Chapter 6

Fuck this shit. We only just found Malia after weeks of searching, only for it to feel like we’ve gone and lost her again. I know she’s not missing, not really, but I’m done waiting for her to show up around campus. She’s hiding from something, and I’m going to find out what.

The others said to give her space, but no fucking way. I’ve waited long enough. I exercised the patience of a saint when Reef sent me over to Malia’s dorm to scope out any traces of magic – which I didn’t even find anyway. I was under strict orders to leave Malia alone and only complete the mission, without disturbing her or alerting her to my presence. It fucking sucked being only a few feet away and not being able to reach out to her and check out the lay of the land. To see if she’s really forgotten who I am or if it’s just Cove.

I’m done waiting.

The prof’s finally back from his trip to the elders, and even though we’re all desperate to know what they said, he’s insisting on teaching his class first. Like he suddenly gives a shit and has found his true calling in life. It’s annoying as fuck, having to wait on yet another thing, and while the prof won’t be convinced to spill his information early, I sure as hell can make sure I see Malia right now. I’m all into instant gratification.

My fist lands heavily against her wooden door. I check my watch when she doesn’t answer. I only have about twenty minutes to persuade her to come to class with me. Reef and Cove think she’s had some sort of memory loss, so I guess we’ll see how she reacts when she sees me. If she doesn’t punch my lights out, it’ll be a miracle. I more than deserve it after the hot and cold way I’ve been treating her.

I knock again, more persistently this time, and I finally hear shuffling sounds from within and a stereo of some sort shutting off.

“Summer, I told you—oh. You’re not Summer.”

“Was it the lack of tits that gave it away?” I grin at her. She doesn’t give me anything in return. “Do you re—know who I am?”

“No. Should I?” Her face is a mask, not even so much as a frown to give away her thinking. Is she fucking with me?

“Well, that depends…” I fire my most salacious grin at her. She doesn’t rise to the bait. Normally that would have chicks dropping to their knees ready to blow me.

I try a different tack.

“I’m looking for a tutor.” Total bullshit. “And my lecturer mentioned your name.”

“We have the same classes?”

“I’m almost offended you don’t remember me, but my attendance has been pretty poor of late. Hence needing a tutor. So what do you say?”

“No.”

“What? Why?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t tutor.”

“But I need you. They’ll kick me out if I don’t get my grades up.”

“Maybe try attending as a start then.”

Jeez, she might not remember me but there’s still a sass about her. Not quite the fire that was once there, but a definite ember that I can work with.

“What if I agree to attend all my classes and in return you tutor me for the things I missed?”

“Sorry, no.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’ve missed nearly a month of school myself. So I’m not really in a position to be helping anyone.”

“Perfect! We can be study buddies together then instead. Help each other catch up.”

“You’re persistent, aren’t you?” A small frown mars her perfect forehead and her nose crinkles slightly. It’s pretty darn cute actually.

“Like you wouldn’t believe. Do you have a roommate?”

“Why?”

“Because I’ll date her. Then you’ll see me all the time and I won’t stop hounding you until—”

“Alright!”

“Alright, you’ll do it? You’ll tutor me? Or be my study buddy? Or alright, I can date your roommate?”

“No to the roommate.”

“Want me for yourself, eh?”

“No. I meant, no I don’t have a roommate. Only Betsy. You’re welcome to hit on her if you like.”

“Who the hell is Betsy then if you don’t have a roommate?”

Instead of answering, she lets the door swing open and points to the wall where a gorgeous surfboard is mounted and strung with fairy lights.

“That’s funny. My friend actually named his board Betsy too. Do you surf?”

“No. I just like the decor.” I have no idea if she’s messing with me. Is this banter? Flirtation? Or is she deadly serious? She also doesn’t return with an answer to my question, so I plow on, trying to make a connection with this chick. Apparently she doesn’t remember kissing me so hard I thought my dick would fall off before she started yelling at me and stormed off.

