Sweet Little Nothing

My behemoth of a friend grins. “I knew I was going to like you, sweets.”

We chat for a few more minutes before tossing our trash and heading out. “Let’s do this again soon, yeah?”

I nod. “Yes, for sure.”

It’s not until Gabe’s out of sight that I realize we never exchanged numbers.

Oh, well. I suppose if our friendship is meant to be, it will find a way.

The weather is mild, and I decide to use the rest of my afternoon to explore the gorgeous, sprawling campus. If anything, maybe it will help orient me by the time classes start in a few days.

Twenty minutes into my exploration, I stumble upon a wooded walking trail. The temptation to venture down it is too great, and I find myself stepping off the sidewalk and onto the narrow, leafy path.

The sounds of the campus fade away as those of nature wrap around me. Branches rustle as the wind whispers through them, carrying birdsong with it.

In the distance, I can see the peaks of the mountains rising up into the sky, cementing the fact that I’m no longer in flat-as-a-pancake Texas anymore.

Thank. God.

If I never step foot back into that godforsaken state, it will be too soon.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against the actual landmass. But every bad memory I have happened there, and I just... I can’t handle the idea of returning. Escaping to eastern Georgia is my fresh start and I am going to make the most of it so I never have to return to the four walls that masquerade as a home.

Eventually, I reach the end of the walking path and have no choice but to head back. As I approach the mouth of the trail, the hustle and bustle of the campus comes crashing back into focus.

People are scattered about, but there’s one in particular that has me frozen, as fear and confusion tear through me, rooting me in place.

I squint against the harsh light of the sun, hoping... praying... begging that my eyes are deceiving me.

I’m hallucinating; I have to be. Even if the erratic thumping of my heart says otherwise.

Because directly across the street, front and center, is the devil’s right-hand man. His piercing gray eyes are locked on me, and his lip is curled in a snarl.

I want to run, or at the very least to look away, but my fight or flight instinct seems to be stalled, rendering me completely immobile.

I’m a sitting duck in the face of a wolf. A hungry wolf, with very sharp teeth, if the way he’s glaring at me is any indication.

My vision tunnels as he steps off of the sidewalk, moving toward me with a single-minded focus.

Move, dammit! Run! I shout at myself, and yet, I may as well be a statue for how still I remain.

He grins as he nears. It’s a feral sort of smile, one that promises pain, retribution, and punishment for my perceived crimes.

He’s more than halfway to me when I finally unfreeze. I don’t think twice, I just run, the sound of his cruel laughter chasing behind me.

Chapter Six

Sterling

I’ve seen Emmalyn a few times on campus now. She always looks so meek and mild and innocent.

She’s convincing, too, with her eyes always on the ground and her soft, stuttered words. Hell, I was almost ready to call the whole thing off, my friendship with Rob be dammed.

Until I remembered it’s all a ruse; I know the kind of girl she really is.

Treacherous.

Traitorous.

A liar who had a serious case of buyer’s remorse.

I wavered for a split second when I saw her venturing out of the walking trail with an unreadable expression on her face.

At first, I misread it as fear, but I quickly saw it for what it truly was—guilt.

The absolute unfettered guilt in her gaze when she saw me was all the confirmation I needed.

And when she ran? I shake my head at her idiocy. Innocent people don’t run. Why would they when they have nothing to hide?

If she thinks running away somehow absolves her of her sins...

She’s wrong.

A pound of flesh is owed, and I am more than happy to collect on Rob’s behalf. I’ll make her suffer ten times over for what she did to him.

Emmalyn has no idea what’s in store for her. She foolishly thought she could upend my best friend’s life and then scurry away to Georgia, like a scared little mouse.

Too bad for her, Rob somehow managed to arrange for her to end up here.

With me. Her very own big, bad wolf.

She’s backed into a corner now and doesn’t even know it.

Game on, little mouse. Game on.

Chapter Seven

Emmy

For the second day in a row, I bolt upright in bed, gasping for air while tears stain my cheeks.

“It’s okay,” I console myself. “You’re okay. He’s not here.”

I repeat the words, over and over, until the lingering wisps of my nightmare wither away and my heart rate returns to normal.