When Rivals Love (Bayshore Rivals 3)

“That was amazing,” Oliver pants, “are you okay?” Always so sincere, so caring. That’s Oliver, though. He always makes sure that I’m okay. That I came.

“Yes. I’m more than okay,” I smile.

“Good, because it’s been a while since I came apart that easily,” the blistering smile he gives me warms me from the inside out. After a few minutes of lying together, we get up, and he helps me put my clothes back on, minus my panties. He puts those in his pocket as a souvenir.

As I’m sliding my backpack on, he pulls out his phone.

“Shit,” he mumbles under his breath. “We’re going to be late.”

“Ugh, not again,” I groan, all while smiling. After what we did, I would say showing up late to class was worth it.

“I won’t have time to walk you in to your class if I want to get to my class without being scolded by the professor. So, I’ll walk you to the building and then head across the street.”

“Okay,” I grab onto his hand, and together we walk back down the stairs and into the lower part of the library. As we pass by people, it feels like they are all staring at us, almost like they know what we were doing. Maybe they heard us? But since none of them snicker or smile as we pass, they must not have heard us. I tell myself it’s all in my head.

Exiting the library, we hurry across campus and to class. When we reach the sidewalk, we part ways, Oliver pressing a hurried kiss to my lips before seeing me off. As I walk down the sidewalk and enter the building, I give him a little wave and smile before disappearing from view.

When I’m in the building, I realize how late I really am, and instead of walking up the stairs, I basically run, taking two steps at a time.

By the time I reach the top, I have a hard time breathing. Shit, I didn’t realize how out of shape I am. Maybe I need to start working out.

Taking a few steps, slower this time, I try to regulate my breathing, but it seems to only get worse. This weird feeling that something is wrong overcomes me. I’m not sure what I’m feeling. Not sure what’s going on, so I continue onward, hoping that it’ll pass. I’m about halfway down the hall when a wave of dizziness crashes into me. It comes out of nowhere and nearly takes me out at the knees. Closing my eyes, I lean against the cold brick wall.

Maybe I just need to do some deep breathing. Forcing air into my lungs, I try and focus on nothing more than my breaths. Sweat beads above my brow, the breathing obviously not helping as my entire body suddenly starts to feel like it’s been lit on fire.

Knots of worry tighten in my gut. I don’t know what’s going on with my body anymore. Another wave of dizziness sends my mind spiraling. I can’t even open my eyes without the world spinning around me, and the panic I feel seems to only make it worse.

All at once, my vision goes black, my eyes grow heavier and heavier until I close them again. My mind slowly slipping into unconsciousness. I try to open my eyes again, but I can’t. They just won’t budge. Faintly, I’m aware of footsteps approaching, and someone asking me if I’m okay. I want to tell them no, that I’m not, but my tongue won’t work. All words refuse to be coaxed from my mouth.

Another wave of dizziness overcomes me, and this time when it crashes down, it brings with it the power to snap me in two. Reaching out, I attempt to find something along the wall to support my body. I know I’m going to go down, I can feel it in my gut.

A hand brushes against my arm just as my knees give out and my body folds in half. I’m only partially aware of my body sagging to the floor, my knees slamming against the tile. I don’t even feel the impact, there is no pain.

There is nothing but darkness.

12

Damnit. I have to stop waking up like this. I know before I even open my eyes where I am. The steady beat of the heart monitor fills my ears, and the smell of antiseptic and bleach tickles my nostrils. The hospital. I’ve put myself in the hospital again. Blinking my eyes open, I’m momentarily blinded by the overhead lights.

My thoughts are fuzzy as I try and recollect what happened.

“Oh, my gosh, she’s awake.” My mother’s voice is the first that I hear, and already I know this is going to be bad. Why are they here? And where are the guys?

Nothing serious happened… I just fainted.

“Back up, sweetheart, give her some space.” My father orders, and I look up at him, taking note of the dark bags under his eyes and worry in their depths. He looks distraught, but that can’t be right. Why should he care about me? He hasn’t any other time before now.