I wonder if she’d get mad if I kissed her again. Or maybe I should use this second chance to do things differently. We definitely got off on the wrong foot. I was a bit of a dick to her at times. And although I could charm the pants off any girl if I tried, thus far she seems pretty impervious. “I surf too,” I offer when she doesn’t say anything. “Haven’t found the perfect name for my board yet though. Maybe you can help me with that.”

“Between the tutoring and catching up myself, I think I have my hands too full to deal with your board too.” Her tone is pretty droll but I still chuckle.

“Good one. So you’ll do it then?”

“I said alright, didn’t I?”

“Brilliant!” I wink at her. “When should we start? How about now?”

“You have to get to class.”

“I think you mean, we have to get to class.” I check my watch again and yep, she’s right. We need to get moving.

“I’m not going. I do online learning. For medical reasons,” she hastily adds.

“Don’t you have the prof’s class though?”

“So…?”

“So I’m pretty sure he doesn’t offer a remote learning option. Under any circumstances. He’s a bit of a dick like that.”

“Don’t I know it,” she mutters under her breath before adding, “But he hasn’t said anything this past week so…” She shrugs.

“Oh. He’s been out of town. Today’s actually his first day back. So I guess we both better hurry if we don’t want to be late and feel his wrath.”

“I’ll risk it.”

“Give me your phone.”

“Why?”

“So I can save my number in it, that way you can text me where to meet up for tutoring and stuff.”

“Oh. Well, it’ll just be here. In my room.”

“I don’t think I’m allowed in the girls’ dorms.”

“You don’t strike me as a rule follower.”

“Aren’t you scared to be alone with me?”

“Why would I be?”

“You don’t know me. I could be the murderer.”

“Same.”

“You expect me to believe you’re going around campus murdering girls? Why would you?”

“Maybe they’re looking at my boyfriend the wrong way. Seems more plausible than you doing it.”

“Ah but maybe once they sleep with me they get all clingy and it’s the only way I can think of to get rid of them.”

“You should make a start on the required reading list then. Plenty of inspiration for getting creatively stabby within the works of Poe. If I were you, I’d be very afraid.”

“I think I’ll be fine. If we’re doing this, we really do need to go to class though.”

“You do.”

“Give me your phone then so you can text me a time, and I’ll be on my way.”

She hesitates but hands it over, unlocked. I quickly go to her address book and see only two numbers added. Summer, the bestie I don’t trust, and Cove. Interesting. I add my own name and number to the collection and then drop dial myself so that I have her number too. It looks like she could use a friend or two, and that’s exactly what I plan to be. In the beginning anyway. I’m always open to more if she wants to go there.

“All done.” I hand the phone back. She doesn’t even glance at it. “I guess we’d best be going.”

“You go. I’m not feeling great today, so I think I’ll sit this one out.”

“Nah. Come with me. I can’t be trusted at the best of times, I think it’s best you accompany me to ensure I keep up my end of the bargain.” I grin to show I’m half joking, but she doesn’t return it. Damn. I thought we were getting somewhere.

“No thank you. You go.”

“But—”

She huffs like I’ve really pissed her off but her face still shows…nothing. It’s completely devoid of emotion. Just sort of empty. It’s actually pretty freaky and disconcerting.

What should I do?

Snap decision made.

I reach out, wrap my hand around her bicep and pull. She stumbles towards me and the door slams shut behind her.

“Hey!” she complains. “What did you do that for?”

I don’t answer, just start tugging her along the hallway beside me.

“Stop it,” she hisses, trying to pull free.

“We’re going to be late if we don’t hurry up.” I remember the time the prof moved the location of the class at the last minute and the panic Malia got herself into trying to arrive on time. I’m so sure that saying this will get through to her but as we get closer to the exit of the dorms, she really starts to freak out, pulling and tugging to escape, hitting my arm with her free hand and starting to yell.

I make it to the door before she breaks free and rains frantic blows down on me.

