REJECTED BY MY FIRST LOVE, CHASED BY THE CAMPUS KING

ain I couldn't explain. I had spent three years loving Darian Blake, convincing myself that if I waited long enough, he

u're not the one for me." Not the one. I wiped my cheeks, but fresh tears replaced the ones I'd b

l footsteps approached, steady and unhurried. Then an umbrella appeared above my head. I looked u

e simply stood there, shielding me from the rain. For a mome

. "I'm fine," I said, my voice hoarse. He looked me over. "You don'

you back to the hostel." I looked away, embarrassed. My hair was plastere

e with you in the rain." There was no mockery in his voice, only a quiet bluntn

he rain-streaked window while he concentrated on the road. The heater was on low.

ide my chest and broken something I couldn't repair. "Thank you," I whispere

oor. He held the umbrella over me again as we walked to the steps. "Here,

ht spilling over me, then returned to his car witho

o get out of the rain. I didn't have the energy to answer. Kiara, however, had recogni

er, confused. "Who?" Bella grabbed my arm, suddenly excited. "The Lucien Cr

I said. She studied my red eyes and soaked clothes, and

eled over my wet clothes and tear-stained face, her brow furrowing for just a s

I said softly, and I meant it. I appreciated her q

coming up, and no amount of heartbreak would make it disappear. Bella eventually came

g? You've been staring at the same page for ten minutes." I paused, tracing the same s

lder. "It's okay to cry." I shook my head, fighting the tears again. "I

es I read an entire paragraph without understanding a single word. Whenever that happened, I closed my ey

iolent banging on our door. "Open this door! Open it right now!" We exchanged st

ill on his coat, his face twisted with anger. Seraphina went completely still, the book in

r. "You can't even send money home? You think this university makes you better than us?" "F

ks!" he yelled. "Lower your voice," she pleaded, glancing desperately at us. "Yo

Stop!" Bella screamed. For several seconds, nobody moved, nobody breathed.

the first time since I'd met her, the composed, guarded, perfect Seraphina Ellis,