Page 107 of Harnessed in Gold

I’m so focused on the first-floor windows of the Social Sciences building that, if my vibrating phone hadn’t roused me, I’d have run into a lamppost. I screech to a halt a mere foot from the cold, iron obstacle, and pull my phone from my back pocket.

Zander: Can we talk?

Seriously? He does thisnow?

I bite my lip and look over each shoulder, as if an appropriate reply lurks somewhere behind me. Gossip about Tuesday and last night must’ve gotten back to him. It doesn’t take much to set him off, or to rekindle that sense of ownership he obviously hasn’t relinquished. With a sigh, I stuff my phone back into my pocket and keep walking. I’ll answer later. If I remember.

Two more messages vibrate against my rear end, but I don’t check them until I’m back in my room, seated comfortably on my bed. They’re both from Leo—the first letting me know he’s on campus with Aaron, moving bushes from the basement windows of the oldest buildings. The second simply stating:I’ll come get you around 5.

I reply with a thumbs-up, toss my phone aside, and collapse onto my pillows. What am I supposed to tell Liv? She’ll be back from classin less than a half-hour, ready to hang out, probably desperate to talk. Although she ran interference for me at Dimitri’s—holding her tongue as I lied to Mia and Jenna, deflecting when they insisted I go to Panama City—I know she’s not convinced I’m okay.

Her signals aren’t difficult to read: trust me, talk to me, don’t push me out of your life.

Do I admit I’m going to spend the night at Leo’s? I don’t have to explain why. Her wildest assumptions would be easier for her to swallow than the truth.

I pace the small room as I work my way through a bag of microwave popcorn. New plan: join Aaron and Leo on their window search as soon as possible, because texting Liv would be easier than talking to her face-to-face. It’s always better when the person you’re lying to can’t see your evasive eyes and fidgety hands.

I dust the salt and butter off my fingers, slip a few books into my backpack, and stuff two night’s worth of clothes and toiletries into my tote bag.

The door swings open and bounces off the doorstop. Fuck. I teeter, standing like a crane, one sneaker on and the other halfway to my foot.

“Hey,” Liv greets me.

“Hey.”

She drops her backpack onto her bed and plops down beside it. “Where’re you going?”

“Um, I?—”

Eyes averted, she unpacks her books. “To Leo’s again?”

“Um—” The lie dies on my lips when I realize what she just said.

“Come on, Betts, really?” She groans out a sigh, slamming a folder onto her lap. “Icame home last night.Youdidn’t.”

“You didn’t stay at O-Chi?” I blurt, either in denial or not yet comprehending.

“That’s not the point!” She slaps her bed with the poor folder, making me jump. “Enough of this bullshit! Why won’t you talk to me?”

“Okay, fine.” I steady myself and shove my other foot into my shoe. “I stayed with Leo last night.” I sound frustrated. Defensive. The exact opposite of how I intended.

She throws up her hands. “Thank you! Now, why is that so hard to admit?”

“It’s not,” I say. “It’s just that—” My phone chimes from my kangaroo pocket. Crap, if Leo’s early, and he walks in on this?—

“‘It’s just that’ what, Betts?” Liv nearly screeches.

The message isn’t from Leo; it’s from Aaron:We found the window. Meet us in the library cafe ASAP.

All my blood rushes to my head.

“Are you listening to me?” Liv swipes the phone from my hand and chucks it onto my bed.

“Wha—?” Shit. I spin and snatch it up. “I gotta go.”

“Seriously? Betts!”

I stuff my keys into my pocket and tear out of the room. “Sorry, Liv,” I call out, already halfway down the hall. “I’ll explain later.”