I’m gonna go meet Reid after his class finishes,” she says, checking her phone. “You wanna come with me?”
We get up from the table as I grab the check, waving her hand away as I make my way to the counter to pay. “Actually, Ruby and I are gonna go for a run,” I tell her. “But thanks.”
She gives me a small smile, nodding once as she links her arm through mine and we walk outside. “You going to meet her after class?” she asks, the smile of hers only getting bigger.
My brows narrow. “What day is it?” I ask.
Sienna gives me a look that screams, what the fuck does that have to do with it, before she says, “Wednesday, why?”
“Shit.” I shake my head. “I think she has a class with that creepy professor.”
“In that case,” my sister says, pulling on my arm as she drags me in the direction of campus. “You should definitely meet her after class.”
We head over toward the science buildings, the campus getting more and more familiar to me with each day I spend living here. As I recognize the building that has the classroom Ruby will be in, I stop, my eyes scanning the door where people are already starting to exit from.
“I’ll see you later,” I say, glancing at my sister. “Thanks for today. It was fun.”
Sienna smiles, squeezing my arm as she looks up at me. “It was,” she says. “See you at home.” Then she disappears, heading off in the direction of the engineering buildings.
I turn back to the door, watching as students continue to walk out, most of them laughing and chatting. I still haven’t seen Ruby and when the door finally slams shut and there’s still no sign of her, I find myself walking closer, the memory of the last time I met her after class, flashing through my brain.
Without thinking too much about what I’m doing or why, I yank on the door, pulling it open and heading inside. The building is quiet, the only sound that of a man’s voice, too low to make out what he’s saying. I head in the direction it’s coming from, stopping in front of the open door to a classroom.
Inside, I can see Ruby, backed up against a desk, the creepy professor guy clearly boxing her in as he invades her personal space. His eyes are fixated on her, despite how uncomfortable she is as he leans close and says something to her.
The whole scene has my senses on instant high alert, my hands curling into fists at my side as the hairs on the back of my neck bristle and stand on end. I clear my throat in warning and the professor’s head snaps up, his eyes meeting mine in an angry glare.
I don’t give him the satisfaction though, turning my attention to Ruby instead. Offering her a smile in an attempt to defuse the situation, I take a step inside the classroom as I say, “Hey babe, you ready to go?”
Ruby gives me a strange look, but I don’t react, holding my hand out as I take another step closer. Creepy professor guy takes another couple of steps back, but I still don’t look at him, my attention firmly focused on Ruby and getting her the fuck out of here.
Eventually she walks toward me with that same confused look on her face. As soon as she’s close enough, I wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as I press a kiss to her temple. “Let’s get out of here,” I murmur, not looking back as I lead her out of the classroom and away from that guy.
Before I do something stupid like punch him in the face.
Chapter Nine
Ruby
As soon as we are out of Professor Keller’s line of sight, Caleb’s arm drops from around my shoulders. I don’t ask any questions, just grateful for being pulled out of that situation so effortlessly by Caleb. It’s not like I couldn’t have eventually weaseled my way out, but it was definitely easier when Caleb showed up acting like we were together or something.
“Thanks for meeting me after class. What were you up to today?” I ask, keeping things breezy, because that’s what we are, casual friends. Even if every time I see him it feels like something more.
“Nothing much. Hung out with Sie and had some time so I thought I’d walk you home,” he smirks at me, his blue eyes comforting as they wrinkle up in the corners. He’s effortlessly gorgeous and it won’t be long before every girl that walks into the bar is hitting on him.
“Well, thanks. I appreciate you coming by.”
“I’m happy to meet up with you anytime you need it. Actually, I think I’ll start showing up here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday just because,” he says, a playfulness to the way he talks, but I know he’s worried about Professor Keller, even if he won’t admit it.
“You know I can take care of myself, right? Before you moved in, I was fighting off the advances of many suitors,” I tease, laughing a little at how ridiculous I sound.
“How many suitors have you had?” Caleb asks and I can’t tell if it’s a serious question or if he’s making fun of me.
“It’s college, Caleb. Girls get hit on, but I can handle myself.” I toss an elbow into his side and give him a little smile.
“Yeah, well college guys are one thing, but a creepy professor is another. That guy…” He doesn’t finish his thought and it takes everything in me not to roll my eyes.
“I’ve told you before, he’s harmless and I only have this semester left with him. Two more months and he’ll be long gone.”
“And harassing some other girl,” he mutters and now I am rolling my eyes.
“Seriously, Caleb, you and Reid need to stop thinking everyone is out to get you.” The words come out so fast that I can’t stop them and I regret them instantly.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
Of course he thinks everyone is out to get him. That was literally his life for the last two years, stalked and tormented, and eventually beaten to near death. He has every right to be nervous, scared and paranoid, and being the asshole that I am, I act like he should just get over it.
I stop walking, reaching out to grab Caleb’s arm as he continues ahead of me. “Hey, I’m really sorry,” I say, swallowing back the guilt I feel as it burns in my throat. “I just said it. I didn’t even think about it and it was really insensitive of me.” I want to keep talking. I want to say everything I’m feeling in my heart about wanting him to heal and wanting to help him, but I know that’s the last thing he wants. He doesn’t want someone who is constantly feigning over his well-being.
“It’s okay. I get it. I am paranoid and I am worried about my safety, your safety, Sienna and Reid’s too. It’s like a never-ending battle in my head.” He says it as if he’s just accepted the fact that this is what his life is like now.
I rest my hand on his cheek, trying not to look too affected by his words, but my heart shatters each time he admits something to me. I’ve asked it before, but I ask it again, hoping he says something.
“What can I do to help? How can I help you get through this?”
“I don’t know, Ruby. I wish I had an answer for you. I wish I could tell you and then suddenly all of this bullshit would be gone.” He shakes his head and we start walking again. I don’t want to push things, but Caleb continues talking. “I’m fully aware of how ridiculous everything sounds in my head. I’m lying there in bed wondering what I would do if someone broke into the house. I wonder if I should sleep with a knife beside the bed, but then I’m like, ‘Whoa, settle down’ but I still Google the number of home invasions in Hawthorn.”