“Stop! Stop! Christ!”

“I told you to let me go! I’m not dressed. I don’t have any shoes on. I don’t have my key!” Absolute panic washes over her features and her breath comes out in snatches. “Oh my god, I don’t have my key. I’m locked out. What am I going to do?”

Her rant quickly turns into what is sure to be a full-scale panic attack if I don’t intervene. Shit. I didn’t mean to set her off, I was just trying to help. Sort of. Mostly.

“Chill out, babe,” I tell her calmly. “We’ll just get maintenance to come and unlock the door.”

“They don’t start until two.”

“So you have enough time to come to class.”

“I’m not dressed.”

I look her over. “You look fine to me.” I shrug. She’s not naked. She has tiny little shorts and a tank top on. No bra. Bare feet though. Ah man, maybe those are her pyjamas. “I’ll carry you to class. So that your feet don’t get sore.”

“I don’t have my things.” She scowls at me while running her fingers through her hair. The action causes her top to rise up and gives me a flash of her smooth, toned stomach. Her breasts bounce when she drops her arms and I almost forget what she was just saying.

“You can share mine.” I grin at her, pulling a pencil and a pen from the back pocket of my jeans.

“And what will we write on?” She raises a brow at me and gives me a once over which makes me want to preen. “You don’t seem to have much room on your skin for notes.”

“I usually just pinch some paper off whoever’s next to me. We’ll do that. Come on, it’ll be fun.”

“I highly doubt that.”

I chuckle and hold out my arms but she looks at me like I’m crazy. “I can walk.”

“Atta girl,” I praise her. “Let’s get going. Don’t want to be late.”

She takes a shaky step forward but pauses with her hand on the door that will lead us outside.

“What’s wrong?”

“I…I don’t want to go out there.”

“Hey, what’s the worst that can happen?” I tease lightly, though her behaviour is starting to weird me out a little. Okay, a lot. Her breathing becomes laboured and I bend down a little to really look at her. Goosebumps have erupted all over her skin and there’s a light sheen of sweat on her forehead.

“Are you okay?” I ask softly.

“Y-yes.”

“You don’t seem okay. How can I help?”

“I–I have agoraphobia. I’ve not been outside in a while.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to say but you love the outdoors, you live for surfing! but I manage to rein myself in. Shit. Now what do I do? I wish Reef were here, he’d know what to say.

“Do you want to go to class?”

She nods. “I don’t love feeling like a prisoner in my own room.”

“Okay, let’s set you free then. Let me take you to class. I’ll carry you and I’ll run so fast we’ll be there before you even know you’ve been outside.” She still looks unsure, so I pull off my hoodie and hand it out to her. “Here, if you’re worried about your clothes or whatever you can wear this. And if you feel scared or worried about being out of your room or whatever, maybe this can give you some comfort or something.” I shrug because I’m really shit at this sort of thing, but I see something soften in her eyes and some of the tension leaves her body as she reaches out and takes it from me.

Malia pulls it on and it falls below her knees. She has to struggle to push the sleeves back so that her hands are free. The hood is up and covers most of her face, but she looks seriously cute.

A rush of something protective washes over me as I stare down at her, dwarfed in my clothing. I like her in my shit, kinda like a teeny tiny pocket girlfriend. A little dot.

“Ready?” I check.

She takes a deep breath and nods. “I guess.”

“C’mere then.” I hold my arms open wide and she steps into my embrace. I can’t help but hug her for a split second before lifting her into my arms. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

She wraps her arms around my neck and buries her face into my shoulder, and I don’t hate it at all. Pushing open the door to her dorm building, I check the coast is clear and then take off at an easy run. Malia weighs next to nothing so it’s no hardship on my part. It’s a short trip across campus to get to the main building, and then another couple of minutes to get to the lecture hall itself. Amazingly, we’re still on time.

