The Impact of You

Jase

I hadn’t expected to see Avery again, which is why the flash of auburn hair leaves me momentarily stunned. Seeing her in the daylight, I realize she’s even prettier than I first realized. But as quickly as I spot her, she’s gone – diving for cover behind a dumpster. “Avery?” I round the corner and see her couched down, knees drawn up to her chest.

Her eyes dart up and meet mine and she lets out a soft groan. She doesn’t say anything, just remains hunkered down next to the dumpster. I hold out my hand, offering to help.

Her gaze lifts from mine, searching for something in the distance before she takes my hand.

“Why are you hiding?”

“I wasn’t,” she says quickly.

I lift one eyebrow. I can feel her hand trembling in mine.

“Can you just get me out of here?” Her voice has a raspy, pleading quality to it that I can’t refuse.

“Where do you want to go?”

Her gaze darts behind me. “Anywhere but here.”

Sadness flickers in her eyes and instantly I know I’d gladly fuck up whoever had hurt her. “Come on. If we cut through there,” I point to a trail at the edge of campus, “my house isn’t far.”

She nods, and glances behind her once more before following me.

I have no idea what spooked her, but she’s pale and jittery, like she might dart away from me at any second. I’m not sure why, but I can’t let her do that. I reluctantly release her hand, but she keeps pace beside me. “Do you have a class right now?” I ask, needing to break the silence.

She shakes her head. “I’m done for the day.”

she’s done for the day?

reach the Delta Sig house, she hesitates at the front door before stepping inside. It’s trashed, as

weird – being in a frat house during the light

on,

room. There’s a random dude sleeping on the couch, and Avery

up to my room. Of course I don’t like the way their eyes travel over her sleek jean-clad hips, visually molesting her. “Come on.” I take her hand again, which has become a

her, resisting the urge to brush the strands of hair back from her shoulders. “I pretty

disagree that my house is disgusting. “Okay. But no

it, in which case

arm. “I won’t be starting anything, so don’t

upstairs, and I’m glad she can’t see the dumb-ass smile planted on my face. She’s not at all like other girls I hang out with, and I like that. We climb the three flights of stairs in silence and when I push open the creaky door to the attic, Avery

room is large and open, with dark plank-wood floors and beamed ceilings. It’s freezing in the winter and stifling hot in the summer, but

and clips from magazines. There’s a photo from last summer of me and my mom at the beach – before she went cuckoo for Cocoa-Puffs – and another of Trey and me having

mom. “You

over my eyelashes for some damn

rest of my room. “You make your

to every day growing up. It was the one chore I had to do, and my mom would freak

bites her lip, trying

on the floor. She sits on the edge of my bed, while I pull out the desk chair for myself. “So,

down and the terrified expression on her face is

Shit fuck.

up my hands in

her shoulders dissipating slightly as she

pull the chair closer to