Page 27 of Shattered Saint
I sighed, happy that was all that happened, and she was safe. I wasn’t surprised she hadn’t been paying attention to where she was going. "You would do that.”
It took her another couple of seconds before she replied. "Anyway, what were we talking about?"
"I don't remember," I said as I let out a yawn. "I think my panicking made me tired."
"Or you were already tired. It is kind of late."
She wasn’t wrong, but I had no intention of telling her that I’d just woken up only a couple of hours ago. "True, but I'll stay on the phone with you until you get back to your room."
"Thanks. Now tell me what's new with you."
I started telling her about what was going on at Brentson, making sure to avoid anything that could hint at my alcohol usage. I’d deal with my own shit later.
10
BIANCA
About a week later, I was checking my phone as I was walking into my next class when my mouth dropped open in shock. It was as if I instinctively knew something was wrong because I could sense something was amiss before my eyes zeroed in on the problem.
Easton. Sitting in this classroom with one ankle propped up on his knee.
Easton was taking the same class as me now. He must have switched his schedule because he hadn’t been in my class the week before. When he looked up and saw me, a smug grin appeared on his face. Despite my stomach dropping to my toes, I diverted my gaze and told myself to keep walking because I didn’t want to give him any of my attention. I needed to make sure I picked a seat that was nowhere near his.
I was cursing out everything I could in my head as I walked to the other end of the classroom.
Once I found a desk that was empty, I sighed louder than I planned to. I dropped my bag down at my feet and slid into the chair. I opened it and took out the things I needed for this course as I tried to organize myself before today’s class began.
"Something is out to get me," I muttered under my breath. What were the chances that Easton would be in my class? Brentson wasn’t small by any means, so it seemed as if something was determined to make my life a living hell.
I’d done my best to avoid Easton over the last couple of years. While we’d been in the same room as one another on numerous occasions, I’d stayed away from him at all costs and had mostly succeeded. While I didn’t know the exact number of words I’d spoken to him over the last two years, I was pretty sure it was less than a hundred.
“Hey, Bianca,” the voice was closer than expected and my body tensed involuntarily.
I clenched and unclenched my fist that was resting on my leg before I turned my head to look at him. It was Easton, standing there with his backpack thrown over one shoulder and a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Is anyone sitting here?”
I glanced at the empty desk to my right. “Yes, I think they went to the bathroom,” I lied without remorse. My voice was steady despite my heart racing at a million miles an hour. I was doing my best to not draw attention to us, but the anger I still felt toward him was making it difficult. I wasn’t about to play his stupid games.
“Come on, Bianca. There’s no one sitting here.”
I groaned under my breath. “That doesn’t mean that I wantyouto sit here.”
“What if I promise not to bite?”
My eyes widened for a split-second before I caught myself. “Leave me alone, Easton,” I whispered.
It was then I realized that my fingernails were digging into my leg and would more than likely leave a mark. The pain was the only thing that was helping me maintain my composure. However, it was obvious that he wasn’t going to give up. I couldn’t continue to pretend he wasn’t there because he would only get more obnoxious. Since the time that we’d slept together, he had no issue ignoring me the same way I was ignoring him. This was a complete one-eighty, and it was clear that he was intentionally trying to press my buttons. What was also irritating was that he still had an effect on me, but there was no way I was admitting that to anyone.
"I’ve been here longer than you today, and there’s been no one else here, Bianca.”
“Then why the hell did you ask?”
“To see what you’d say,” he teased. He leaned into me, and I could feel his breath tickling my ear.
"I don’t want you sitting here," I replied as I tried to contain my emotions.
Easton sat down in the chair beside me, and it took everything within me not to scream.
But he only laughed, clearly enjoying being a shit stirrer. "Can't you pretend that you don’t hate me for just one class, princess?" he said mockingly.
