My gaze moves back to Wyatt, who looks tortured, watching as she walks past him as if he’s nothing but a stranger. He looks like his entire world collapsed with that cold shoulder, even though he tries to hide it. Curiosity has me tracking their movements. Watching the way they pretend like the other doesn’t exist. And still, you can feed off the electricity that crackles in the air with their proximity. It makes me wonder what truly happened between them, but he never talks about it—a secret he will morethan likely take to the grave. Whatever it is, it is enough for her not to stand the sight of him or anyone else.
“You good?” I ask, arching a brow, nodding towards the girl walking toward the tech building. Wyatt shrugs, sliding his Ray-Bans on his face to shield himself from the sun that isn’t there. Poker face, locked in place, though his jaw is clenched so tight even my molars ache. “Never been better.”
I don’t question his lie, I only fallback, allowing him to set the pace. Giving the tech building one final glance, before we begin to walk without any real destination, with silence stretching between us, only to be interrupted by the hoarse and guttural, ‘urrah,’ call from the Northern Gannet overhead.
“Did you get a message from Peter?” I finally ask, and he responds with a quick nod.
“You think he knows about his fiancée’s escapade?”
Hearing that word makes me grimace at the thought that my childhood friend will end up with someone like Peter. It eats me alive inside knowing there's not much I can do to stop her from sneaking off with Nico. And knowing what it means for him, I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to hide the emotions that swirl in my chest. The throbbing cut on my lips reminds me of my earlier tussle with Nico, and despite myself, a lopsided smirk tugs at my mouth. He’s a stubborn asshole, but one with a heart so pure it’s hard not to admire.
“I’m sure he does. We have to find out who’s behind the blogs,” I respond with an unusual sense of pride swelling in my core. My fingers trace over the split skin, and though I wince, the sting settles deeper—like the truth sinking into my bones. I’m not as powerless as he is, and if he’s giving it his all… so should I.
Wyatt yawns, pulling me out of my head.
“Why does it matter?” he drawls, stopping mid-way to just stare at me. Something about the way he looks at me makes it feel more like a plea to let it be. Not even the dark shades restingover his eyes can hide the emotions behind his eyes. Or the small shake in his voice, when he says, “It’s just fucking gossip.”
“Gossip that can get Nico killed, asshat.”
He stops, hand landing on my shoulder, halting my step when I try to walk away. “It’s your job to keep him in his place.”
“Try telling two people who are in love to stay away from each other.” I pull away from his grasp and continue to walk.
“Class is this way,” he calls out, but I don’t bother to respond; I just motion towards the dorms. I’m so sick of pretending, so sick of acting like everything is perfect. All while I’m drowning inside. I need to clear my head. Settle the unease that gnaws at me. My own mind is the place I loathe to be; the problems just keep piling up on me.
We both stop dead in our tracks.
A banner hangs across the grey dorms, students swarming beneath like flies settling on a hot pile of shit. They gossip while taking selfies and posting them online. It’s not the gathering or the banner that has me swallowing what feels like glass shards, but the words written in bold red letters: ‘Reward for any information regarding Asher Santorelli.’
As expected, my phone buzzes in my hand, and so does every phone near me.
There’s no hiding the look of shock on my face, and no mask capable of concealing my dread. I can feel the color slowly draining from my face, taking with it the warmth in my veins. From the corner of my eye, I spot Zayden, who stands beside Nico as they look at the large banner that hangs over our dorm. So many fucking problems, all with very few solutions. All I can cling to is the relief that splashes over me, like cold water on a sunny day, at the sight of him.
Chapter Ten
Zayden
“Do you think maybe T is right?” I murmur softly. It’s been hours since Thiago left, after awkwardly standing around in his own dorm. The tension in the room was starting to feel suffocating, impossible to fucking not notice, given the split lip he sported. The boys were fighting, and the reason had a name.
Shiloh.
Nico stops folding his laundry and turns to me. “Even if he is, it’s my fucking life, Zayden.”
“It is,” I agree with an exhale, my eyes on the ceiling, debating if I should continue. “But you know the rules.” The smell of Thaigo’s cologne lingers in the air, along with faint traces of sweat. The scent I’ve come to crave…No. I shake the thought away before it can fully manifest. “I think you should be more careful, or at least lay low. I don’t like the blog or the fact that people are looking into Asher.”
Nico’s voice drops, his gaze suggests he’s gone to a place I can’t reach him. “I didn’t kill Asher.”
And I believe him because I know who did, and it wasn’t him. However, it’s a secret that I will take to the grave. Or will at least keep that card tucked away until it becomes useful enough to play. A small scoff escapes my lips. Looks like Safra’s rubbing off on me in more ways than one. I turn towards Nico, watching as he plops onto the corner of his bed with a deep sigh before letting his head fall into his hands. He looks pathetic…
A hopeless romantic with a gnarly future.
“I love her, Zayden,” he mutters, voice lost in his palms. “I’ve been selfless all my life, man. For once, I just want to be selfish for as long as I can be.”
And that, my friend, is what will lead to your certain death, but I don’t tell him that. He knows that and so do I. I take a deep breath through my nose, trying to find the right things to say here. It’s not like I can relate. Our issues are vastly different. I don’t allow myself to dwell on emotions, while my best friend here drowns in them. Not that it's usually bad to feel things so deeply, but in this world, it’s deadly. I rest my head on my arm. Finally giving him my truth, even if it hurts him.
“It’s gonna cost you, man. I’m with Safra on this one.”
I can tell it bothers him, and I’d never side with Thiago in front of him, but he’s not lying about Nico playing with fire. In the end, he will burn for it. My only hope is that I’m smart enough to use some of the secrets I’ve piled up to get him out of this mess. Feeling around for my phone, I quickly grab the device and bring it to my face to unlock the screen.