Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 167204 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 557(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167204 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 557(@300wpm)
I try like hell to get my head in the game, but by the time I’m leaving physics, I can’t even remember walking to the building, let alone anything we went over in class.
I consider blowing off my next class because what even is the point, but I tell myself I only feel that way because I’m sad right now, and if I give in to the sadness, I’ll regret it when I show up to class on Thursday completely lost.
I don’t sneak in lunch or even a snack, and I forgot to pack myself a granola bar, so I’m seriously dragging by the time I haul myself to the Cutler lounge at three. They have a spread of cookies and coffee, so I help myself to both and then sink into a loveseat to at least put something in my body.
While I’m sitting there eating, my phone lights up on my lap and I see a number I don’t recognize. Swiping it open and putting it to my ear, I say, “Hello?”
“Hi, can I please speak with Brynn Blakely?”
“This is.”
“Hi, Brynn,” says the perky voice on the other line. “This is Michelle with student health services. I’m calling about your appointment tomorrow at the student health center. Unfortunately, the doctor had a family emergency and has to move appointments around a bit. We won’t be able to squeeze your appointment in, but I can reschedule you for something next week if that works for you.”
I sigh. “It’s okay. I don’t need it anymore anyway.”
“All right. Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find us.”
I end the call and put my phone away, then I take out my books and try to make sense of the notes I took in physics class.
I must look as confused as I feel because when Liam comes over, he asks, “Everything okay?”
I look up, but he’s looking at my clothes, not the clear confusion written all over my face. “Oh. Yeah, I’m just trying to decode my physics notes. I kind of spaced out in class and have no idea what any of this means.”
“You want to look at mine?” he asks, reaching into his messenger back and drawing out his physics notebook.
“Yes, please.” I reach for them. “Thank you so much.”
“No problem,” he says, dropping onto the seat next to me.
Since his notes are far better than the ones I took, I quickly copy down everything. Just as I’m finishing up, I hear a familiar sigh, and then Killian’s voice.
“Liam, buddy, how many times am I gonna have to ask you to fuck off before you get the hint? Am I being too nice? I can be meaner.”
Eyes wide, I look up. “Um, excuse you. He’s welcome here. You’re not. He’s staying, and you can go.”
Killian’s eyebrows rise. “You sure about that?”
“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.”
Despite saying that, and despite what a fucking jerk he’s being right now, my masochistic heart feels a squeeze of relief at seeing him that boggles the fucking mind.
Why would I feel relief seeing the source of all my pain?
It’s a momentary lapse, one that’s easy to vanquish when poor Liam quickly gathers his books and murmurs, “That’s okay, I should be going anyway.”
“Going where? We’re going to the same seminar.”
But it’s pointless.
He starts to walk away without his notes, and I have to call out, “Liam.”
He turns back, and I hold his notes up expectantly. “You forgot your notes.”
“Oh.” Flushing, he snatches them and then hurries away.
“There you go, Liam. Take your notes and get the fuck out of here.”
Once Liam has fled, I glare up at Killian. “You’re a bully.”
He shrugs. “I’ve been called worse.”
“What are you doing here, Killian? What do you want?” I ask tiredly.
Being the asshole he is, he drops into the seat Liam just vacated. “I hear today’s seminar’s really good. Didn’t want to miss it.”
“Uh-huh. I imagine you’re really into condensed matter and biological physics.”
“It’s a passion, really.”
“You need to go.”
“Nope.”
“This is next-level audacity,” I state, looking over at him. “Truly, someone should make you a trophy and then shove it right up your ass.”
He smirks. “I don’t like things up my ass, but you can’t really be surprised by the audacity. You’ve ignored all my texts. How else was I supposed to reach you?”
“You weren’t. That’s what it means when someone consistently ignores every single message you send them. It means they don’t want to talk to you.”
“Wouldn’t know. Haven’t experienced it before. But I took it to mean you wanted to see me in person, so here I am.”
I shake my head, looking down at my nearly complete physics notes and then my word salad. I stack them together and shove them in my notebook, then I put my things back in my bag.