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I don’t even know why I’m being so dramatic and crying right now. Hell, if anything I should be saying all this to my psychiatrist Dr. Wilson instead of some random guy.
But I won’t.
Being a psych major myself, I know the i
Either way, his judgments will have an impact on my life.
Because it will label me.
Talking to a stranger candidly like this feels safe…because even if he’s judging me, I doubt I’ll ever see him again, so what I tell him doesn’t matter.
“I don’t know why I’m so sad,” I choke out as another tear makes its way down my cheek. “All I know is something feels wrong.”
Like my universe is out of balance.
His blue eyes fill with worry as he turns to face me. “Bianca—”
My chest caves in.
Not only does the stranger know my name, he says it like it has a deeper meaning to him…
As if he knows me.
However, I can’t focus on that, because someone is shouting a slew of obscenities behind us.
Less than a second later, my brother Jace comes into view, looking like he’s ready to tear someone’s head off.
I’m not sure why, but his angry glare is directed at the guy sitting on the bench with me.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
For a second I think he’s talking to me because why in the world would Jace be so livid with some random guy.
Gaping at him, I get off the bench. “Eating lunch—”
“You have two seconds to get the fuck away from her or I’ll beat your face in right here, right fucking now.”
Good Lord. Why the hell is Jace acting like such a psychopath?
The guy on the bench should be scared—my brothers are terrifying—but he merely stands up and says, “I’m leaving. And just so we’re clear, I didn’t intentionally go out of my way to find her. It just happened.”
He’s not wrong. That’s exactly what occurred.
However, I don’t see what the big deal is about us having a freaking conversation.
“What’s going on?”
“Right,” Jace scoffs, ignoring me. “You seriously expect me to believe that?” He gets close to his face. “I know you, motherfucker.”
That’s news to me. “Well, would someone mind filling me in because—”
“Then you know I didn’t say shit,” my new friend bites out. “We were just—”
“Stop it, Jace,” Dylan screams before she starts ru
“No,” Jace roars. “The asshole just couldn’t stay away from her.”
I’m getting really tired of him talking about me like I don’t exist.
But even more tired of not knowing why he’s so riled up.
I don’t miss the way Dylan’s eyes do a quick sweep of the guy when she reaches us. “What are you doing here, Oakley? And why are you dressed like that?”
Oakley?
I briefly recall Cole telling me he used to have a friend named Oakley, but that was all he ever said.
“My dad got me a job as a janitor,” the guy—whose name is apparently Oakley—answers.
“Oh. That’s go—” Her face pales when she catches her boyfriend’s furious expression. “Shit.”
I blink in confusion. How the heck do they know each other?
“You guys know—”
“What the fuck is this?” someone who sounds a lot like Cole shouts.
Holy shit. For an area that’s usually serene, it seems awfully overpopulated with my irate family members.
“I caught him talking to Bianca,” Jace explains.
Cole’s eyes narrow into tiny slits. “You motherfucker—”
“Everyone, stop,” I shout because I honestly can’t take it anymore. “What is going on? Why is everyone so mad?” I peer up at the guy who looks like he wants nothing more than to escape this shit show, and quite frankly, I can’t blame him. “How do you know my name?”
Oakley opens his mouth to speak, but Jace beats him to it.
“Say one word, asshole, and I’ll lay you the fuck out.” His eyes narrow into tiny slits as he shoves him. “She’s happy now. And the last thing she needs is you coming back to fuck up her life again, so you better stay the hell away.”
Fuck up my life again? What does that mean?
“Jesus fucking Christ.” Oakley holds up his hands. “Despite what you think, I’m not here to stir up any shit or cause problems.”
“Then leave,” Cole chimes in. “Now.”
“No,” I protest when he starts walking away. “Who are you?”
The look he gives me makes my heart clench. “No one.”
And then he’s gone…trekking up the hill that leads back to campus.
While I’m left trying to figure out why the dull, uneasy ache is back in my chest.
And why it disappeared when he was here.
“Someone better start talking,” I tell them. “Right now.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Jace says. “It’s taken care of.”
If that was the case, this unsettling feeling wouldn’t be burrowing in my gut.
I look at Cole because I want to make sure I have the few facts I know straight. “You once said you had a friend named Oakley. Was that him?”
Cole’s jaw works. “Yeah.”
My gaze bounces between my brothers. “Then why do you two hate him so much?”
They stay silent…which pisses me off.
I look at Dylan next because she’s always been honest. “Dylan?”
I can tell she wants to cave, but the death glare Jace shoots her has her mouth clamping shut.
“Fine,” I say. “If no one is going to tell me what’s going on, I’ll just find him and ask—”
“Bianca,” Jace starts to argue as I walk away, but I’ve had enough.
“Screw you,” I scream. “One second I was eating lunch while talking to a nice, i
“He’s not a nice, i