Daphne shrugs. “She’s right. I was new last year, and I’m pretty sure I’m still nowhere on his radar, and we’ve even had classes together.”
“Lucky me, I guess.” I’d only told them about how he’d taunted me about my mom. I’m too embarrassed to tell them the filthy things he’d said to me about being jealous of how he was licking his ice cream or how he trapped me in the bathroom after school. Heat surges to my cheeks again thinking about all of it.Someone help me.
Max wiggles his brows at us. “Maybe he likes redheads and this is his awkward-as-hell way of getting to know you.”
“Eh.” Daphne pulls a face. “Xander is anything but awkward. He’s smooth as hell. And he could literally have any girl he wants, so I don’t know if I buy that.”
“True. I’m pretty sureat leasthalf of the student population would drop panties for him.” He laughs. “Myself included.”
I cover my mouth as a laugh bubbles out of me. “Maybe you should let him know. Divert attention from me or something.”
“Ah, but you assume he’s not aware of my desires.” He gives me a sly wink and laughs.
* * *
“Listen up, ladies and gentlemen,” Coach Lance barks. “We’re going to ease you into longer distances, but I truly hope you’ve been running over the summer to prepare yourselves for the season.”
Murmurs of affirmation sound all around me. I look back at the coach and nod. I’ve been running, but I have no idea if what I’ve been doing is up to his standards. I’m a little nervous, to be honest—especially since I was handpicked for this team.
“Your team captain, Kari, will lead you through stretches, and then I want all of you out on the trails for at least forty-five minutes. Run solo, in pairs, or in groups—whatever revs your engine, so long as you’re running at a good pace.”
After we get warmed up, people break away, some together, others alone. I don’t know anyone on the team and no one says a word to me as we leave. So much for being nice to the new girl.Whatever.I’ll just go it alone today. I’m used to it. I tuck my earbuds into my ears and head out at a slow pace, following the trail before it splits and I have to choose which way to go. I head to the right, and it doesn’t take me long to discern that everyone else must have gone in the other direction. I’m sure it’s no big deal, so I push on, getting lost in the lush green scenery, my music, and my own thoughts.
After a while, I realize I haven’t seen anyone in at least thirty minutes. Not that I really care, but I hope I don’t get freaking lost back here. I come to another V in the path and go left this time, lengthening my strides and pushing myself harder.
A crack sounds behind me, loud enough to hear over the pounding beat of a new song by All Time Low. I yank one earbud out, wondering if there are animals out here that I should be wary of running into. I continue on, and it’s only a few minutes later that I get the unnerving feeling like someone is behind me, somewhere, following me.
Maybe I’m wrong.It must be my imagination working overtime.I’ve had my earbuds in until now. There’s no one in front of me, but maybe someone came out behind me on this path.
Trying to maintain my speed, I jerk my head around, glancing over my shoulder. Definite movement behind me. I face forward again and keep going. When the footsteps sound louder behind me, my heart thuds hard in my chest. I turn again and see … nothing.
This is ridiculous. Maybe it was a squirrel or something.Right. Whatever I saw was too big to be a squirrel.I run hard, trying to ignore the sick feeling creeping over me that someone is playing with me. I hear the steps behind me again and whirl around, panting. I come to a full stop and wait right in the middle of the path with my hands resting on my hips and my eyes darting into the woods around me.Bring it, fucker.
But there’sno one.The surrounding woods are quiet.
I close my eyes and blow out a quick breath, then open them again and look around, straining to listen, but all I hear is the rustling of leaves moving in the breeze. Leaves and the chirping of birds and the bubbling of a stream in the distance—all the sounds of nature that one would normally find in the middle of the woods.You are freaking yourself out for nothing.
Slowly, I turn and begin to run again. As the academy comes into sight, I push myself to run faster. Footfalls pound behind me again. Or is that my heart? Blood pumping hard? I’m afraid to find out I’m wrong and start to worry my mind is playing tricks on me. Frantically, I look over my shoulder again and see a flash of movement behind me.
Fuck this.I open up into an all-out sprint, as if I were in a meet and trying to chase down the runner in first place. I pass the football field and track, the soccer field, and dorm in a blur. I race all the way inside the gym to the door that leads directly into the girls’ locker room, shove it open, and dart inside.
My chest heaves as it closes behind me, and lean my butt against the door, my body bent in half as I try to calm the flood of adrenaline flowing through my system.
Thump.The door behind me shudders as if someone slammed into it. I jump away, swallowing as I turn around to see whoever is about to follow me inside.
I wait a good thirty seconds, but the door remains shut. I sigh with relief and am just turning to go get my things and shower when the door bursts open.
Heart in my throat, I spin around.Aria and Alora.They are in the middle of conversation when they see me and stop in their tracks. “What’s wrong with you?” Aria wrinkles her nose in disgust.
I shake myself. “What?”
Alora frowns. “Your eyes look kind of … wild.”
“Did you expect someone else?” Aria’s brow goes up. She rolls her eyes when I’m too flustered to respond immediately.
“Sorry, I thought someone was behind me.”
“Well, we were. We’re right here.” She gives me an obnoxious face that can only be read asDuh.