storm. Any moment, I’m going to get fried.
Remorse nearly swallows me whole as tears prick Alyssa’s eyes, giving them a glassy appearance. She blinks back the moisture and glances around as if only now realizing that her outburst has drawn unwanted attention. A dull red color seeps into her cheeks.
She meets their inquisitive stares with a snarl. “Move it along! Show’s over. There’s nothing to see here.”
An apology sits on the tip of my tongue. Before I can push it out, Mia grabs Alyssa’s luggage and drags it to the building. Beck scrambles to open the glass door before the two girls disappear inside the lobby. And I’m left standing there like a slack-jawed dumbass.
Once the door closes firmly behind them, Beck glances at me with a raised brow.
“Well,” he says, running his fingers along his shadowed jaw, “that could have gone better.”
I grimace at the understatement. Any hope that my past transgressions might be forgiven go up in flames.
Or, more accurately, a dumpster fire fueled by a drum of gasoline.
Chapter Fifteen
Alyssa
Oh my God!
What the hell just happened?
Emotion churns through me as Mia shoves the key into the lock and twists the handle before dragging my bags inside our brand-new apartment. The confrontation with Colton has left me shaken and out of sorts. Was I really under the delusion that it would be possible to ease back into life at Wesley? That I could take my time, adjust a bit, and find my bearings before having to come face-to-face with him? I glance at my phone, noting that I haven’t even been on American soil for a full hour before we had a blow-up.
Ugh.
That encounter couldn’t have gone any worse.
After my time in London, I’d convinced myself I was over him—that I’d detoxed the guy from my heart. Only now do I realize that it was nothing more than wishful thinking on my part, or I wouldn’t have gone off the rails like a complete psycho. I wince, remembering the avid faces watching from the sidelines. A few spectators had been on the verge of grabbing a bowl of popcorn and pulling up a lawn chair to enjoy the show.
On a positive note, it’s doubtful I’ll have to worry about Colton pestering me in the near future. Or anyone else who witnessed that debacle. I’m sure my new neighbors will give me a wide berth and avoid me like a case of the clap.
One year. That’s all I have to endure until graduation. Then we’ll go our separate ways, and I’ll never have to see him again.
The adrenaline pumping through my veins dissipates, leaving exhaustion behind to fill the void. It takes every last ounce of strength to muscle my luggage into the small entryway and slam the door closed.
With a huff of breath, I glance around our new digs. I’d been so excited by the photos and virtual tour Mia had sent. It seemed almost unbelievable that we had all this space to ourselves. No more dorm life! Or teeny tiny flat.
Although, given what just transpired outside, I would happily exchange this place for a dorm. How am I going to coexist in the same building with Colton Montgomery?
I trudge into the sun-filled living room before collapsing onto a chair. Another wave of exhaustion crashes over me. I don’t think I’ve slept for a solid twenty-four hours. There had been so much that needed to be packed up and too many people to hug and kiss goodbye. As excited as I was to return to Wesley, I was sad to leave all the new friends I’d made behind—especially since I have no idea when I’ll see them again.
Almost gingerly, Mia settles on the couch across from me. A flicker of unease fills her expression as concern gathers in her eyes. “I’m really sorry, Lys. I meant to tell you about Colton on the ride home from the airport, but I didn’t know how to do it.” She jerks her shoulders. “When I toured the building and then signed the rental lease a few weeks later, I had no idea he lived here.”
My gaze meanders to the patio door that leads to a small balcony. I’d been over the moon when she’d stepped outside with her phone and panned the area. The idea of being able to sit outdoors on a balmy night and study in the fresh air seemed almost extravagant.
And now?
Not even that little perk can bring a smile to my lips because all I can think about