The Angel of Olden Academy ✓

epilogue part two

EHREN

Knock. Knock. Knock.

I frowned suspiciously at the door. It was too late for someone to be stopping by to say good night, too late for any of the staff to come welcome me. (This was the small-town sort of inn where that kind of thing did happen.)

I opened the door carefully, half expecting some kind of burglar, and found instead a hesitant-looking Adam.

I opened the door the rest of the way. "Hey," I said, suddenly very aware of the fact that I was shirtless. He was dressed in matching flannel pajamas, of course he was, and rubbing his arms nervously.

"I, er, I can't sleep."

I stepped aside to let him in. "Can I—could I hold you?" I cursed myself mentally for sounding so stupidly hopeful. "Just until you're asleep?"

I watched Adam's heart break in his eyes. "Ehren," he whispered. "I wish you would hate me."

I shook my head.

"I deserve it," Adam said, his voice breaking. He wiped away a tear; I reached for him, and he backed away. "No. Don't comfort me. I hurt you! I—I—" He put his face in his hands, taking ragged breaths, and I could only watch as he tried to pull himself together. "What am I doing, Ehren? I'm so lonely. All I do anymore is miss you."

My breath hitched. "M-Me, too. I mean, I miss you, too."

He closed his eyes like the words hurt. "You were always better than me." I frowned, but he pressed on. "I know you don't believe it, but it's true. You do what you know is right. I ... I'm always so scared of hurting someone, or getting hurt, and ... I ruin everything."

"You're kind, Adam. You look out for others, and for yourself. That's not a flaw."

"I'm weak." He gave a dry, empty laugh. "You know—I left you because I thought you didn't love me anymore. I don't even remember why I thought it. All I know is that I gave up, and I've regretted it since."

I stared, shocked. "Why didn't you ever reach out? I would have forgiven you."

He squeezed his eyes shut again. "I know. You wouldn't have hesitated. And that—that's wrong, Ehren. You idolize me, and it's wrong. I'm not perfect. I'm only going to disappoint you."

"Adam ... " I said, taking his face in my hands. "Shut up. You're the kindest, strongest, most brilliant, beautiful person I've ever met. You're fucking angelic—pardon the pun—and you've built your entire life around helping people. It's not right that you should see the best in everyone but yourself."

He sniffled, wiping at his eyes with his sleeves. "I-I was supposed to come here and win you back with a speech. Not the other way around."

My heart skipped a beat in my chest. I dared to smile. "Are you saying I've won you back?"

He blushed, opened his mouth—

And then the desk phone gave a shrill ring.

With a reluctant sigh, I let my hands fall from Adam's face and went to answer it.

"Hello?"

"So sorry for the disturbance," said a woman's voice. She sounded ... off. Tired? No ... terrified. "There's been a breach of security. A man with a gun is in the hotel. Rest assured that the police are on their way, and—" I dropped the phone and spun towards Adam, but I was too late.

Ethan held him with a hand over his mouth and the butt of a gun pressed to his temple.

I froze, my mouth dry, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. Talk, I remembered. Keep him talking until the police arrive.