Someone else follows close behind him. My cousin, Creighton. Well, technically, Creigh is my second cousin since my dad and his are cousins. However, my brothers and I always called his dad Uncle Aiden.
He’s a year older than me and so extremely quiet that you barely hear his voice, but that shouldn’t be mistaken for shyness. This little shit simply doesn’t give a fuck about anyone.
Or anything.
His silence is merely a manifestation of his boredom. And somehow, that gets him all the attention on campus without him even trying. It’s been like that ever since our secondary school days.
That, and the fact that he does a lot of fighting.
And while his sharp features and piercing blue eyes have something to do with his popularity, it’s his ‘I don’t give a shit’ attitude that makes girls melt for him faster than cheese on pizza.
The more he ignores them, the more crushingly popular he becomes. Something that Remi doesn’t appreciate since Creigh’s stealing away his golden-boy status.
They’re both business majors—Creigh is second year, while Remi is fourth year. Needless to say, girls in the business school fall over themselves to get a sliver of their attention.
I’ve grown up with these guys all my life. Our parents have been friends since they were in school, and we’ve kept the legacy going.
When you’re children of parents who hold the personality of gods, you learn to stick together. To somehow keep up with the pressure of having such parents.
It’s part of the reason why we’re naturally close. In a way, Remi and Creigh are no different than Lan and Bran.
Okay, maybe just Bran. Lan is in a league of his own.
Cecily rolls her eyes at Remi’s dramatic tone. “And what misery might that be?”
“The fact that none of you girls asked me for a ride back to campus. I even had all your favorite songs saved for the road trip.”
“That’s because we could drive just fine,” Cecily says. “Besides, you left me on Read the last text I sent you.”
“Moi?” He releases me, retrieves his phone, and stops in his tracks. “No way in fuck… Creigh, you little shit. What did you do now? Did you crack my code?”
My cousin, who’s on the other side of me, shrugs but says nothing.
I crane my head and find Remi’s phone filled with pornographic pictures.
“Pig,” I say under my breath.
Cecily goes red, and if Ava were here, she’d call her a prude, because she is, in a way. Cecily just doesn’t do well with any talk that’s sexual in nature.
“You’re disgusting,” she tells Remi.
“No, Creigh is.” Remi grabs my cousin by the collar of his polo shirt. “He’s the one who hacked into my phone and put all of that in.”
Creigh’s expression remains poker-faced. “Proof?”
“I’ll beat the fuck out of your arse, you cheeky bastard.”
“You can try.”
“I can’t believe this!” Remi grumbles. “I adopt a weirdo under my lordship’s umbrella and he tries to sabotage not only my popularity status but also my noble name. I’m going to disown you, spawn! Don’t come running to me with your tail tucked between your legs when you can’t slip out of a crowd on your own.”
“I’ll survive.”
Creigh’s methodical, somewhat emotionless reply only riles Remi up more. “Don’t text my lordship when you’re bored.”
“You’re the one who does that.”
Remi narrows his eyes, then grins. “I won’t be covering up for you when your parents call. Try beating that one, spawn.”
Cecily interlinks her arm with Creigh. “Never mind him. We’ve got you.”
“Hey!! Don’t go stealing my adoptive son.” Remi pushes her away and inspects Creigh. “Did the female cougar do anything to you, spawn? Tell my lordship and I’ll take care of her.”
My cousin raises a brow. “I thought you were disowning me?”
“Nonsense. If I disown you, how will you survive?”
“Are you sure it’s not the other way around?” Cecily crosses her arms. “Your attention to Creigh is the method you use to feel that you’re doing good, so it’s self-service.”
“The nerd police called and they’re saying you’re too nerdy for anyone’s liking.”
“Sure it wasn’t the manwhore police saying you’re at top risk of STDs?”
“Says the prude.”
“If you think that’s an insult, try again. At least I’m not at risk of contracting STDs.”
“There’s a thing called a condom. Ever heard of it? Oh, sorry, forgot you’re a prude.”
“He did forget to use one once,” Creighton says and we all turn to him. “Condom.”
Remi headlocks him. “Don’t go telling my lordship’s secrets, you cheeky bastard.”
Cecily is like a dog who’s found a bone and goes after Remi with the viciousness of a warrior.
I laugh, or more accurately force it out, pretending to be happier than I actually am. Pretending that this scene can help reduce the chaos brewing inside me.
A dash of black flashes in my peripheral vision, and I spin around so fast, I’m surprised I don’t trip.
It was there again.
I’m sure that someone was looking at me from the shadows, watching my every move.
My body heat rises and I rub my palm on the side of my shorts. Once.
Twice.
My phone burns in my pocket and I can’t stop thinking about the text I got two days ago.
I refused to think about it at the moment, shoved it to the background, and pretended that it belonged with the rest of the baggage that’s ruining my life. But I don’t think I can do that anymore.
Is it even about Dev anymore?
Or is it so much worse?
The banter from the group I’m in starts dissolving until it becomes white noise. My vision turns blurry.
Everything is.
I can’t even see my fingers.
My right foot steps back and then the other follows. I’m retreating, but I don’t know where to.
Or how.
All I’m sure about is that I need to get the hell out of here.
Now.
I’ll text the guys later and tell them I was feeling under the weather. Though maybe I need to switch up that excuse, considering I’ve used it quite a few times lately—
A strong hand slams against my mouth and I shriek as I’m flung backward.
The only sound that comes out of me is an eerie, muffled noise overflowing with desperation for life.
A savage hand wraps around my mouth as my back hits the wall. My eyes widen when they meet with those psychotic ones.
They’re dim, lifeless—just like two nights ago.
He tsks, his voice a darkened whisper. “You sure are hard to be found alone, Glyndon.”
5
GLYNDON
Grandpa once told me there will be times when I’ll feel so trapped that a way out seems impossible.
I’ll be suffocated.
I’ll feel so out of my element, as if all the walls are closing in on my heart.
He said that if I felt that way, the key is to stay calm, to not let fear seep in.