Page 4 of Too Safe

“Grow up,” I admonish, rolling my eyes. “Sex, as in the biological distinction.I’m a girl, remember?”

Holding my head high, I step toward the G-Wagon that stands between me and the path that leads to the humanities building.

I can feel their eyes tracking my movement. It’s this visceral, tingly heat that creeps along my skin and makes it impossible to suck in enough air to fill my lungs.

Just when I think I’m in the clear, my backpack catches.

A lowhmphdraws my attention up—and then up even higher—to a beast of a man who’s leaning against the passenger door and staring at me. This guy’s also wearing a Lake Chapel U football T-shirt, but with a fitted tech shirt underneath. It’s way too hot for long sleeves, but somehow, he pulls it off.

“S-sorry,” I stammer.

“Watch it, Ohio,” he grunts, his words deep and drawn-out as he deftly adjusts the strap on my shoulder.

I shudder on contact but grit my teeth as his warning sinks in.

Ohio.

He knows where I’m from. I’ve been on campus for less than five minutes, and yet I’m showing up in some database, and these guys already know details about my life.

Breathe,I remind myself. They don’t really know anything. They can’t.

My eyes flit between the four men: The dark, scowling asshole. The iPad-wielding nerd. The huge, tatted emo boy. The gruff, gorgeous jock. They’d look like a ragtag team of misfits if they weren’t presiding over the parking lot like they own the damn place.

Without another second of hesitation, I turn on my heel and take off at a clipped pace.

I’m here for a reason. I have a purpose.

I fish out my phone and pop in my earbuds, glancing at the time in the process—I only have a few minutes to spare. I’ve come too far to turn back now.

Chapter 2

Josephine

Myanxietynotchesupthe moment I step into the lecture hall. I inhale for four counts before exhaling and surveying my seating choices.

The back row is already filled, but I wouldn’t have wanted to sit there anyway. The front row is also unavailable, as are all the aisle seats.

Shit on a crumbly cracker.

I tried to get here early. Had I not been held up in the parking lot, I would have had prime selection. Now I’m going to be wedged into a spot smack-dab in the middle of class.

I home in on a single seat situated between a pretty blonde and a dude with headphones securely in place. Beelining for the seat, I slide my backpack off my shoulders and finally let out another long breath, then pull myself together mentally and ease into the swivel chair.

The blonde acknowledges me before I’m even fully seated.

“You’re new.”

It’s not a question.

I remind myself once again that I’m safe and that no one here knows me. Then I angle the seat and face the girl on my left.

“Is it that obvious?” I ask, wrinkling my nose.

“Itshouldn’tbe,” she admits, flicking a lock of her curled golden hair over one shoulder. “But at least half the students on campus grew up in Lake Chapel, so we tend to notice when a fresh face arrives in town.” She cocks one brow and gives me a knowing look.

I bite down on the inside of my cheek to hide my grimace and pull out a notebook, then swivel back toward the front of the hall, anxious for the professor to get started.

“I’m Hunter, by the way.”

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