ai

her keys. She spent an hour after her morning classes getting groc

r apartment complex and skinned her palms and knees. She didn't care bec

check in with Sydney. She stood with her back to her, vigorously writi

smiled when Sydney turned around to look at her. "Hey! Th

house T-shirt from underneath the counter. "Delia is working the morn

ith mousy brown hair

r co-workers as you work with them. Today, I will work with you both, so I can train you. I will explain

then," Cl

through the fiction section yet. In her free time, she enjoyed reading. She wasn't su

study rooms that weren't occupied. Claire walked down the rows one by one, her fin

s, wondering how an author came up with such a vivid story that had

nded magical, in real life, it seemed so ludicrous to think of seeing it in person. A deep chuck

to see Axel Davers st

that lead to the stairs and bleachers. She vividly remembered the smell of his spearmint gum as he t

a vampire romance, and it caused heat to crawl up Claire's cheeks. When he glanced up, he smirked. "Is this as

y do you care? Have you ran out of girls to screw around with already? A

s lips were pink and inviting. What was she thinking? He didn't even

ingers. He'd never openly touch her this way. If he shoved her into lockers or tripped her on

aveled to her palms, and he reached out and grabbed her hand, cradling it like a precious

like w

d to your han

to know that. "I'm bored of you already," she said, walking

rom the aisle, four rough fingers sl

ared at h

apple bobbed deep in his th

rt over how? Was she supposed to forget everything he did to her? Forget the cra

ot two years. The sight of you still burns my stomach. It still makes me want to run and hide, praying you don't see me. I prayed every night that your family would move. That I would come to school and you wouldn't be there. Now you're here? So many colleges accepted you, and yo

d the stairs. She didn't sense him following behind her, and she let out a sharp sigh of re

dn't l

. After hours of Sydney showing her the ropes of making different coffees, making sure she understood the recipes, and responsibilities of kee

d and rested against the door. "That

lder and chuckled. "I loved

can take off. I printed off your schedule for the week and stuck

hung around her waist. "Okay. Are you s

d a busy day. Se

king lot. Claire looked over her schedule, realizing she'd spend mo

free time to realize he

her pocket, and she du

r partied in high school, but she promised herself she'd put herself out there m

hy not? It wouldn't hurt to attend a couple, esp

I'll be