“Here,” I tell her as I put her on her feet gently right outside the room. “Do you want to grab your usual seat or would you prefer one in the back or—”

“Near the door please,” she whispers as her eyes flick from place to place, never settling on anything for more than a moment. She’s close enough that I can feel her tremors. It makes me want to scoop her into my arms again and just get the hell out of here.

Instead, I sling my arm around her neck, tuck her in close and lead the way. Inside I select two seats closest to the door, pass Malia my pen and pencil, and then turn around to score some paper off whoever’s behind us with a winning smile. I slide it over to Malia, who’s still sitting with her hood up, tapping the pen against the desk in a nervous jitter.

Damn. I should have offered her my earbuds. She likes to drown the noise out with music. But it’s too late. The prof has just entered, and with a quick scan of the room, he begins.

I doubt his less than cursory glance was searching for me, and has more to do with the little dot sitting beside me. I wonder if the prof recognised her under my huge hoodie.

“Nice to see everyone could make it today,” the prof says with a scathing bite. Bit fucking rich coming from him when he’s been absent, but I guess that confirms he knows Malia is sitting beside me.

Forcing my limbs to uncoil and relax, I stretch out my long legs under the seat in front of me and zone out. It wouldn’t do to let the feckless bad-boy persona slide. With nothing else to do, I drop one hand into Malia’s lap and smile when she doesn’t push me away.

She frantically takes notes throughout the whole lecture as though she can make up for lost time just by writing. Her pace feels almost feverish, and I realise that she’s trying to distract herself from wanting to flee the room. The only time she looks up is to glance longingly at the door. It’s like she’s ready to bolt at a moment’s notice, but I’m not quite sure what her trigger will be. Nonetheless, whenever she seems particularly agitated, I gently squeeze her leg and it seems to settle her nerves.

“We’ve got a little time to kill before our seminar. Do you want to grab a drink?”

“Erm…” she chews on her lower lip and I can’t drag my eyes away from the action.

“We can go over a study schedule or something,” I offer.

And I see it. The wavering. She’s on the fence, and if I can just think of something to say to cement it, she’ll come with me and I can spend the next hour disarming her and working on being a friend. At least. I’m not going to give up on the idea of something more. I’ve not been able to get her out of my head since the moment we met, and the obsession just grew tenfold once we kissed.

“Watch out!” Someone calls, knocking into Malia and sending her crashing toward me. I catch her easily and right her on her feet but it’s too late.

“Fucking watch it!” I snarl at the idiot who’s just slammed into her.

“Sorry,” the culprit mutters dismissively without a backwards glance.

That’s not fucking good enough.

I reach out and grab his arm, whirling him around to face me. Whatever protest he was about to unleash dies open his lips when he takes in the size of me.

“Shit, sorry, dude.”

“It’s not me you should be apologising to!” I grind out. “You almost flattened her. You’re twice her size!”

“Jeez, I said I was sorry!” The guy snaps and I see red.

My hands curl into fists and I pull my arm back ready to punch this guy’s lights out but before my blow can land, a delicate hand wraps around my fist, causing me to pause.

“Don’t. Please,” Malia begs, eyes wide.

“Get the fuck outta here!” I growl at the guy. He’s obviously not as stupid as he looks because he takes off like someone lit a fire under his ass. Good.

“Are you okay?” I transfer my attention to Malia and, with great effort, unfurl my fists.

“I’m fine. What was that about?”

“The guy could have hurt you.”

She shrugs. “I’ve had worse.”

“Well, I’m not about to let anyone hurt you from now on.”

“Why?” She blinks.

“Why? Because we’re friends.”

“I thought I was just tutoring you.”

“Nah, little dot, you’re stuck with me now.” I grin at her and she freezes. “Malia?”

“I’m sorry, I have to go!” She races off and is out of sight before I can even blink.

“We need to talk,” the prof says from somewhere over my shoulder. I sigh. Great, just as I was getting somewhere with her, he had to show up and frighten her off.