and then … fresh rain in the forest, mixed with soap, he sits on the other side of me.
Opening his notebook, he says, “Fancy seeing you here,” as Chloe says, “Savvy, I’m sorry. I misread my feelings and thought maybe you liked me.”
“God, we’ve had this chat a million times, but again, if You’re real and are done torturing me, take me now. It’s me Savvy Sutton,” I groan, looking straight ahead, avoiding both of them.
“I’m thinking she’s not wanting to hear you. Straight up can’t blame her for the shit you and that other chick said the other night.”
Chloe leans forward and snaps, “Not that it’s any of your business, but I already said I was sorry for that.”
“Savannah’s my friend, so it is my business.”
“I’m not your friend,” I hiss at him.
“Well, at least you’re talking to him.”
Patrick’s voice takes a harsher tone. “I didn’t shit on her.”
“I didn’t intend to. And then, when I kissed her—”
“That’s it.” I stand then turn to walk toward the door when the bell rings.
“Ms. Sutton, class is about to begin,” Professor Andrews says.
“I have my period,” I say, knowing it will shut her up and she’ll let me leave.
“That was last week’s excuse, Ms. Sutton.”
“Maybe she has an irregular period,” Chloe defends me … or so she thinks.
Bitch.
“Jesus Christ,” Patrick says.
I turn and look at him as he’s running his hand through his hair. “What?”
“Sit down, Savvy.”
The way he said it, the tone isn’t playful or pissed like when he yelled at me when I was tearing out of Crystal Lake, but … with an authority that would normally have me baring fangs, yet has me sitting and sitting perfectly still.
He then leans forward and looks at Chloe. “You have a problem, and it’s not her. She’s the one who’s been wronged by you, so until I have time to help you two sort your shit, leave her alone.”
I look at her and nod obnoxiously.
“And you,” he whispers sternly, drawing my attention back to him, “you are my friend, like it or not. So, stow the badass, with me at least.”
“Mr. Steel,” Professor Andrews snaps.
He looks forward and smiles. “Professor Andrews, I’m so excited to be a part of your class.”
She tilts her head to the side, eyeing him skeptically, and then she nods once before addressing the entire class. “Today, we’re starting the unit on women’s suffrage. Please take out your tablets, and I’ll airdrop you your first required reading.”
What. The. Fuck. Just. Happened?
Every damn class.
Every one so far today, even gym.
I mean, if he walks into pottery, then I guess I have no choice but to be Patrick Steel’s new BFF. It would be like the universe has spoken. And the universe, God, whatever, doesn’t look all that fondly upon me, so this should be a shitshow.
Sitting at the table, I open my sketch pad and look down at the blank paper.
The chair across from me pulls out, and I know before even looking up who it is.
“Damn, Savannah, it’s like fate or something,” he says before sitting down.
I look up, lean back, and cross my arms. “You say that like it’s a good thing.”
He cocks his head to the side. “Fate?”
“Fate’s not my friend.”
He leans forward, elbows on the table, and rests his chin on his hands as he contemplates me. His stare is intense. Then he swallows hard, sits back, scrubs his hand over his face, and smiles.
“You smile a lot.”
“Only when I have a reason to.”
“So, you’re happy that fate’s not my friend?”
“I’m happy that you don’t have to worry about that now that I’m here.” He shrugs off his navy, school required blazer, leans back, and clasps his hands behind his head.
“Is that so?” I ask, trying desperately not to look down at his statue-like body.
“You don’t need to worry about friends or fate when I’m around.”
“I don’t give either much thought.” I shrug.
“I think that’s one of the reason I’m drawn”—he points to my empty sketch pad—“to you. You’re raw.”
“Raw, as in, I’ve been dragged from my normal life, down a gravel road, to a place like this, behind a Volkswagen Bus kind of raw?”
He pouts out his bottom lip, and not in a mocking way; in a way that is also … raw, in a sense.
He sits there, our eyes locked, as we stare at one another when the bell rings and everyone rushes through the door. He doesn’t look away, his eyes still gazing into mine.