Hazed
Page 20
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Two weeks fly by, before I can comprehend time, Thanksgiving hangs over my head. I clench my phone in my hand, convincing myself not to shatter it each time it chimes. I sit on the patio of my favorite coffee shop. My eyes are fixed on my book, avoiding the stares of strangers.
Things have been different. Hayze feels the need to hang around me constantly even though I tell him I need distance, but what I want to say is I need answers. I know he can’t give me either. He still hangs out with me and Lea; annoys the shit out of me at work and manages to run into me every day on campus. Some days are better than others, I can feel my walls beginning to crumbles every time he flashes his dimples, or when we’re hanging out and I catch him watching me like I’m the only one he sees. It’s hard, he makes it hard, but I think he likes it to be that way for me.
“Hey Taylor.” I look up, finding Corey standing near me. I close my book and brush my bangs from my eyes. I force a smile.
“Hi,” I say. Without invitation, he slides a chair out and takes a seat across from me.
“What subject?” He points to the book in front of me as he takes a sip of coffee.
“Biology,” I say, lifting the book from the table. I close it and prop my elbows on the table.
“I’m actually really glad I saw you. I feel like an ass for how I have acted at the bar. Forgive me?” His blue eyes are sincere.
I wave him off. “Yeah, sure, Hayze was overreacting,” I add.
“He tends to do that,” he says. My brows shoot up as I nod my head in agreement. “Is something going on between you two? That’s the talk around here.”
“We are just friends.”
His face lights with a smile. “In that case, would you like to go out sometime?”
“Yeah, sure,” I smile.
“Awesome,” he says. He claps his palms together, he looks around, thinking. “What about tomorrow night?”
“I don’t have any plans.”
“Great, okay, here’s my number. Text me your address and I’ll pick you up at six?” I nod. He smiles and walks from the table. My eyes are glued to him as he walks away, his light hair touches the collar of his polo. He matches every other guy on campus. No tattoos, no scars, no temper, he’s probably looking for a friend, even a girlfriend—not to fuck up my head, total opposite of Hayze Clark.