Read Online Behind Closed Doors by Ashelyn Drake - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ashelyn Drake
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with mine. Why did I have to go up to him that day at the pub? Why did I push him in the men’s room when I could’ve let it end there? Why did I let Noelle drive me to McEntire’s to find him last night? There were so many times I could’ve backed off, ended it, but I didn’t. And now I have to face the consequences.
“I’ll talk to him with you. I won’t leave your side.” Noelle gets up and hugs me for the millionth time since I got home last night. I don’t know what I’d do without her.
We walk to class , and I can already feel the eyes on me. Noelle says I’m being ridiculous, that no one is looking at me, but it doesn’t feel that way. We take our usual seats, and I wait for Monahan to walk in. He’s alone. My chest tightens as I imagine the conversation Monahan must have had with Darren and the disgrace Darren must feel having followed in his father’s footsteps. All I can think is that I did this to him. Maybe I hadn’t meant to, hadn’t known, but I’m still responsible.
I can’t bear to sit in class and listen to Monahan. I grab my bag and give Noelle a look. She nods, knowing I can’t stomach a lecture on art history right now. She squeezes my hand before I turn and walk out of class. I head straight to Monahan’s office, thinking Darren might be cleaning his things out before leaving Timberland for good. But the office is empty. I text Darren, but get no reply. The only other place I can think to look is at his house. It’s way too early for his shift at the pub. I head back to Andy’s dorm to beg him to either drive me to Darren’s or let me borrow his car.
Andy opens his door wearing nothing but a towel. “Hey, Julia.” He looks around, most likely for Noelle. “Aren’t you supposed to be in class right now?”
“I think Darren got fired. I need to find him.”
“You want to borrow my car, right?”
I nod. “Or if you don’t want me to drive it, maybe you could—”
He holds his hand up and grabs his keys from the table by his bed. “Take it, but promise me you won’t drive like a crazy person. I’d like it—and you—back in one piece. Noelle will kill me if you get hurt in my car.”
I smile. “She’s really lucky to have you.” I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes. Darren was supposed to be my Andy. I can’t bear to think it’s over between us. “Thanks for this,” I add as Andy hands me the keys.
I race down the stairs, not able to wait for the elevator. I need to find Darren. I need to fix this. If I can.
The roads are empty, so I speed the entire way to Darren’s apartment. I pull into his driveway, but I already know he isn’t home because his car is gone. Still, I knock on the door. Tears stream down my cheeks every second that my knock goes unanswered. I sit down on his front steps and cry for hours.
Red-eyed, I finally get myself up and head back to the dorm. I text Andy, but he’s in class and tells me to hang on to the keys until later. I head to my room, taking the elevator because I barely have the strength to move my feet anymore.
“Hey,” Mindy says, stopping the elevator door from closing.
I look around and realize I’m at my floor. I hadn’t even noticed.
“You okay?” Mindy reaches for me and helps me off the elevator like I’m a lost child. Maybe I am. I feel lost without knowing what’s going to happen to Darren. To us.
I shake my head and sob.
Mindy pulls me in for a hug and pats my back. “Come on. I can afford to miss one class. Come to my room and tell me what’s wrong.” She leads me to her door and opens it for me.
I hesitate. I can’t tell her the reason I’m falling apart. It might get Darren into even more trouble.
Mindy looks around at the students in the hallway. “Julia, I think I know what’s going on, and I don’t think we should talk about it out here. Come inside.”
How many people know about Darren and me? I
“I’ll talk to him with you. I won’t leave your side.” Noelle gets up and hugs me for the millionth time since I got home last night. I don’t know what I’d do without her.
We walk to class , and I can already feel the eyes on me. Noelle says I’m being ridiculous, that no one is looking at me, but it doesn’t feel that way. We take our usual seats, and I wait for Monahan to walk in. He’s alone. My chest tightens as I imagine the conversation Monahan must have had with Darren and the disgrace Darren must feel having followed in his father’s footsteps. All I can think is that I did this to him. Maybe I hadn’t meant to, hadn’t known, but I’m still responsible.
I can’t bear to sit in class and listen to Monahan. I grab my bag and give Noelle a look. She nods, knowing I can’t stomach a lecture on art history right now. She squeezes my hand before I turn and walk out of class. I head straight to Monahan’s office, thinking Darren might be cleaning his things out before leaving Timberland for good. But the office is empty. I text Darren, but get no reply. The only other place I can think to look is at his house. It’s way too early for his shift at the pub. I head back to Andy’s dorm to beg him to either drive me to Darren’s or let me borrow his car.
Andy opens his door wearing nothing but a towel. “Hey, Julia.” He looks around, most likely for Noelle. “Aren’t you supposed to be in class right now?”
“I think Darren got fired. I need to find him.”
“You want to borrow my car, right?”
I nod. “Or if you don’t want me to drive it, maybe you could—”
He holds his hand up and grabs his keys from the table by his bed. “Take it, but promise me you won’t drive like a crazy person. I’d like it—and you—back in one piece. Noelle will kill me if you get hurt in my car.”
I smile. “She’s really lucky to have you.” I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes. Darren was supposed to be my Andy. I can’t bear to think it’s over between us. “Thanks for this,” I add as Andy hands me the keys.
I race down the stairs, not able to wait for the elevator. I need to find Darren. I need to fix this. If I can.
The roads are empty, so I speed the entire way to Darren’s apartment. I pull into his driveway, but I already know he isn’t home because his car is gone. Still, I knock on the door. Tears stream down my cheeks every second that my knock goes unanswered. I sit down on his front steps and cry for hours.
Red-eyed, I finally get myself up and head back to the dorm. I text Andy, but he’s in class and tells me to hang on to the keys until later. I head to my room, taking the elevator because I barely have the strength to move my feet anymore.
“Hey,” Mindy says, stopping the elevator door from closing.
I look around and realize I’m at my floor. I hadn’t even noticed.
“You okay?” Mindy reaches for me and helps me off the elevator like I’m a lost child. Maybe I am. I feel lost without knowing what’s going to happen to Darren. To us.
I shake my head and sob.
Mindy pulls me in for a hug and pats my back. “Come on. I can afford to miss one class. Come to my room and tell me what’s wrong.” She leads me to her door and opens it for me.
I hesitate. I can’t tell her the reason I’m falling apart. It might get Darren into even more trouble.
Mindy looks around at the students in the hallway. “Julia, I think I know what’s going on, and I don’t think we should talk about it out here. Come inside.”
How many people know about Darren and me? I
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