Made of Steel (Made of Steel Series Book 1)

by Ivy Smoak

  ***

  I leaned over and placed both my hands on my knees. Jesus. I could barely catch my breath. Apparently wanting to be in shape and actually getting in shape were two entirely different things. But I had run the two mile course I had mapped out for myself. It had taken me way longer than it should have, but I had done it. That was all that counted.

  I slowly stood up and walked back into my dorm building. The stairs seemed daunting, but I forced myself to take them. When I finally got to my room, I was ready to collapse. My thighs were screaming in protest as I put my key into the lock. I wasn't surprised to see that it was already unlocked. Kins usually found her way back to our dorm around noon. I pushed the door open. Even my arms hurt. I wasn't even sure why.

  "I texted you like ten times," Kins said.

  I just blinked at her. She had way too much energy for having drunk as much as me last night. "I went for a run. What's up?" I didn't mean to sound pissy, but I was a little mad at her. She had completely ditched me last night. I shook away the thought. If she hadn't, though, I may never have met the vigilante. Really I should have been thanking her.

  "We're having a double date. Geez, what happened to your face?"

  My hand instinctively touched the bandage. "I drank way too much last night and tripped on the way home. It was stupid."

  She laughed. "Wasn't last night fun?"

  "Yeah, it was." Just thinking about the vigilante made my heart race.

  "We really have to get going. I told Patrick and Eli we'd meet them at the dining hall in an hour..." she glanced at her cell phone, "...half an hour ago. So you need to get ready." She handed me my shower caddy.

  I really wasn't up for a double date. My head was still pounding and my muscles ached. Besides, I was working a double shift at the diner. I had to be there at 2. Not to mention the fact that I was annoyed with Eli. Things made sense when we were together, but when we were apart, it really didn't seem like he liked me at all. "I don't know..."

  "Please, Sadie. Patrick is getting way too clingy. I need you there."

  I thought about the way she jumped into his arms last night. I wasn't exactly sure Patrick was the one being clingy. "Didn't you just spend the night with him?"

  "No, obviously I spent the night with Mr. RA."

  "What?" The pain in my chest from last night seemed to return. She slept with Miles? I was trying to repress my feelings for him, but I couldn't seem to ignore that pain in my chest. Miles was such an asshole. He had probably slept with one of those bikini-clad girls from the soccer game too. Of course he had moved on. It wasn't like I thought he had been pining over me for five years. The way I have been pining for him. I bit the inside of my lip.

  Kins laughed. "Just kidding. Obviously. Geez, I heard that he was a player, but he doesn't seem to be playing the field at all. I literally haven't seen him with a single girl this semester. His reputation is such a lie. I actually heard a rumor that he only has one night stands. Why oh why can't one of them be with me?"

  So he had definitely moved on. Probably with dozens of women. If the rumors were true, though, he probably would have already slept with Kins. She was gorgeous with her perfectly smooth blonde hair and perfectly tanned skin. Anyone with eyes could see that. So maybe Kins was right. Maybe all the rumors were a lie. Maybe he is pining after me. I sighed. No, not me. I wasn't Summer anymore. "You slept at Patrick and Eli's place then?"

  "Indeed. See. He's clingy. I just spent all night with him and now he wants to have lunch."

  I laughed. "At least he likes hanging out with you."

  She pressed her lips together. "Is that supposed to be a stab at Eli? Trust me, when he's not with you, he's thinking about you. God, I've never heard someone go on and on as much as him. We're going to have to set both of them straight and tell them we don't want anything serious."

  "I never said I didn't want something serious." I pictured the vigilante.

  "Ugh. College is about having fun. Not being tied down. You're supposed to be sowing your wild oats."

  "I'm pretty sure that's a guy thing."

  She shrugged. "Whatever. Just go get your ass in the shower. It's fine if we're fashionably late, though. We don't want them to expect too much from us."

  I laughed as she tossed my towel at me. I was pretty sure Kins was all talk. She seemed so smitten with Patrick. And despite the fact that I was avoiding Miles, I didn't want her to be with him. I wouldn't be able to handle that rejection.