Read Online Carnelian by B. Kristin McMichael - Free Book Online

me.
    “He followed me to my class and asked me out
again,” I replied, watching the doorway as if Seth heard us.
    “But you told him you don’t date students
you tutor.” Sim was confused. I had already told her about my
meeting the day before.
    “He dropped me as a tutor,” I answered.
    Sim smiled as she understood. “Then no
problem, you can go out with him,” Sim answered. “Why are you
hiding here?”
    “I can’t, Sim,” I replied. “I dated a guy
back in high school. He was wonderful and I thought he was the guy
I would stay with forever. He was always busy and gone on trips
with his family, but I believed him. I thought he was telling me
the truth, but he was just lying to me. I can’t do that again. I
don’t want a guy that’s a player.”
    “Oh.” Sim patted my knee. “You have trust
issues.” I swatted her hand away. It was true, but I wasn’t about
to admit it. “Then just tell him you’re not interested.”
    “Tried that,” I answered. “He doesn’t seem
to understand. I doubt any girl has not been interested. Heck, if I
didn’t know I was going to be girl twenty-four, I might have said
yes already.”
    Sim looked at her phone quick and stood back
up.
    “Wish I could stay and help, but I’ve got to
go meet my lab partner,” Sim whispered. “My good-looking lab
partner. Not quite as hot as the puppy following you, but good
enough to meet on a Friday night.”
    I nodded. I really wanted to beg her to stay
and help me, but we weren’t that close yet. I couldn’t deny her
meeting up with her lab partner. Seth was my problem, and a problem
was the best way to describe him right about now.
    I waited in my room for another twenty
minutes and scavenged silently through all our snacks, nothing good
enough to be a meal. I checked several times, and he was still
sitting outside my door. The last time I checked, he even looked up
at the peephole and smiled. I was beginning to feel like Seth knew
I was in my room. When my stomach growled for the tenth time, I
just had to walk out the door and ignore him. It was the only plan
I had. Grabbing my keys and ID, I hurried out the door. It was nice
that the doors were self-locking, and I could just walk away. Seth
jumped up and followed me like a puppy, as Sim had called him.
    “Not even going to say hello?” Seth asked.
“Do you treat all your friends that way?” Seth teased and followed
close behind me.
    “I wasn’t under the impression that we were
friends,” I replied. My plan was to ignore him, but I failed at
that.
    “Ouch,” Seth answered. “Why can’t I be your
friend?”
    “You really want to be my friend?” I asked,
and he nodded. “Then stop asking me out.”
    “Fair enough,” Seth replied. I eyed him
suspiciously. “New friend, would you mind joining me for supper?”
he asked. I shook my head in disbelief. No way he was giving up
that easily after waiting for over an hour for me to leave my room,
but my growling stomach told me I had no choice but to play his
game, whatever it turned out to be.
    “Fine,” I replied and kept looking forward
rather than at the cute brown eyes.
    “You don’t have to sound excited,” he added
with a chuckle.
    He didn’t say anything more as we went into
the cafeteria and got our food. He hovered not too far behind me,
probably afraid I’d ditch him at the first chance I got. I would
have if I had the guts, but since he was offering to play nice,
then I would too. As we exited the food area into the seating area,
I stopped to look around for a free table. Seth stood beside me and
looked as well.
    “How about back there to the left?” he
suggested, indicating a small, round table that was completely
empty. I wasn’t thrilled to sit alone with him, but as girls
sitting around stared at me, I was sure I didn’t want to sit near
any of them either. I nodded to Seth and took off, weaving between
tables to get back there.
    As I passed a table of all girls, one in
particular was glaring