10. POSTURING

10

POSTURING

C harlotte hadn't gotten around to grocery shopping with the way the last couple of days had gone. Her refrigerator held the bare necessities, but nothing she wanted to cobble together for lunch.

Instead, she decided on the campus eatery. The temptation of air conditioning was strong, although people around her would lure her into spending money she didn't want to spare.

She couldn't stand sitting another minute alone in her apartment, waiting.

Waiting for the boogeyman to come and steal her away. Though she still questioned if she had witnessed a vampire or was suffering heatstroke.

She also waited for her "friend" to make a reappearance.

Since the night he broke in and left a rose in her apartment with her there, he hadn't tried to make contact. She wondered if he knew she had gone to the police and it scared him off. Somehow, she doubted it.

The pink roses on her kitchen counter were almost dead, the heat speeding up their decay. If the roses were from someone she knew and had an interest in, she'd tell them to stop sending them—at least until she could get a regulated temperature in her apartment. It wasn't fair to bring life into her home knowing it wouldn't reach its usual life cycle. She already felt guilty about the abundance of plants in her apartment facing the humidity. Her mom tried to tell her humidity wouldn't hurt them—something about greenhouses—but she still questioned it. Her roses wilted in the humid apartment, after all.

Maybe it seemed silly to think about that sort of thing, but plants were living things too. Maybe they couldn't feel like humans, but they still lived and died.

As she followed the path toward the Tate Center, she adjusted the sunglasses that had slipped down her nose. She swiped away the light sheen of sweat.

Humidity made sitting outside near impossible—even the shade under the trees shielding students from the sun did little to protect them from the oppressive humidity. The lack of an advisory surprised her, although she hadn't checked, so there could still be one.

Before she reached the large glass doors leading inside, her cell phone chirped in her pocket. She pulled it out, swiped to unlock it, and peered down at the screen.

Aiden:

You home?

Charlotte:

Nope. Grabbing lunch.

Aiden:

Where ?

Her forehead wrinkled, and her eyes darted around behind her shades. Instinct told her he wasn't far away. How she knew, she wasn't sure. Still, it pleased her he had come all the way to Athens to see her. It may have been presumptuous of her to assume that, but what other explanation could there be? He did mention coming, even if she objected to the idea.

Charlotte:

In front of the Tate Building.

Aiden:

I have no idea where that is.

Well, that confirmed her suspicions of his whereabouts.

Charlotte:

Where are you?

When several minutes passed without response, she started to call him, but another message popped up.

Aiden:

Someone told me where it is. Hang on.

Hang on? How long did he want her to wait? The campus was huge. He could be anywhere.

She moved away from the main entrance, seeking shade from the bright sun beneath a tree while she waited for his call or text.

"Did you get his number?"

"No way. I couldn't ask him that."

"He was gorgeous. I would have asked for it. "

"Did you see his eyes?"

"His eyelashes are better than mine."

She rolled her eyes as she listened to the feminine voices approaching from behind. How nice it would be to giggle and gossip about college boys instead of looking over her shoulder for threats. She envied them.

The two girls passed her tree and then paused on the walkway, glancing behind them.

"Oh shit, he's coming this way!" The one on the right giggled.

"Shhh! He probably can hear you," the other chastised, swatting at her friend. "Of course he's coming this way. He asked for the Tate Building."

The one on the left covered her mouth, and they took off at a brisk pace. Charlotte suspected they didn't want to be caught gossiping.

Moments later, Aiden passed her, striding toward the Tate Building's main entrance with purpose.

She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face as she watched him look all around himself searching for her. It made her feel good.

"Aiden!"

He turned as she strode toward him, but her steps faltered at the scowl on his face. He shoved his phone in his pocket and came toward her.

Without a word, he reached out and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her, pinning her arms to her side, pressing her face into his broad chest. "I'm glad you're alright."

She laughed. "What are you talking about?"

He smelled like ice cream and cologne. The combination settled her nerves better than her medication ever could. She didn't even know she needed it until his arms banded around her .

This was new.

When he let her go, she stepped back and looked up at him, pushing her sunglasses on top of her head.

"You seemed really afraid the last time we talked, and I didn't hear from you at all yesterday. With you mentioning someone following you…" He scratched the side of his neck and looked around. "And we're out for our summer break as of Friday, so it wasn't a big deal to borrow Mom's car because she won't have classes to teach tomorrow…" He blew out a harsh breath. "I just wanted to see you were okay with my own eyes. Maybe I overreacted. Sorry."

"Why? You're fine. You've just never hugged me before, that's all."

"I haven't?"

She rolled her eyes and pulled her shades down to hide the blush spreading heat over her cheeks. "Nope."

