ia's

ed, no more questions rattling in my head. It felt amazing to be

nd headed towards the libr

arm lights spilling onto the sidewalk, the kind of place that looked cozy from outside but always smelled faintly of burnt espresso

turn around,

adn't invited. A group of guys at the window table paused mid-laugh, eyes lingering on my legs, my hips, the way my coat hugg

eeks warming despite the c

cups of lattes in front of him, steam curlin

You ma

into the chair op

me. "Vanilla latte. Extra foam. I heard you te

armth seeped through the cardboard.

ked in-loud, laughing, wearing hoodies and backward caps. One of them spot

d to such comments around campus, b

until the cardboard creased. He shot a look over his shoulder, hard enough that the guys noticed. O

aid quietl

expression still tight.

ys are. Ig

a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Rig

too sweet. And the vanilla coated

issing, chatter, the low thump of indie music from the speakers. Chris leaned

r the holiday tomorr

t up for weeks. I'll be follow

right? Ric

ged. "I

back up. "You'll have fun. Just... don't

gh-more breath tha

ble, brushed his fingers over the back of my

to this," he said. "Eve

t I let his fingers stay there for a second-warm,

ris

n, but it looked thinner now. "But I meant what I said. I

tried to hide it, I could still see the flickers in his eyes, the faint edge under the sweetness. The same edge I'd glimpsed

nts. More eyes. Another low whistl

the sound. His chair scrap

d, sharper thi

clenching. "I'm not gonn

cut through the noise between us. "You're staring t

idened. "T

you get angry. I've seen it. The texts when I don't answer right away. The voicemails wh

t me, mouth

ght it would end this. One date, you'd see I'm not interested, and you'd fi

back in-red, angry. "So that's it? You're ju

t interested. And I nee

re unbelievable. I've been nothing but

in. I didn't look, I

aving,"

d, but firm enough to stop me from standing.

s hand. Then up at

wly. Like i

Don't call me. Don't text me. Do

ed, closed. Bu

and wal

walk was darker now, with streetli

s I crossed the dorm area. I p

was

k away? You said yes to a coffee date. Tha

eetlamp, staring at t

her

u when you get back

hovered o