Wild Collision (Us 4)

“Fancy running into you here, Miss Hayes,” I croon, stepping in front of her elliptical.

She startles to a halt. Her blue eyes meet with mine, shock shimmering in their depths. Catching her off guard fills me with some sort of sick satisfaction.

“Hollis,” she breathes, almost by accident.

I shouldn’t love the sound of my name on her lips like I do. This girl is unraveling me bit by bit and she’s not even trying.

“What are you doing at a gym way out here?” I ask her casually.

“I-I have to work and Kira wanted to go to the gym before we clock in,” she stutters.

I watch her carefully constructed walls crumble. It lets me know I’m not the only one affected by this thing simmering between us. A part of me wishes I could go back to the guy I was before I met her—the guy who wasn’t bothered, but I also know he was unhappy. Fuck, I was so unhappy, and I didn’t even realize what a miserable, insufferable bastard I’d become. Even if nothing ever happens between us, I truly don’t want to be that guy again. In the near month I’ve been here, I’ve reconnected with my friends, and more importantly with myself. Making brilliant music has fed my soul as much as the fiery girl in front of me.

As much as I want to stand here looking at her, basking in her presence. I know I can’t let myself look like a desperate fucking sap. Instead, I say, “See you around, Mia.”

“Oh … all right. Bye,” she says, but I’m already walking away.

I have to leave before I do something stupid like grab her and kiss the hell out of her.

I won’t take it from her, though. Oh no, when I kiss her for the first time Mia Hayes is going to fucking beg me for it.

13

Mia

The weekend passes uneventfully—well, unless you count seeing Hollis at the gym, which I don’t because it totally didn’t affect me at all.

I also might be lying to myself.

I wish I could kick myself for letting him crawl his way under my skin to the point of falling asleep thinking about his sinful lips. The guy is too attractive for his own good and he knows it, using it to his advantage.

I walk across campus with determined strides, heading to my second class of the day. Thoughts of Hollis need to be shoved from my mind so I can focus on school. But no matter what I do I can’t shake him. He’s either in my thoughts or appearing in front of me. It’s really quite frustrating.

Entering the building I head for the classroom and take a seat in the back.

As the lecture begins I do my best to listen and pay attention, even taking notes, but my mind is elsewhere—with someone else.

This whole avoiding Hollis thing is quickly blowing up in my face, because if I’m not mistaken the heat between us has reached scorching levels in the past few weeks of me avoiding him. It’s like by not … letting some steam out of the pot we’ve reached a boiling point there’s no coming back from.

I might’ve completely fucked everything up by trying to protect us.

It’d be my luck all of this would blow up in my face.

I chew on the end of my pen, trying desperately to pay attention when my mind wants to slip elsewhere.

When class finally ends, I can’t recall a single word the professor said the entire lecture and my notes barely make any sense. Frustration runs rampant in my veins.

I’m thankful when lunch comes, Kira and I slipping away to a local café to grab a sandwich.

Kira stares across the table at me pointedly.

“You might’ve gotten away with ignoring me about the whole Hollis thing on Saturday, but not today missy,” she warns.

I frown. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“Why don’t we start with you explaining the whole lingering stare thing and the heat simmering between you two. I swear I saw sparks flying. Hop on that dick girl and get laid already. It’ll loosen you up.”

“Not with him,” I mutter.