The Vow (North Woods University 4)

My hand squeezes the phone tight enough to snap it when I see the message attached to the pictures.

Unknown Number: Wonder what the University would think if they saw these images?

The need to type out a reply, to scream at this person for threatening Lily, for threatening me pulses in my veins. Without even knowing them, I want to hurt them. To make them pay. But that won’t happen, not with these pictures dangling over my head. I have no choice. I have to play nice. With shaking fingers, I type out, what do you want? Instead of the lengthy, anger riddled message, I want to. Then I slide the phone back into my pocket and hope like hell I can keep this hidden from Lily because if not, I’ll most likely lose her forever.

14

Lily

“Why are you peering down into your iced coffee like it killed your cat or something?” Del questions as she shoves down into the seat beside me. Meeting up in the library to study is the easiest for me. Studying at home is boring, and studying when Sebastian is home isn’t really studying, not when all I want to do is climb him like a mountain.

Tapping my pen against the wooden surface, I answer, “Just thinking…”

“About?”

“Stuff.”

“What kinda stuff? Butt stuff? Or stuff, stuff?” Del wiggles her dark brows, before tossing a few strands of her dark brown hair over her shoulder. No matter what, she always finds a way to cheer me up.

“Just stuff.” I shrug, unsure if I want to really get into talking about mine and Sebastian’s relationship with her. Delilah and I are good friends, but I don’t want to burden her with my insecurities or problems.

Delilah’s lips form into a pout, and she leans into my face, real close, almost like she’s examining me. “Does this have something to do with that hot mountain of a man, known as the dean?”

I hate it when she calls him that. Or Mr. Miller. Or Dean Miller.

“Maybe, but I think it’s all in my head…” I chew on my bottom lip, “Yeah, it’s probably nothing.” It has to be nothing because there is literally no proof of any wrongdoing. The only noticeable thing is that Sebastian is acting different, but I can’t really pinpoint how. He’s the same, nothing’s really changed not in the sense of him being close or caring for me, but more in the sense of uneasiness. He seems anxious, and almost angry sometimes, and it seems to come out of nowhere.

Del’s gaze widens, “Oh no, do you think he is cheating on you? Because if he is…I’ll help you dispose of the body. I know a really…”

“No. Stop.” I shake my head, grinning. Delilah is too good of a friend. “I really don’t think that’s it. He wants to spend every minute of the day with me and, though, I don’t have a lot of relationship experience, I feel like if he were cheating that wouldn’t be the case. I don’t know. I just feel like he is worried about something.”

“Hmm, sounds like you need to talk to him. Figure out what’s going on. I’ve dealt with cheating men before but to be honest, beyond that, I don’t have much more experience and definitely not with a guy like Sebastian.”

Puzzled by her explanation, I ask, “What do you mean, a guy like him?”

“Like a guy who has his life together,” Del giggles. “I’ve dated more of the, I’m taking a year off college kind of guys.”

“Those are the guys you should be dating, silly. You’re in college. Now is the time to be dating douchebags, assholes, and fuck boys. Not when you’re thirty and looking for a man to settle down with, to get married and have kids.”

Del shrugs, “Yeah, I guess you’re right, but if that’s the case, maybe you should be taking your own advice. Maybe Sebastian is too serious? Maybe that’s the problem?”

I think about what she’s said before I shake my head. “No, I don’t think so. For being the dean, and having all that authority, he’s really laid back.”

“I’ll bet he is…” Delilah giggles again while opening up her textbook.

“Are you always such a child?”

“Yes, yes, I am.” She answers before diving headfirst into a stack of notes. While Delilah might be childish on the outside, laughing and teasing, she takes her academics serious.

With the fun over we reroute our attention back to our books, trying to at least get a little more studying in. I’ve just finished a chapter of biology notes when two girls sit down at the table next to us. Jesus, there is an entire row of tables ten feet away, but they have to sit right on top of us. I try not to be bothered by it, but cripes.

I catch one of them giving me a friendly smile, out of the corner of my eye. I’m pretty sure her name is Ana, and I share a class with her, but I can’t remember which one. Probably one of the boring ones. My guess being math or social studies. Classes I spend time thinking about art, instead of what’s going on in class.