Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
I love using different tools and techniques to collect data before summarizing, analyzing, and interpreting it. The kind of information you can learn and then use to assist the general population has the potential to be life altering. We’re talking about curing diseases and helping people live longer, healthier lives.
What could be more exciting than that?
My reason for wanting to make a hasty getaway has more to do with Aaron being a student in this class. There’s no doubt in my mind that I need to pull up my big girl panties and tell him that he’s been friend zoned. But does that necessarily mean it has to be today?
That convo could take place tomorrow.
Or even next week.
If I’m lucky, Aaron will lose interest by then and I won’t have to deal with the situation at all. We can go back to being study buddies and forget about our failed attempts at a romantic relationship.
Just as I cross over the threshold, a sigh of relief escapes from me and my muscles loosen. Looks like I made—
“Hey Juliette, wait up!”
Like a coward, I duck my head and pick up my pace, weaving through the throng of people that now fill the congested corridor.
“Juliette!”
By the time it registers how close his voice is, fingers are wrapping around my bicep to halt my movements.
A bright smile gets pasted on my face as I force myself to meet his gaze. “Hey, Aaron. How are you?”
“Good. I’ve been calling your name.” He scratches the side of his head. “You must not have heard me.”
I wince as the lie slips a little too easily from my lips. “Oh, sorry about that. I was thinking about the lab for inorganic chem we have coming up.”
He nods in complete understanding as we make our way toward the exit of the building and push out into the bright sunshine. “Yeah, I could see why you’d be preoccupied with that.”
A chilly breeze slides over my cheeks as my belly constricts with the knowledge of what I have to do. It’s like a Band-Aid that needs to be ripped off quickly to cause the least amount of pain.
Before I can open my mouth and force out the words, he clears his throat. “I just wanted to reemphasize that I had a really good time the other night.”
I nod. “Yeah, me too. It was fun.”
A relieved smile breaks out across his face and his narrow shoulders lose some of their rigidity. “Good. I kind of thought we were on the same page about this.”
Do it now.
Tell him.
Just get it over with.
“Aaron.” I steel myself to push out the rest. “As much as—”
“Since we’re both in agreement,” he says, cutting me off. “I thought we could make it official.”
My voice dies a quick death as I stare at him with wide eyes. “Oh.”
Yeah…
That’s all I’ve got.
A zip of electricity skitters down my spine and across my arms. I lift my hands to ward off the strange sensation before glancing around at the crowded pathway. As soon as I do, my eyes collide with Ryder’s blue ones. Even from the distance that separates us, I feel the sheer force of their intensity drilling into me. The way he continues to stare makes it feel like my skin has grown too tight for the confines of my body. Any moment, I’ll self-combust.
“Juliette?”
I blink back to the conversation with Aaron. Even though my attention is no longer locked on Ryder, I’m still aware of his heated gaze burning into my flesh, singeing me from the inside out. It’s like a physical caress that’s impossible to ignore. It’s only when he disappears through the sea of students, veering away from the ice arena on campus that I’m able to breathe again.
“So, what do you say? Are we Western’s newest power couple?”
It takes a second or two for his words to penetrate the thick mental fog that has descended.
My teeth scrape across my lower lip before pushing out the words. “I’m really sorry, Aaron. I think it would be best if we remained friends instead.”
His brows snap together, and I brace myself for an argument.
“Really?”
“Yeah.” I tack on hastily, “I like you a lot but just not…romantically. I hope you understand.”
“Oh.” He glances down at his loafers. “I, um, guess we’re not on the same page after all.”
“No, I don’t think we are. I’m really sorry for any confusion.”
“Well, that’s certainly disappointing,” he mumbles, kicking a pebble with the toe of his shoe. “It’s just that we have so much in common. Us being together seemed like a no brainer.”
“You’re right, we do have a ton of stuff in common. But there’s just not a, you know, spark.”
Not like when Ryder and I are together.
As soon as that insidious thought pops into my brain, I shove it away before it can take root and do permanent damage.