university | lrh

38 - i cant take it

Elise Halder
————

"Baby, please,"

I don't have a good reason to be mad, especially at Luke, but it doesn't change the fact that I am.

"Elise."

He sounds a bit aggravated now, and I really don't blame him. I'm being unreasonable, and I have been ever since his new instructional aid decided to make herself known.

Only I can't help it, because everything about that girl irks me in the worst way possible. I know the same probably goes for Luke, but I'm unabashedly upset and there's no stopping my sour mood. My legs move faster than my mind can comprehend as I try desperately to create as much length between myself and the building she was in.

I ran out the second class ended, with Cassie hot on my trail and a frustrated Luke scrambling to gather his things and run after us. In a fit of desperation I turn around sharply on my heel, coming nearly chest to chest with the man himself.

He looks worried, a bit panicked, even, but there's an overwhelming sense of irritation radiating from the way his eyes burn.

"What?" I huff.

"God, fuck," he runs a hand harshly through his hair. "Let me figure this out, alright? Before you—"

"Before I what?"

I don't miss the way his jaw tightens.

"Before you run away," he says lowly. "Like you are, right now."

I should stop, I should think rationally and stop looking for someone to place the blame on, but I'm too far in to change direction now. I'm irritated and I can't help but project it onto Luke.

"Okay, well," Cassie's voice interrupts me from quipping back, and I glance behind me to see her walking slowly backwards in discomfort. "As much as I love drama, I'd rather not witness this,"

"So..." She gives us each a thumbs up and a tight grin. "See ya at the dorm!" She spins around in the span of a second, walking briskly away from the tension I've undoubtedly created.

When I turn back to Luke he's still looking at me, and I begin to suspect he hadn't bothered to look anywhere else. "What am I supposed to do?" I frown. "Just smile and move on?"

"No," Luke lets out a breath. "You're supposed to trust me."

I furrow my brows in slight anger. "When did I say I didn't?"

Luke runs a frustrated hand down his face. "Elise, I know you're upset, but drop the attitude."

I groan and throw my hands at my sides, because he just doesn't get it. He doesn't get it, and I'm overreacting, and it's a horrible combination. So, I turn around once more to return to my fast paced steps toward my dorm building.

I hear Luke let out a groan of his own before he follows behind me, but he says nothing as we navigate up to my room.

At least, until we make it down the hallway closest to where my door sits.

"You're not going in there yet."

I whip my head around, eyes narrowed as Luke stands a few feet away with his arms crossed and his expression a mixture of too many different things. "Yes I am."

"No, you're not," his brow raises. "Come here."

I shake my head, too frustrated to think anything through. "No."