22. Meredith

22

MEREDITH

T he guys have been following me around on campus for days, watching every move I make. I know something is going on and they worry about me, but I really wish they would trust me and stay at the club. It's very distracting having them on campus, and I find myself looking out the window trying to find them. I've already gotten in trouble with my professors a couple of times for not concentrating on my work like I should. I need to have a talk with Grizzly and tell him that they need to back off before I get in serious trouble, but the truth is…I like knowing they're nearby.

As Addy and I walk from class to class, I notice them strategically placed in certain spots on the campus. I'm not sure if she's noticed them yet, but I don't know how she could miss them. Luckily for me, she hasn't said anything about it so I'm guessing it doesn't bother her to have them around.

I want to talk to her about what's been going on with them, but I'm still afraid. Not to mention, I don't think the guys want anyone to know just yet.

And the one person I'm really afraid to tell is Harlow. I don't think she would get too mad, considering she's in the same kind of situation, but it could make her angry that one of the men I'm interested in is her father. I don't know how I'm going to tell her, but I know if this continues, I'm going to have to.

"Is there a reason why three of the guys from the club have been patrolling the campus like campus police for the last several days?" Addie asks me as she links her arm in mine.

Shit. She noticed. I was hoping she would keep being her oblivious self and not realize anything was different.

I shrug my shoulders and shake my head. "From what I've heard, there's a situation involving the people who took me and Harlow before. So, they just want to make sure everything is okay around here, so nothing happens," I tell her.

She nods, accepting my answer, and we continue on until she has to go in a different direction than I do for her next class. We separate, and as I turn around a corner I run right into a solid body. I gasp and look up only to realize that I've run right into Trap.

"Trap, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be watching me from a distance?" I say softly as I put my hand on his chest.

"Yeah, maybe. I thought I would catch you and take you somewhere a little more private," he says as he winks at me.

"I don't have time for that, Trap. I've got to get to class or I'm going to be late." I reach out and squeeze his hand.

He's been trying so hard, ever since they started watching the campus, to get me alone. Each time, I've had to tell him no.

I hate having to be that way, but my classes are important to me and I don't want to get in trouble with my professors. I don't know how I'm going to get them to understand that, but I know I have to before I get in big trouble.

As the week progresses, Trap keeps trying, and I have to give him props for effort. I see him and Grizzly across the quad and I smile. I'm surprised Grizzly is here. He normally isn't on surveillance duty. Addie and I are walking to class when a boy from one of my science classes named Trevor stops us.

"Hi, Meredith, Addy. How are you?" he asks as he looks from me to her.

Addy winks at me and smiles, greeting Trevor but then heading on to class and leaving me alone with him.

"How are you doing with your classes?" I ask him.

"I'm doing good. I find it a little hard to concentrate in science though," he says with a grin as he steps closer to me.

"Why can't you concentrate?" I ask, looking at him curiously.

"There's this really pretty girl who sits in front of me and I can't stop staring at her. I'm wondering if she'll go to lunch with me some time." He looks at me, his bottom lip tucked between his teeth.

He moves closer to me, putting his arm around my shoulders, and I'm instantly uncomfortable. I take a step back, trying to put space between us, but he doesn't get the hint and he moves close to me again. I take another step back and he does the same thing.

"Thanks for the offer, Trevor, but I'm actually seeing someone," I tell him as I put space between us again, hoping he gets the hint this time.

I don't realize that Trap and Grizzly are making a beeline for where I'm standing with Trevor. Before Trevor can even respond to what I said, Grizzly is in his face.

"What the hell is going on here?" Grizzly roars. "I watched her take several steps away from you and you kept crowding her. Can't you take a fucking hint? She doesn't want you to be that close to her."

Trevor's eyes go wide as Grizzly looms over him, yelling in his face. Trap steps up beside him and grabs a fistful of his shirt.

"Meredith is family to us, and we don't take kindly to anyone messing with her. Are you affiliated with any gangs or anything?" Trap asks him.

Trevor's eyes go wide. "What?! No! I was just asking her on a date."

Trap lets go of Trevor's shirt and shoves him away from me. Grizzly watches as he walks away quickly, and I glare at them both.

"What the hell are you guys doing? He's in my science class. He's perfectly harmless. He just asked me on a date, and I told him no. What the fuck are you doing here, Grizzly? You don't usually make an appearance," I snap, jerking away when he reaches for my arm.

Trap comes to my side and puts a hand on my shoulder. His presence calms me, and I know that's a good thing so I don't lose my shit on Grizzly.

"I came to surprise you on your lunch break. I was gonna take you for a ride on the bike," he says, defeat in his tone.

"Thank you, but I don't have time for that. I'm about to be late to my next class. I'll see you both later," I say as I take off to the building for my next class.

I stop in my tracks as I see Addy standing against the building with a strange look on her face. I know in that moment that she witnessed everything, and she's going to want to know what just happened. My mind races as I try to figure out what I'm going to tell her. She clears her throat as I approach her.

"So, are you gonna tell me what the hell just happened or are you gonna make me guess?" she asks as we walk in the door together.

I look around to make sure we're not being followed and no one is around. No one can overhear what I'm about to tell her. I have to come up with something to keep her from knowing anything about me and the guys. If she finds out about that, then it won't be any time at all before Harlow knows. Harlow is the one person I'm afraid to tell, because of her father's involvement.

"I don't really know what happened. It all happened so fast. I'm guessing they thought he was part of the Bratva, as close as he was getting to me and not taking the hint to move away. They questioned him and asked him if he was part of a gang or anything," I tell her with a chuckle, trying to play it off as nothing special.

"Are you sure that's all it was? From where I was standing, it looked as though both of those guys were very protective of you, Meredith. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that there was something going on with you." Addy looks at me from the corner of her eye.

I make sure I have my best poker face on. I can't react. I can't let her know that she's right. Grizzly asked me to keep it between all of us, and that's what I'm going to do. I feel bad lying to my friends, but it's for the best, at least for now.

"Have you lost your mind? There is absolutely nothing going on between us, especially Grizzly. That's Harlow's dad! You have seriously lost what's left of your marbles," I tell her, hoping she can't see right through my act.

"I'm not sure I believe you. What I saw back there looked like two men about to kill someone over the woman they love. Please don't lie to me, Meredith. I'm not stupid." She turns to face me in the hallway in front of the classroom.

"I'm not lying to you, Addy. There's nothing going on with us. At least not from my end of things. If they have a secret crush they haven't told me about then that's on them," I lie.

I scare myself with how smooth that lie flies from my mouth. I instantly feel guilt spread through me, but I know it's for her own good.

Once I'm able to tell her and Harlow, if that day ever comes, she's going to be mad at me for the fact that I lied to her, but I can't think about that now. I've got to concentrate on keeping her from finding out while keeping up with my classes.

I sit in the classroom and stare out the window as the professor drones on. I keep trying to catch glimpses of Trap or Grizzly, but I don't see either one of them. I know at least one of them is still there and that gives me a sense of safety. I don't know how I would feel about being on campus if I didn't have them watching me.

I just hope I can keep my secret from Addy a little while longer. I don't know what will happen if she finds out sooner than expected, and I'm not sure I want to know.