Beth noticed my mood immediately. “What’s wrong, Nina?”
“Nothing. Why?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light. It was hard to seem casual when my chest felt ful of concrete.
“Nina?”
I let out a sigh of relief. “Jared!” I said, grabbing onto his coat and hugging him. I was too relieved to care how ridiculous I looked.
He wrapped his arms around me without hesitation. “What is it?” he whispered into my ear.
“What’s going on with you, Nigh?” Kim asked.
I buried my face in Jared’s chest, and I was glad when he hugged me tighter.
“Nina,” he whispered in my ear again. “Did something happen?”
I peeked over to Beth and Kim, who watched me with confused frowns. I tried to smooth my face before looking at them. “I’l meet you guys at The Ratty, okay?”
“Are you sure?” Beth asked, staring suspiciously at Jared.
“I’l be right there,” I smiled.
My friends reluctantly left me behind, and I buried my face in Jared’s chest once again, tightening my arms around him.
“Nina, please tel me,” he pleaded. “You’ve been freaking out al morning.”
“I’m sorry.”
He pul ed up my chin and scanned my face for a clue. He sighed in frustration when I didn’t speak. “Nina, I need to know.”
“I was afraid you wouldn’t come.” I looked down to my boots; I couldn’t look him in the eye while sounding so pathetic.
Jared took my face in his hands and kissed me tenderly. “I wil never leave you again. Not like that.”
“Not like what?” I asked, concerned there might be more behind his words.
“I won’t make that mistake again. I’m yours for as long as you’l have me.”
“You promise?”
Jared smiled. “I love you more than I could ever promise.”
I rested my cheek against his chest and closed my eyes, indescribably happy. The euphoria faded when I realized I would have to make it through lunch and another class before I would see him again.
“Nina?”
“I’m never going to get used to that, you know,” I said, frowning.
“Get used to what?”
“You sensing how I’m feeling. It’s….” I trailed off, wrinkling my nose.
Jared chuckled. “Weird?”
I looked at him sheepishly and shrugged. “Why don’t you come to lunch with me?”
“Here?”
“You can’t go to class with me, but you can come to lunch. It would help.”
“Help with what?” he asked, stil stumped.
“With the….” I hesitated. Being honest meant casting blame in his direction, which I had no desire to do.
“Anxiety,” Jared finished for me. As I predicted, he was visibly upset that I felt that way.
“I don’t mean that it’s your fault, I just meant....”
He held out his hand. “Come on.”
I felt the corners of my mouth turn up, and I let his warm hand surround mine as we walked into The Ratty. Every face at the table seating my friends seemed to look over at us in unison as we walked to the buffet.
“They’re just curious.” I said as we walked through the line. Jared simply nodded.
“Everything al right, Nigh?” Beth asked once we were seated.
“Everything is great,” I said.
“You didn’t look so great when we left you,” Kim said. Her eyes narrowed in Jared’s direction for a moment, and then returned back to me.
Jared seemed amused by my friends’ incredulous expressions.
I picked up the spoon from my tray and muttered under my breath; I’d meant to grab a fork. Before I could get up, Jared sat a fork on my tray. I looked up to thank him, but before I could form the words, Ryan puffed a disgusted laugh.
“Is he going to feed you, too?” Ryan said.
“Shut up,” I sneered. If I hadn’t been so angry I might have feared for Ryan’s safety. Jared could have easily reached over the table and snapped his neck. He watched Ryan, but seemed outwardly unaffected.
“What are we doing this weekend, Ryan?” Josh asked.
“I don’t know,” Ryan answered. His eyes were focused on Jared, ful of hate.
Kim spoke, “I say we go to our regular spot. We’re making that place a ton of money. The geriatrics love the entertainment we’re providing.”
“You just like older men,” Josh teased.
“Only the ones that carry around a bottle of Viagra,” she said off-handedly. Everyone at the table paused for moment, waiting for her to crack a smile. When she didn’t, they continued discussing plans.
Ryan looked away from Jared after Kim’s comment, and she winked at me after the moment had passed. The girl was a genius.
“I’m in,” Tucker said.
Beth turned to face me. “Nina?”
“Oh,” I said, quickly glancing at Jared from the corner of my eye. “I don’t know what I’m doing, yet.”
“Come on!” Kim groaned.
“Why don’t you bring Jared? It’l be fun,” Beth chirped.
Ryan slowly turned to her with angry disbelief. Beth sank back in her chair.
Noticing Ryan’s reaction, Jared hugged me gently to him and smiled. “Sounds good to me. Do you want to go?” he asked, turning to me.
“Uh...sure.”
“Sweet!” Kim said with a mouth ful of food.
“Spring Break is in two weeks,” Carrie chimed in. “Lisa and I are going to Tahoe. Does anyone else want to go skiing?”
“That sounds amazing! Do you want to go?” Beth said, looking at Chad.
Chad shrugged. “I haven’t been skiing in a couple of years. How many spots do you have open?”
“My mom has a place there. We can al fit if you guys want to come,” Lisa said.
“How much fun is this going to be?” Beth clapped. “Do you want to go skiing, Nigh?” she asked, turning to me.
“I don’t know. I usual y go on vacation with my parents. I’m sure Cynthia has something planned, already,” I looked to Jared who nodded infinitesimal y, confirming my assumption.
“You can’t get out of it?” Kim asked.
I shook my head. “Not this year. I don’t want to make her go alone.” Kim and Beth nodded in understanding.
“I’ve gotta get back,” Ryan said, rising. He peered up at me a few times while gathering his things, and then walked away without saying goodbye.
Josh fol owed closely behind.
“What his problem?” Lisa asked.
Kim shrugged, but I caught her glance in my direction.
Jared walked me to my next class. I was glad that he decided to do that on his own; it saved me the humiliation of asking. Suddenly the task of sitting through the next hour was less daunting.
“I’l see you after class?” he asked, kissing my cheek.
“I’m sorry you had to come al the way here,” I said, leaning my cheek into his lips and closing my eyes.
“Nina,” he scanned my face, exasperated. His was the tone he used when I had misunderstood something he thought was obvious. “Don’t apologize. I was here, anyway. How would I protect you from the loft?”
“So…you just hang around campus every day?”
“Unless you leave. That is my job.”