"Does it bother you?"

"Your sister does it every time I see her." You're not attracted to his sister, though. "Why would it bother me?"

He tucked his hands in his jean pockets. "Alright." His lips tilted into a half smile. "I'll keep that in mind."

She dropped her gaze down to her sandals, tucking her curls behind her ear.

"So what's for lunch?"

Her head snapped up. "Oh. Um. I dunno. I didn't even plan to go out today and waste money, but I haven't gone grocery shopping, and what's at the apartment sucks."

"Why don't I take you—"

"Hey, Charlotte."

Aiden looked over her head as she turned around.

"Oh hey, Noah. What are you doing…" Her words died as she took in Noah's appearance. His lip had a severe split, and extensive sw elling and bruising trailed from his right eye down to his jaw and across his cheekbone. "Oh my god, what happened?"

Noah chuckled and then winced when his smile pulled his split lip. "Got my ass handed to me."

"Obviously. But how? Who?"

Inhaling through his nose, Noah shook his head. "It's not important. Got ahead of myself. Won't happen again." His eyes flicked up from her face to Aiden before dismissing him. "What are you doing out here?"

She didn't like how he avoided her question, but she wouldn't push it.

"Going to grab lunch in the Tate Building, but Aiden showed up." She motioned over her shoulder to where Aiden had taken a step closer to her back.

"Aiden? The guy you mentioned in class?"

Aiden arched a black brow at Charlotte, and his lips tipped up in a teasing grin. "You talking about me?"

"No! I mean, yes, but it wasn't anything bad. Rachel did most of the talking."

"Color me curious," he said, chuckling.

"Well, I'm starving," Noah said, interrupting them. "Wanna get something together?"

"Um." She turned and looked between him and Aiden. "What do you wanna do? You drove all this way."

The way Aiden stood staring at Noah with narrowed eyes made her shift from foot to foot in discomfort. Noah had the same sour look on his face. Their dislike for each other was clear, but she couldn't understand why.

"Uh, guys?"

Aiden looked down at her, his harsh expression clearing. He smiled. "I thought I'd get us set up to play back at your apartment. If you want to grab a bite and then meet me there? Or I can come back and pick you up?"

"Apartment?" Noah asked.

Aiden's eyes moved up to Noah and his face went stony. "Yes, apartment. I'm here to play video games with Charlotte for the day."

"Ah, yeah? I didn't know you were into gaming." Noah looked from Aiden to her as a haughty smile spread across Aiden's face.

She shrugged. "Oh, yeah. It's fun." She had never shared with Noah her love of video games. She didn't know why, but she didn't tell many people outside those down in Rosebrook whom she considered close friends. Like Aiden, Riley, and Blaire.

The crackling atmosphere as the two guys stared at each other over her head made her tense and uncomfortable. She didn't know what their problem was, but she'd never seen Aiden like this before. Agitated was the only word to describe his body language and the tense set of his shoulders. His forehead kept lining when he couldn't keep his expression neutral. What made him so upset?

If she didn't separate them, Noah might end up with another black eye.

Noah looked like he might throw a punch himself.

She'd never seen either of them like this before.

Thinking fast, she dug her apartment keys out of her purse and handed them to Aiden. "Here. Take these and get set up. I'll grab a quick bite with Noah and be there soon. Want me to get you anything?"

He took the keys and looked down at her with that swoon-worthy smile he used when he gave someone his full attention. "I'm good. I'll take you out for groceries later, since I have the car. A lot easier than taking the bus with it. "

"You don't have to."

"I want to."

"Okay," she said with a nod. Her face warmed again at his words.

He cared so much for people and took care of them. It made her feel warm and fuzzy, even knowing it wasn't preferential treatment. Aiden was altogether a kindhearted guy.

"Don't be long," he said, before turning and striding away from them, gripping her keys in his hand tightly.

"You sure he isn't your boyfriend?"

She turned to Noah. "What?"

"You said in class he was single, but he acted like a jealous boyfriend just now."

She giggled. "No way. You're imagining things."

Noah's dark brow arched. "Really? He didn't seem to like me talking to you very much."

She posted her fists on her hips and cocked her head. "You didn't seem to like him either."

He shrugged. "I'm indifferent. I don't know him."

"Well, you were looking at him the same way he looked at you."

"Huh. Didn't know that."

She decided pushing the subject wouldn't do much good. If he didn't realize the way he acted, then she may have misunderstood. It wasn't like either of the guys would see each other again.

"Come on, let's get a burrito," he said, motioning toward the Tate Building.

As he led her toward the main entrance, he kept looking behind them with a strange expression on his face.