toward two guys who were waving back at

t my heart was dead. Part of me was, anyway. I'd lost tha

nd I didn't want to start the year branded a lonely, loser hermit. But my heart wa

to a hug with a guy. She reluctantly let him go and

ad a better smile. Jake was shorter.

e gave me a shoulder-squee

rced a smile. '

' the sa

side, ''

hat anyone said. Felicity was trying

Felicity yelled over th

run out of free fo

he shook her head. "The line will be too

off. "You gu

na miss out on anythi

e, I'll b

hrough the crowd toward the kitchen, feeling free a

self. I'd just ditched my roommate and she was going to be pis

t in line before

xy male voice was speaking to me. Sta

my heart did an

'' I whispe

you change

d forced me to be her

ybe you wanted to be

ips, trying not t

el

d. "I'm

and walked over to stand next to me, so close I

I said.

om campus burst through the frat

toward the stairs, past the dwindling line of ever

ryone back to their dorms now

n! Hey!

calling to Christian. He hesitated as a gro

ext us back? We've been looking all ov

ing to drink and you ditch us whil

to drop my han

tian had lied about being ditched by his friends.

" Christian didn't see

t was pounding. I felt suddenly an

'' they sai

ater?'' Christi

' the blo

a hallway, which leads us to an elevator. We de-escalated to the

eplied, fixing my glasses. He came over to me,

ing have to

ust Christian Anderson, the guy

augh. ''Well, it's n

neck with a click. He started up with his motorc

go, okay?'

'' I yel

ring winds that twirled in my hair and whistled in my ears. Within five minu

met off and giving it to him. He turns off

han

lem, '' h

ng so nice to me?

nted to see what kin

years together, had some classes toge

et. You don't seem the typ

uc

, '' he

don't

ce if maybe I coul

eal

ure. I do

I stuttered. ''Tha

ng his engine. ''S

ee you in

pounding when I rea

ired and had gone back to our room. I turned on a

s, I felt something besides anger and hurt. I felt something almost magica

he the one who had cheated in the most horrible way possible? Irrationally, it didn't mat

a deep

ian An

d I looked over to

from

iss