Days of Revelations (Night of Secrets #2)

Chapter 23 - The First Letter

Adeline

No one's bothered me ever since the guys started walking me to and from my classes. But then again, it feels like the guys don't really need to walk with me at all. Dean's at least a few yards away from me at all times, caught up with his own friends. I don't look at him in case he somehow reads desire in that, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't look at me either. Same goes for Faye unless I'm with Jax. That's the only time she approaches me, but she'll only ever address Jax like I'm not even there.

The one person I do interact with a lot is Cyril. He says hi and waves at me in the hallways. Sometimes he'll even stop me for a conversation despite one of the guys being with me at all times. Their reactions vary. Jax flat-out glares. Aart gives Cyril a contemplative look. Santos stares at him blankly. And Ty rolls his eyes no matter what Cyril says. Through it all, Cyril acts like he doesn't notice. He focuses on me, smiling, laughing, and talking.

"Cyril's... something..." Jax says, walking me to the library for my free period.

I laugh. "That's an improvement to how you usually refer to him."

He gives me an amused look. "And how do I usually refer to him?"

"'Bastard,' 'asshole, 'asshat,' 'fucking spineless, worthless piece of shit.'"

Jax smiles at me. "Have I ever told you I really like it when you curse?"

I side-eye him. "That's really weird, Jax."

His smile broadens as we pause outside the library. "Well, I do like it when you curse. It shows you're feeling something because you only ever really curse when you're upset." I guess that makes sense in a Jax-sort-of way. "But just because I'm not cursing when I mention Cyril doesn't mean I think any better of him."

I nod. "I didn't think so."

He studies me, those sweet brown eyes of his darkening ever so slightly. "Do you think any better of him?"

I adjust my backpack, looking down. "I'm still cautious if that's what you're asking."

But a part of me definitely still wants to trust him. To think that he's being sincere when he's nice to me. That he cares about me... Then I hear Jax's voice in my head telling me that it may not be the case. And that brings me back to the last three years, proving him right. Then my mood goes down without fail.

I haven't said this to anyone, though. Ty and Santos would make some joke about it and tell me I'm stupid—lovingly of course. Aart would tell me I'm having these doubts for a reason and I should trust that intuition. Mira would listen and try to sympathize and understand but ultimately tell me it's probably for the best I keep my doubts in mind. And Jax... Jax would listen and sympathize, too, but he wouldn't get why I'm so desperate for these thoughts to be wrong. None of them would. So it's better to keep this to myself until I can really figure it out.

"None of them have done anything, right?" Jax asks.

I shake my head. "No. Cyril's only talked to me about school and life whenever he sees me in the hallways. Dean hasn't looked at me. And the only time Faye is anywhere near me is when I'm with you." I pull on my sleeves. "So—"

"We're not gonna stop walking with you just because they haven't done anything recently."

I sigh, letting the sleeves hang past my hands. "But aren't you tired from having to run everywhere all the time to get me to class and then get to your own class?"

Jax shakes his head. "No. You did it for me when I had a concussion. And I feel better knowing that you're okay and that you feel safe."

"But—"