Page 27 of Don't Be in Love

“I’ll warn you the next time they come,” I promised.

I opened my bag and pushed the dress in between my laptop and marketing textbook.

“Someone change their mind?” he asked, gesturing to the dress.

“What?”

“The Dinner tomorrow.”

“Oh, that. Yeah, James had mentioned it. And then talked Mia and Sabrina into it. So looks like I’m going now.” I brushed my hair out of my face. The wind was picking up. The trees on the sidewalks were battling, branches colliding.

He nodded understandingly. “If I knew James could’ve convinced you in the first place, I would’ve had him invite you.”

“It’s not like that. Sabrina was insistent on going the second she knew thatDorian Blackwood’s friendwas going,” I explained, not that I needed to. But I didn’t want him thinking there was something between me and James. I was serious about staying away from all things Dorian.

“Does that mean I’ll get to see you?” He glanced over at me.

“From afar,” I said pointedly.

“What if I happen to bump into you on the dancefloor?”

“Dorian.” I glared at him.

“I like it when you say my name with your cute accent. It sounds better your way.” He smirked, and it was tumultuous. The boyishness charm in his cheeks was deafening. I wanted to capture it, box it up, and hang it on a keychain so I didn’t have to face it again.

“Do you ever give up?”

“I don’t know what—”

The rest of his sentence was cut off by a thunderous clap in the clouds. One raindrop ran down my forehead. As I wiped it away, ten raindrops replaced it. I looked up, and buckets of rain fell, painting car windows and the skin on my arms, pounding surfaces like a drum.

Our walk quickly became a run. “We’re still ten blocks away and I didn’t even bring my stupid umbrella!” I shouted over the sound of the rain hitting the street’s pavement. I pushed my bag under my jacket. My laptop, my textbook, mydress.

“We’re not that far!” he shouted, running beside me.

Then I felt his arm around my shoulder. “Don’t touch me!”

“You’re so stubborn, I’m trying to help!”

“And you’re too persistent!”

Suddenly, some of the rain lessened. I looked over and found fabric blocking my left peripheral.

He was holding his jacket over my head as we ran. The rain was completely soaking his hair. Dark brown strands became black, matting themselves to his forehead.

My heart scaled my throat. I held onto the sides of his jacket to cut off the image and keep the wind from pushing it away.

“Some people like my persistence!” he argued.

“Is that what they tell you?” I yelled.

“To think I was going to ask you to dance tomorrow!”

“I told you we can’t be seen together!”

“You’re saying that, but do you really mean it?” he countered.

“You’re the most unbearable person I’ve ever met!” He wasinfuriating.