His brows draw together when he runs his eyes down my body, and I know why. I've been working on it over the summer, but I know I'm still way skinnier than I ever have been in my life.
"I transferred," I admit, forcing the words out past the lump in my throat.
His smile widens more before he pulls me into his body again.
"It's so good to see you."
I relax into his hold, squeezing him tight, absorbing his strength. And that's one thing that Luca Dunn has in spades. He's a rock, always has been and I didn't realize how much I needed that right now.
Mom was right. I should have reached out.
"You too," I whisper honestly, trying to keep the tears at bay that are threatening just from seeing him—them.
"Hey, it's good to see you," Leon says, slightly more subdued than his twin brother as he hands me my discarded books.
"Thank you."
I look between the two of them, noticing all the things that have changed since I last saw them in person. I keep up with them on Instagram and TikTok, sure, but nothing is quite like standing before the two of them.
Both of them are bigger than I ever remember, showing just how hard their coach is working them now they’re both first string for the Panthers. And if it's possible, they're both hotter than they were in high school, which is really saying something because they'd turn even the most confident of girls into quivering wrecks with one look back then. I can only imagine the kind of rep they have around here.
The sound of a door opening behind us and the shuffling of feet cuts off our little reunion.
"You in Professor Whitman's American lit class?" Luca asks, his eyes dropping from mine to the book in my hands.
"Yeah. Are you?"
"We are. Walk you to class?" A smirk appears on his lips that I remember all too well. A flutter of the butterflies he used to give me threaten to take flight as he watches me intently.
Luca was one of my best friends in high school, and I spent almost all our time together with the biggest crush on him. It seems that maybe the teenage girl inside me still thinks that he could be it for me.
"I'd love you to."
"Come on then, Princess," Leon says and my entire body jolts at hearing that pet name for me. He’s never called me that before and I really hope he’s not about to start now.
Clearly not noticing my reaction, he once again takes my books from me and threads his arm through mine as the pair of them lead me into the lecture hall.
I glance at both of them, a smile pulling at my lips and hope building inside me.
Maybe this was where I was meant to be this whole time.
Maybe Columbia and I were never meant to be.
More than a few heads turn our way as we climb the stairs to find some free seats. Mostly it's the females in the huge space and I can't help but inwardly laugh at their reaction.
I get it.
The Dunn twins are two of the Kings around here and I'm currently sandwiched between them. It's a place that nearly every female in this college, hell, this state, would kill to be in.
"Dude, shift the fuck over," Luca barks at another guy when he pulls to a stop a few rows from the back.
The guy who's got dark hair and even darker eyes immediately picks up his bag, books, and pen and moves over a space.
"This is Colt," Luca explains, nodding to the guy who's studying me with interest.
"Hey," I squeak, feeling a little intimidated.
"Hey." His low, deep voice licks over me. "Ow, what the fuck, man?" he barks, rubbing at the back of his head where Luca just slapped him.
"Letty's off-limits. Get your fucking eyes off her."
"Dude, I was just saying hi."
"Yeah, and we all know what that usually leads to," Leon growls behind me.
The three of us take our seats and just about manage to pull our books out before our professor begins explaining the syllabus for the semester.
"Sorry about the coffee," Luca whispers after a few minutes. "Here." He places a bottle of water on my desk. "I know it's not exactly a replacement, but it's the best I can do."
The reminder of the mess I left out in the hallway hits me.
"I should go and—"
"Chill," he says, placing his hand on my thigh. His touch instantly relaxes me as much as it sends a shock through my body. "I'll get you a replacement after class. Might even treat you to a cupcake."
I smile up at him, swooning at the fact he remembers my favorite treat.
Why did I ever think coming here was a bad idea?
2
Letty
My hand aches by the time Professor Whitman finishes talking. It feels like a lifetime ago that I spent this long taking notes.
"You okay?" Luca asks me with a laugh as I stretch out my fingers.
"Yeah, it's been a while."
"I'm sure these boys can assist you with that, beautiful," bursts from Colt's lips, earning him another slap to the head.
"Ignore him. He's been hit in the head with a ball one too many times," Leon says from beside me but I'm too enthralled with the way Luca is looking at me right now to reply.
Our friendship wasn't a conventional one back in high school. He was the star quarterback, and I wasn't a cheerleader or ever really that sporty. But we were paired up as lab partners during my first week at Rosewood High and we kinda never separated.
I watched as he took the team to new heights, as he met with college scouts, I even went to a few places with him so he didn't have to go alone.
He was the one who allowed me to cry on his shoulder as I struggled to come to terms with the loss of another who left a huge hole in my heart and he never, not once, overstepped the mark while I clung to him and soaked up his support.
I was also there while he hooked up with every member of the cheer squad along with any other girl who looked at him just so. Each one stung a little more than the last as my poor teenage heart was getting battered left, right, and center.
With each day, week, month that passed, I craved him more but he never, not once, looked at me that way.
I was even his prom date, yet he ended up spending the night with someone else.
It hurt, of course it did. But it wasn't his fault and I refuse to hold it against him.
Maybe I should have told him. Been honest with him about my feelings and what I wanted. But I was so terrified I'd lose my best friend that I never confessed, and I took that secret all the way to Columbia with me.
As I stare at him now, those familiar butterflies still set flight in my belly, but they're not as strong as I remember. I'm not sure if that's because my feelings for him have lessened over time, or if I'm just so numb and broken right now that I don't feel anything but pain.
It really could go either way.
I smile at him, so grateful to have run into him this morning.
He always knew when I needed him and even without knowing of my presence here, there he was like some guardian fucking angel.
If guardian angels had sexy dark bed hair, mesmerizing green eyes and a body built for sin then yeah, that's what he is.
I laugh to myself, yeah, maybe that irritating crush has gone nowhere.
"What have you got next?" Leon asks, dragging my attention away from his twin.