready to wring his neck for dragging her out of her nice warm bed.
“Walk it off,” Killian instructed.
“You walk it off,” Wylder snapped. She didn’t want to be here. She didn’t want to run, and she certainly didn’t want to face Sebastian.
“Why don’t you two finish your run, and I’ll see Miss Anderson back to her dorm.” Sebastian stepped toward them. “I think she’s had enough for one day. Maybe try easing her into a routine over time?”
“I can see myself back to my room.” Wylder took a few tentative steps and cried out as the cramp intensified.
“Maybe we pushed her a little too hard.” Devyn frowned. “I thought she could handle a simple two-mile run.”
“Perhaps she should start with a two-mile walk?” Sebastian chuckled.
“We’ll come get you for breakfast when we get back,” Killian said as he and Devyn took off to finish their run, leaving her with the one person she didn’t want to face.
“Finally.” Sebastian sighed. “You’re a difficult person to track down.”
“I have a meeting with my bed that I’m late for.” Wylder turned and hobbled back the way they’d come.
“You need to sit down and rest that leg before you try to walk on it.” He followed her, taking her by the arm, and steered her over to a park bench along the side of the trail. “Sit.” He pressed her back against the seat.
She was out of options. She’d managed to evade him for a full week, but this was it, the moment she’d dreaded since she walked into his classroom and realized her ex-boyfriend was now her teacher.
“Fine.” Wylder sighed and sank down to the bench, bending to massage her calf muscle.
“Why?” Sebastian leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.
“Why, what?” She refused to look at him. Refused to acknowledge the urge to move closer to his side like she would have just weeks before.
“Why did you lie to me?”
“Lie? Bash, I never lied to you. You’re the one who took a mysterious new job and left town early.”
“You told me you were nineteen.”
“I am nineteen. I repeated my junior year when I transferred here after … a really crappy year.” She leaned back against the bench, stretching her leg forward.
“You should have told me you were still in high school.” He sighed, leaning back like he was about to drape his arm across the bench behind her and then thought better of it.
“It honestly never occurred to me that it would matter.”
“I guess it wouldn’t have. Four years doesn’t seem like much, does it?”
“Nope.” Wylder stared out across the calm lake, not seeing the beauty of it.
“Four years is nothing, except when I’m your teacher, and it could cost me a job I really need.”
“Good thing I don’t intend to cost you your job.” Wylder stood, testing her injured leg to see if she could manage an escape yet.
“Wait, don’t go.” He grabbed her hand, his thumb stroking the edge of her palm. “As mad as I am about this whole mess … it’s really good to see you, Wyld Child.”
Wylder swallowed, tugging her hand out of his. She didn’t want to admit how much his touch still affected her. She shook her head. “You can’t call me that anymore.” She turned and hobbled back up the path away from Mr. Cook.
