Untimely Love (Book 3)

♤Chapter 33♤

Wanted to change some stuff in this chapter but I didn't feel like postponing so I apologize for the mess that this is.

Same time next week.

♤♠♤

♤ARIANA♤

A few hours earlier

I hadn't planned to visit NYU the following Friday after my eighteenth birthday.

Actually, I did. Only because it was the only time that worked for me before the school year ended. It wasn't deliberate, was what I meant—I hadn't chosen this way because Thion wanted me to. Technically, he wanted me to visit next month but I was doing it this month.

Plus, I hadn't told him I'd be visiting campus. The only people who knew were my mom and dad (because I was staying with him for the weekend). He'd missed work to come get me in PA Thursday morning. The bus or Lyft was an option; I'd brought it up but I'm pretty sure that was what made him decide to get me himself. Overprotective dad and all.

I convinced him to go to work today instead of coming to NYU with me for the tour. He'd already taken time off to get me and we'd ended up spending the day roaming the city. It took a lot for him to agree to let me go on the tour alone, but when I told him I wasn't the only person on the tour he damn near folded. It was kind of a lie at first—I hadn't been sure if I would be the only person on the tour—but thankfully, I ended up being right.

The group of us—five potential students, plus some of their parents and guardians—had been getting a tour of the dorms when I heard it. Heard him.

It was something out of a horror movie. Goosebumps rose on my arms and my heart raced uncontrollably as I stared at the ground with my face hot as hell itself.

"Ariana Blackwood," Thion said in that laid-back, terrifyingly knowing tone of his. Like he'd been waiting for me.

The air around my body practically stifled me with each step that took him closer. Was I being overdramatic? Possibly.

Thion greeted our tour guide, cutting her off as the girl realized he'd been addressing someone from the group of kids who weren't even enrolled. All I could think was, of course, he knew her. Thion was the kind of guy who peaked in high school and college. And will possibly continue to do so throughout his life. The guy was destined for greatness. People took a liking to him, simple as that.

The tour guide looked between the two of us once she and Thion's brief hug ended. Everyone else in the group did the same. My face got even hotter and I hugged my torso tightly, eyes wandering.

"You," the guide said hesitantly, "you know each other?"

"Not really-"

"She's my woman."

I glared at Thion, ignoring the way a few of the potential students looked at me. As if they were trying to picture his statement. A dad's eyebrows straight up flew to his hairline at the words. It didn't help that Thion could pass for a college senior and I wasn't even out of high school yet. Either he didn't give a damn (more likely) or he lost every lick of sense God gave him.

Thion grinned. Oh, he knew how badly I wanted to cuss him out.

I turned to the tour guide again, laughing awkwardly. "Can we ignore him?"

Nathion stopped right in front of me, a smile on his lips. "You're hurting me," he whispered gruffly.

"You're embarrassing me," I replied in the same tone. My smile was more sarcastic, though.