Before Sunday

Thirty Four

7:47 AM

I haul ass down then large set of stairs, the hairs on the back of my neck are standing straight up which makes me wonder if Xavier has followed me. Thing is—no matter how badly he wants to talk to me, he won't risk disrupting and entire auditorium filled with curious minds to do so.

Rather than turn around and confirm that he's on my heels, I continue my power walk to the chairs at the front of the room, where I know I'll be especially safe from prying eyes affixed to one Xavier Morgan. I know it's my fault. All of it. I wished I never made the wish, but I would never have uttered those terrible words if X hadn't seen fit to kiss me thus prompting a series of events I wish I could forget. I told Xavier we were good, but I can't say I mean it because I'm not sure that's the truth anymore.

Without a sound, I slide into my seat and unbuckle the clasp on my messenger bag to remove my notebook and pens.

As professor Calhoun enters the room and begins his lecture without a moments hesitation, I absentmindedly chew on the end of my pen until the plastic is unrecognizable.

I zone in and out of some kind of dreamlike state, unable to stop thinking about Jax. If I close my eyes long enough, I can almost hear his voice, feel his fingers on my skin. This simple fact fills me with a burning desire to head back to the dorm, crawl under the covers and sleep for all of eternity if it means I can be with him again.

Two hours pass and I have retained nothing. Not one thing. The only thing I have to show for the final and perhaps most important lecture in this course is a sad attempt at a butterfly doodle scrawled across the lined pages of paper.

"Due one month from now," Calhoun says.

Wait. What? What is due one month from now?

I glance up at the whiteboard for more information but the only thing there is a due date scribbled in red marker.

"Assignment details will be uploaded to D2L later today."

Thank God.

"Good luck and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Any questions at all."

'Any questions at all' is a very encompassing statement. Why is the sky blue? Do dogs go to heaven? What is your theory on time and space travel? Have you seen my Sunday?

I want to ask him this but I don't. One, because he's an English professor and it's not a long shot to assume that the laws of physics wouldn't exactly be his strong point and two because I don't need anyone to question the last remaining shred of sanity I have managed to keep intact. Instead of seeking answers, I gather my things ready to attempt to make it through the rest of the day.

I head back up the stairs, staring at my feet until I collide with something solid. It's a familiar solid and it's attached to two, telltale, familiar shoes. Seems I constantly meet Xavier this way when I'm not up to seeing him.

"Mouse," he says. "I thought we were putting this behind us."

I look up. "We were. I mean, we are."

Are we?

Lola, you're such a liar.

"Then why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not."

"You're not?"

"No."

"Really cause you've been like god damned Houdini the last couple of days." He makes an exploding gesture with his hands. "Poof."