I don’t want to go back to the way things were. However, I do miss living at Trent’s place.
I felt safer there.
His security is state-of-the-art, and with the phone calls and creepy feeling I get of always being watched, I feel protected in his loft.
Unless it’s him, of course, which it very well could be.
If this is all his doing . . .
I shake my head.
No. That makes no sense.
I’m perplexed, that’s for sure.
Maybe he’ll give me the answers I need for peace of mind.
Or maybe he won’t.
To be honest, I expected one of his text messages to tell me that I had no choice. That I had to come home.
I’ve actually been waiting for that text message for these past two days.
Had he said I had no choice, I would’ve returned, so a part of me wishes he did.
Which should make me sick, but it doesn’t, and that thought actually does make my stomach turn.
I officially am the most confused person in the whole entire world. I can barely concentrate in class as the teacher drones on and on because all I’m thinking of is seeing him.
Will he want me to come back?
Is he bringing my stuff to me and leaving me hanging again?
Will he want to kiss me like that all over again?
Finally, the professor announces that class is over. She rambles off an assignment, and I don’t hear a thing.
Luckily for me, Heather does.
She’s been great about letting me crash on her couch. Although not ideal, for both of us, it is better than the alternative.
Seeing my sister was awful, so the fact that I can stay somewhere else in the interim is a blessing.
Erin keeps trying to call me, too, wanting to discuss the money.
I have nothing to say to her.
It’s a moot point right now since I have no control over the money, and I have no idea why Ronnie left it to me.
That’s the part no one understands. Everybody wants me to tell them, but how can I say anything if I don’t even know?
I stand from my chair and turn to Heather. “I’ll meet you back at your place.”
She reaches out and touches my shoulder. “You’re not coming with me?”
“No.”
Her brows furrow. “Where are you going?”
“I have to meet someone.”
“You’re being shady.”
I inhale deeply.
“Come on. Spit it out,” she says.
“I have to meet Trent.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“Is he making you?” she asks casually, but I can see how her face is clouded with unease. It’s her eyes that give her away. They’re sharp and assessing, dragging over every visible inch of me.
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
Now they narrow.
She doesn’t believe me.
“Yeah,” I promise, still feeling weirded out that he isn’t demanding anything of me. “He said he wanted to talk, so I’m going to let him.”
“Are you sure that’s safe? You said you don’t trust him . . . maybe you should trust your gut.”
She’s right. I don’t.
There is something off, and I can’t figure out if it’s him or something else. Between Trent and Erin, I feel unsteady all the time.
I’m going to trust my gut.
Stop the paranoia.
Stop the dramatics.
I keep that thought to myself. If I tell Heather I think Trent has had me followed and is tracking me, she’ll freak out.
She would certainly freak out if she knew he did check my phone regularly.
The only things that she knows about are the superficial little things that are pretty harmless.
I’m certain I didn’t tell her about the tracking device.
“I’ll be fine. He’s a rich trust-fund boy. What harm can he do?”
“I don’t know . . . Maybe make you debate in front of Congress?”
That makes me laugh, not because it’s a ridiculous thought, but because knowing Trent, it’s actually something he would make me do.
“Imagine.” I laugh.
“Actually, I can, and from the stories you tell, you would be debating something hysterical, too.”
“If you ever meet him, don’t give him any ideas.”
She leans forward, nudging me. “Oh, will I meet him?”
“Maybe one day, if he forces me back.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” she asks, the sincerity deep in her voice.
Her chocolate brown eyes are full of warmth and friendship, and I realize that she is the only person I have, and I’m lucky for that.
Lucky to have her in my corner.
And that’s exactly why I cannot bring her into this.
I need her far from the nuclear fallout.
“No. I’ll be okay.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
“See you later . . . ?” She doesn’t sound convinced.
“Obviously.” I laugh before turning to head to where we are set to meet.
The parking lot next door to the library.
Makes sense, seeing as it’s my home away from home. I would have preferred a coffee shop.
But I understand why he chose this. It’s a convenient location, plus it won’t be as loud. Looking around, it won’t be loud at all, seeing as there are no cars. I also notice that Trent is not here yet, so I’ll be waiting a few minutes.