Page 4 of Keep Me Never
Soft murmurs fill the room as everyone gets busy, and I sigh in relief, turning to Chase just as he does me. “Thanks for saving me a seat again.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s not like I have to do much but toss my hoodie down and wait for you to show up,” he teases, pulling his phone from his pocket.
“Well, I appreciate it either way. I would offer to do the same for you next class, but the way it’s going, neither of us might have a seat if we bet on that.” I try to make light of the fact that I was late. Again. Not that Chase pointed it out, even though I’ve repeated the offense at least once a week since the semester started three weeks ago, thanks to my grandfather’s randomI need to see youmessages.
So far, his requests for me to join him haven’t been urgent, but there’s a bit of a trigger in there for me, one that I just can’t seem to push past.
The last message I got from my dad’s nurse was that he “needed to see me.” I had waited until after class to go find what was wrong, but by then it was too late.
My dad, the only family I had ever had, was already gone.
A soft ache forms in my chest, and I take a deep breath. He would want me happy.
Be happy, Paige.
“Plan on being late more often?” Chase teases after a few moments, and I glance over in time to catch a small curve of his lips.
I bite the inside of my own.
I’d like to see a full smile on him at least once. I’ve known him since his freshman year here at AU, having met through the whole “my friend fell in love with the girl he let down” situation.
I guess maybe that made me the enemy for a while, being that Noah was my only real friend and Ari, Chase’s best friend’s twin sister, became his entire world when, for a moment there, Chase thought the two could be more.
I think he realized pretty quickly they were never meant to be, but it’s clear the man still punishes himself for how he handled all that. But that was then, and this is now and a lot has changed.
And the Chase he is now doesn’t smile much, at least not a real, bright smile that isn’t built on something hollow—something that runs deeper than he lets on. He’s very cautious, polite in conversation, but avoids being the topic of any conversation at all costs.
“If I had it my way, I’d never be late,” I admit, trying to refocus. “I hate walking into a room and knowing everyone is staring.”
“Says the dancer.”
“I teach dance, I don’t perform. There’s a difference,” I chuckle.
His mouth opens as if he wants to ask me something, but he closes it on a swallow instead and looks to his notes. “Don’t worry. Your seat will be waiting for you every class, and if Michaels keeps using the power of persuasion as one of his teaching strategies instead of actual teachable facts, missing those first fifteen minutes isn’t going to hurt you any.”
“Unless it’s testing day.”
This time he chuckles, nodding lightly, though he doesn’t look up.
Flipping my book open to the tab labeled with today’s date, I get settled, folding my legs in my chair beneath me. To start, I read the questions and then go back to the first page of Section 12.
I’m skimming the paragraphs looking for common words,promising myself that I’ll read the material later this week, when Chase lets out a long sigh.
Peeking his way, I watch as he spins his pencil and starts tapping the eraser against the edge of his notebook, his phone drawn close to his eyes.
A small frown pulls at my forehead, and I drop my gaze to his open backpack. Looks like he forgot his book again. In fact, he has zero books in there at the moment.
I shift my things around and take out the thick binder in my bag, laying it sideways so it’s partially on my desk and his, using it as something hard to close the gap between our desktops. His head lifts, gaze tracking me as I take the textbook, set it over the binder, and angle my body so I’m more facing him than forward.
His eyes snap up to mine and I offer a small smile.
“Looks like someone forgot their book again.” He goes to say something, probably tell me he’s fine, so I quickly ask, “Do you need to read the questions first?”
He clears his throat, shaking his head. “I wrote them down yesterday.”
“Then you’ve accomplished more than me already. Is it okay if we just sort of scan for the answers again like Monday, or do you want to read and find?”
His eyes find mine. “You didn’t read it yet?”
