13. Hannah

THIRTEEN

HANNAH

What. Is. Happening?

The big man proceeds to pull out three individually wrapped sandwiches that I recognize from the cafeteria.

"Yeah," I answer slowly. Who doesn't like ham and cheese ?

He holds one out to me. "Here, I don't need all three."

"How'd you know I'd be on this floor?" I have to ask. "And how'd you beat me?"

He grins. "Lucky guess. And"— he uses a sandwich to gesture at himself— "athlete, remember?"

I eye the sandwich as my stomach grumbles again.

Sighing, I step forward. "Since you ate my—"

My words cut off when he bolts out of his seat.

"Are you still hurt?" The Athlete closes the few feet between us in a blink, the sandwiches thumping to the floor as he grips my shoulders.

A startled sound leaves me.

"Why are you limping?"

"What—" Oh, right, that. "I'm fine."

He makes a growling sound, then his hands drop down to my waist.

With brute strength, the man lifts me and turns us around.

"Sit," he commands even as he starts to set me down in the chair angled toward his.

I bend my legs, no choice but to do what he says, and sit down.

The second my butt hits the seat, he crouches before me.

He slides his hands down my hips, stopping on my knees. "Is this because of me?"

"No." I hold up my hands, palms out. "It isn't."

"Did someone hurt you?"

His tone is so serious I can't help but widen my eyes.

"What? No. Look, I tripped walking out of class and tweaked my ankle," I admit, watching his eyes drop to my feet. "It's embarrassing, but it's true."

He makes an unconvinced humming sound.

"When my cans of pop cool off again, I'll press them to my ankle."

His scowl finally softens. "You did it for your nose?"

I nod. "Some guy told me it would help."

"Some guy, huh?"

"Yeah. Tall, hard to miss. Wolfed down my granola bar in two chomps."

"Wolfed down?" he repeats.

I nod. "You kinda did."

He smirks, and I hope he can't hear my pulse pounding through my veins. "That make me the big bad wolf to your little bunny?"

"Little bunny?" I don't know if anyone has ever called me little before. Then again, compared to the man in front of me, I actually am.

"Need to call you something. And you're always running away from me, like a little bunny."

I bite my lip, loving that he's given me a nickname .

"So…" He drags out the word. "What's your name?"

It's a normal question, but for some reason, it makes me blush.

I force my hand out between us. "I'm Hannah."

His smile is slow and full of mischief. "Hi, Hannah."

Electricity zaps down my spine as he slides his hand against mine, saying my name.

"I'm Maddox."