Perfect Lie(59)

I pulled my arm from his grip. “I don’t care who you fuck, Abel. Don’t flatter yourself. I meant every word I just said. I don’t care about you—either of you.” I stormed off toward Gibson Hall and made it to my psych class just as the lecture was beginning. I slipped into a seat in the back near the door and dropped my purse onto the floor.

The door opened, and Abel looked around before his eyes landed on me and narrowed. He slipped into the desk beside me, and I adjusted in my seat to angle away from him.

“You aren’t even in this class,” I whispered angrily.

“Clearly I am. I’m sitting right here, Kettle.”

“You’re fucking hilarious.” I rolled my eyes, and the guy in front of me turned around and narrowed his. I sneered and Abel laughed.

“I’m calling a truce.”

“I’m not interested in being friends with a gun‐toting drug dealer.” I reached down to dig a pen from my bag along with a notepad. I’d left my book in the car, not thinking to grab it after I saw Abel. I flipped open the pad and poised my pen, ready to take notes.

“Come on, Lie,” Abel whispered. “I’m trying to be the nice guy here. I’m trying.”

“Don’t strain yourself.”

He smiled his panty‐melting grin, and I wanted to smack him and my heart for fluttering.

“Fine. If I can’t kill you with kindness, I’ll take a different approach.” He cleared his throat, and I shook my head. “Hey, there, Delilah,” he began to sing, and my jaw dropped in horror as a few people turned around and looked at us.

“Stop it.”

“Oh…it’s what you do to me…”

“Damn it, Abel. Stop.” I sank in my seat and covered my face with my hands to hide myself from prying eyes. I had no idea why he wouldn’t want to follow in his mother’s footsteps, because clearly he had inherited her talents.

Someone a few rows up knocked a book from his desk, and I jumped in my seat, my heart seizing in my chest. The flashbacks from the day that changed it all ran through my mind on an endless loop. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak. Abel’s fingers grabbed my arm.

“Lie, what’s wrong? Lie? Was my singing that bad?”

I turned to him with tears in my eyes as I gasped for my next breath. I watched his expression transform from one of playfulness to panic.

“Hey, hey…I’m right here. It’s OK. Come on. I’m going to take you out of here.” Abel grabbed my bag and pulled me to my feet. I followed blindly behind him as we stepped outside. I sucked in a long breath and put my hands on my knees as I tried to block out the tragic memories that assaulted me.

“What’s wrong, Lie? Tell me. What the hell was that?”

I shook my head and shoved him back from me as I squeezed my eyes closed. The rain had stopped, and the heat from the sun was starting to make me feel nauseous.

“Come on.” Abel grasped my shoulders and began to walk me across the parking lot toward his car. I didn’t fight him, because the last thing I wanted was to face anyone from my psych class. I’m sure they all thought I was a freak. So much for becoming someone new. We got into Abel’s car, and still in a daze, I pulled on my seatbelt.

“You gonna tell me what happened back there?”

I shook my head as I stared out the passenger window. He sighed and started the engine then pulled out toward the road. I glanced at the glove compartment, and he reached across the seat and flipped it open.

“The gun is gone. If I had any idea how much it scared you, I would have tossed it the first day you found it.” He drove for only a few minutes before pulling in at a hot dog stand that was a student favorite around here. “Look, I can’t help you if you won’t tell me what’s going on.”

“I don’t need your help.”

“If you say so.”

“Whatever.” I got out of the car, slamming the door behind me. Abel was soon at my side. “Why are we here?” I folded my arms over my chest.

“Hot dogs. Why else would we come to a hot dog stand?” he joked, and walked up to the window to order.

I sat at a picnic table as I waited for Abel to return with our food. If there were ever a time to run, my gut was telling me to run far and fast from him. But instead I waited for him to slide into the seat across from me. I tapped my fingers against the wooden top as a man at a nearby table took a bite of his food. I smiled down at his rat terrier, which was tied to a leash wrapped around his arm. The dog bared his teeth and let out a low, angry growl. His owner sat oblivious as he stuffed his face.

“Making friends?” Abel slid into the seat across from me with a grin.