EY

of the walls, pretending to watch everyone dance while my eyes followed only one person. Maddox was still laughing with his teammates, completely unaware that I was staring at him

round the food and drinks. Every few seconds another girl walked up to Maddox, hoping to steal a few minutes of his attention. He smiled politely at all of them, bu

his," I whisp

you c

y eyes for

muttered. "

w as people brushed past me from every direction. Someone laughed loudly beside me, making me flinch. Another p

he table where they h

er

cup stood beside

allo

few mor

arefully twisted the cap loose without taking it all the way off.

st t

ly came out of my purse, then som

my body lurc

bounced across the table before rolli

ng seeme

was

e turned towa

early stop

e bottle, someone bent

fr

ase

e don

re

ly loo

av

sted only a second before

e you do

dn't a

ightened face to the

read t

ping

ows pulle

is t

can ex

expl

..

ds disa

loser, lower

to go home a

kno

are yo

jus

ate ho

d

parties

kno

sneaking around wi

me so quickly th

asn'

eren't

..

ounded be

out a frust

, look

raised

e you th

t want

ha

't tel

came even m

an't t

ok my

sor

hand acros

er lied to

kno

't star

ally

l long seconds before gent

re le

ha

ow

ut

," he sh

eading me to

ed with embarrassment because I could feel everyone staring at us. I k

tside, the cool ni

lly let go

ho

red a

ha

heard

..

rious,

softened

ce isn't

kno

are yo

illed m

I could

ghed

t's going on, but

sor

and tell him you're

N

e out louder

ooked su

y n

I'll

y face for a

you'll go st

most broke

romi

dded

oo

ding. The moment the door closed behind him, I leaned

I whispered

ertain

e body s

ned a

w feet away with

oked f

every

t even lo

sor

or

ghed bi

ll you ha

tri

ou pan

ther ca

otic

do this

eyes tu

es, yo

N

perfume. "If you fail to do this, tomorrow morning every person in this colleg

drained fr

would

led. "T

trying to

ink anyone

dn't a

iled c

act

urred my

," I pleaded. "

N

her will

n't c

andfat

n't c

ose eve

desperation in

se enough for

se even more i

t tra

nowhere le

o do now?" I whispered

t the

lin

ha

him a

ow

n't c

ver come

ke

can

tter figu

toward th

is is your

answer, the hal

red outside

hem was

e walking away from everyone else to

the phone. "I'll be

one of the lights n

grabbed

he

here she w

l be

can

u c

f he sa

ou're f

go of

watch

ppeared back

complete

s felt

h had g

rd Maddox again. He had finished his phone call and slipped his phone into his pocket. For a moment, h

as my

my onl

g step after another. Every heartbeat sounded louder than the mu

ad before I coul

lmost immediately, and one corner of

for me?"