Loch (The Powers That Be Book 3)(37)

Walking into my next class I saw the Bobbsey Twins sitting on either side of Loch in the front row. Studiously keeping my eyes off them, I went and sat, again managing not to glance their way. Well, that is until in the middle of class, one of the girls raised her hand.

“Um, Professor Stowe? I moved from the dorm to an apartment yesterday. I haven’t turned on my laptop yet. Will all my programs still be on it even if it’s not using the campus’s wifi now?”

Holy smokes.

Definitely not a computer major. I listened as everyone chuckled as Dr. Stowe assured her the programs would be there.

Huh.

When class was finally over I gave a sigh, glad I no longer had to avert my eyes away from Loch and the Sweet Valley Twins. They’d already left anyway, so gathering my things I left the classroom and walked down the hall and out the front doors of South Hall. As I started toward the stairs, I came up short when I saw Loch (minus his admirers), leaning a shoulder against one of the big columns in front, backpack at his feet, arms and ankles crossed and eyes narrowed on me.

He really was handsome and did resemble that model guy, maybe even looked better.

Too bad I’d screwed it all up between us because I’d really liked him.

Anyway, since he was alone, I thought now would be the perfect time for me to apologize, lay it all out there and let him know that what I had planned to do to him was horrible. So mustering every ounce of courage I had, I walked his way seeing that his golden eyes stayed locked on me, so intense and dark and I swear my blood pressure shot up to What the hell are you doing? over Are You Trying to Get Us Killed?

When I got within ten feet of him and just as I opened my mouth to tell him I was sorry, a guy came out of the building and hollered, “Yo, Loch! Thanks for waiting, bro.”

I turned in an arc, tilting my head to the side and veering away from him toward the steps as if that was my intention the entire time, clutching my bag to my chest and trying to keep my heart from flopping out right there onto the sidewalk. Then I hightailed it the heck out of there and kept walking fast toward the parking lot on the other side of campus without a look back.





Confession Number Eleven



On Wednesday, Loch followed me again to our second class, this time without his dazzling duo (who I noticed weren’t in class either so they probably weren’t computer majors just fans of his which made me roll my eyes) then he once again followed as we walked to our third class.

I tried approaching him after our last class but he walked out with several guys so I didn’t want to bother him. I know. I was chickenshit. But Wednesday night I decided I’d let things go too long, not to mention the guilt was killing me, so I thought it best to send him a friendly text. You know, break the ice a bit then I’d ask if I could call him where I’d finally get around to apologizing. That was the plan anyway.

Text Message—Wed, Aug. 20, 10:34 p.m.

Me: Hi

Of course, he didn’t answer.

Text Message—Wed, Aug. 20 10:45 p.m.

Me: Can I call you?

He still wasn’t answering, but I’d known I’d have to work at it.

Text Message—Wed, Aug. 20, 10:57 p.m.

Me: I wanted to talk to you to tell you how sorry I am for what I did

When he still hadn’t answered more than twenty minutes later, I gave up.

Text Message—Wed, Aug. 20, 11:26 p.m.

Me: Okay. I know you’re still mad and you have every right to be. Just know that I’m going to keep texting you until you answer… and I’ve been told that I’m very persistent so there’s your warning. I guess I’ll try again later. Bye…

So there it was.

He wasn’t talking to me because I’m sure he hated me or at best was finished with me, so all I could do was keep trying to contact him, maybe catch him on a good day and he’d let me do my thing. But what did it matter? He’d already moved on anyway, first with the woman the night he’d called me drunk saying I should’ve been there instead of her, then today with his pair of groveling groupies.

I lay there a little frustrated. Okay, a lot frustrated because I needed to do this. I had to tell him what an ass I’d been. Then I felt like an even bigger ass because I knew that part of the reason I wanted to apologize was so that I’d feel better about myself.

By Friday morning, my nerves were a bit frayed. I’d texted Loch again on Thursday but he still wasn’t answering and I was feeling even worse.

“I’m a bitch,” I mumbled as I walked into the kitchen.

Marcy looked sleepily up at me from her cereal bowl and raised an eyebrow.

“I’ve been texting Loch trying to see when’s a good time to call him but he won’t answer. And that makes me feel worse about what I did and now I hate myself. If I could just apologize and get it over with, I’d feel better.” I cut a bagel in two and put the pieces in the toaster.