Chapter 8
For a split second, my brain melts into panic mode. It’s Mica and Brayden. They’re back and ready to out me as a double rule breaker and oh god what if we get caught once again and—
No. Hold on.
Whirling around, I quickly discover it’s not Mica and Brayden on the other side of the door. It’s Inessa.
And she’s clutching the brass tortoise.
I can physically feel my nervous system regulating as my pulse returns to a normal rhythm. “No way,” I whisper, excited. “You found it.”
But Inessa looks frozen with fear as she takes in William. “Is he—?”
“No, no. It’s fine.” I’m careful to keep my voice low. “He’s new. He won’t say anything.”
Relief washes the tension from her face. “Thank god. I got your text, by the way. I was hiding behind the couch in the common room for twenty minutes because I couldn’t get out in time.”
“Well, you need to go now,” I insist. “Because a few of the guys are on their way back and—”
But before I can finish my sentence, the door starts to open again. My reflexes kick in, pure instinct and adrenaline, and I slam it shut. I don’t let go, holding it in place.
“Hide,” I hiss.
Inessa does, already halfway toward the farthest row of lockers. Once she ducks out of sight, I let go of the knob.
Sumner loses his footing as he stumbles in. His presence is jarring. I was expecting Mica or Brayden.
“What the—?” He takes one look at me, his confusion souring. “You’re kidding.”
The pounding in my chest accelerates. This is my one opportunity to cause a diversion. I try to keep my face neutral, but I’m not sure I’m succeeding.
“It’s not what you think,” I say in a rush, then give William’s arm a lofty tug. “I’m here to deliver your roommate. He was…lost.”
I steal a sideways glance at William. He extends a regular, gloveless hand toward Sumner. “Pleasure to meet you.”
Sumner looks between us, mildly thrown, before accepting William’s formal gesture. “Hey,” he says. “Welcome.” Then he glances around. “Where’s your stuff?”
I drop my gaze to the floor as if suitcases will materialize from thin air.
William turns toward me. “Airline,” he says, sounding as though he’s presenting the correct answer to a pop quiz.
“They lost it,” I supply, for context.
Sumner’s hand flattens over the back of his neck. “That sucks.”
A frenzied patter races up my spine. “Hey! I have an idea!” I say way too enthusiastically. “Let’s go this way.”
I start nudging William toward the corridor behind Sumner, who takes a second to linger. His gaze shifts between us, like he’s trying to figure out if this is a trap. Which is ironic, since he’s currently unaware he has us cornered.
Sumner doesn’t move. I need to do something.
“Sorry,” I say with heavy sarcasm. “Were you hoping he’d spend the night in the locker room? The ambiance is unmatched.”
The suspicious sheen doesn’t leave his eyes, but he finally—finally!—follows us into the hall. The door swings closed behind him. An exhale loosens from deep within my chest.
“Well, uh. Thanks,” Sumner says. He’s wearing the same olive jacket and sweater, and I wonder if he just got back. “That was nice of you.”
“Miss Carmichael has been extraordinarily helpful,” William agrees.
Heat flushes up my neck and into my cheeks. “Delaney,” I correct, then add, “It’s no problem.”
Sumner nods my way, a nonverbal good night. I should get out of here before anything else can go wrong, but something stops me.
I catch Sumner’s eye. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
“Sure.” He waves William toward the stairwell. “Just up there and to the right. It’s room seventeen.”
“Thank you.” William reaches for Sumner’s hand, and I think he’s about to shake it again. Instead, he deposits an ungodly number of silver coins into his palm. “For your trouble.”
Sumner just stands there, palm open. But before he can protest, William moves toward the stairs. The thin carpet muffles the steps of his socked feet.
I watch Sumner release the change into his pocket. “Look, if this is about what we overheard—”
“It’s not.” Dread trickles down to my stomach. “Although that is a concern.”
“Yeah,” he says through a sigh.
“I just wanted to say, uh, go easy on him. William, I mean.”
Sumner tilts his head. “William?”
“Your roommate?” Hello, did he have an out-of-body experience that temporarily transcended him to another plane for the last five minutes? “He’s from a rural town in England. And I don’t think he has a phone. He might be Amish?” I shake my head. “So be nice.”
He frowns. “I’m always nice.”
“Questionable.” I fold my arms across my chest. “I think he’s a little, you know, culture shocked. Can you—I don’t know—help him out? Get him his student badge, all that?”
“Carmichael.” Signs of an oncoming smirk raise the edges of his lips. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing,” I say, but even I catch how defensive it sounds.
He waits. I fold.
“I— We—” I have no idea how to explain this. “I might have accidentally tackled him into the hedge earlier. We both went down pretty hard.”
“Let me get this straight.” His dark blue eyes glint. “In your first week back, you skipped class, were caught in Segner past curfew—twice, I might add—got punishment for the first time in your life, and tried to kill my roommate?” He grins wickedly, enjoying this. “I’ve got to say, I’m impressed.”
“It was an accident. He’s fine.”
“Clearly.” Sumner relents. “He made it here in one piece. Take your win.”
I nod and allow the pressure to release from my lungs like air from a deflating tire. After a good night’s rest William will bounce back, and I won’t have to add him to my current buffet of worries.
“Okay, then,” I say. “Night.” I start to walk away, then quickly turn back. “I was never here.”
Sumner only smirks, letting the door shut between us.
I don’t hesitate because I do not trust him. My feet carry me to the back door, which I fling open with such force it produces a jarring squeal. I’m halfway across the lawn before my eyes find Inessa sprinting toward Hyde, a joyous triumph in her quickening steps that morph into victory leaps.
Elation bursts through me. She did it.
And I cannot wait to see the pissed-off look on Sumner’s face when he realizes the trophy’s gone from right under his nose.