Beg You to Trust Me (Lindon U #2)(17)

My new lunch partner is silent.

“You’re not eating.”

Her hand goes to the pizza, stalling on the garlic butter coated crust. God, why did I give that to her? The question becomes tenfold when she blurts, “I’m not supposed to take food from strangers.”

The deep laugh escapes me before I can cut it off. Her cheeks darken until the faded pink dusting her skin turns red. “Aw, babe, don’t look at me like that. I thought that was cute. Funny, even.”

She stiffens, something in her changing drastically. Her voice is suddenly sharp when she says, “Don’t call me that.”

I think about what I said before lifting my hands in surrender. “Fine. But seriously, why would I ruin a perfectly good piece of pizza? Anyway, it’s drinks you shouldn’t accept from strangers. Isn’t that like rule number one for college chicks?” Suddenly, her body jerks as she stares between me and the pizza. Why does she look so pale? “What? I’m not trying to be a creep, but it’s true. I heard the lectures given to people at orientation. Even heard that they started giving out rape whistles which is fucked up. Not fucked up that you have them, but that you’d need them.”

The choppy exhales from her make my eyes narrow. She’s freaking out. Why, I have no idea. What I do know is that she’s obviously reading too much into my rambling. Any smart person would know better than to do that with someone like me.

“I didn’t drug your food,” I grumble, feeling offended I even have to tell her that. Jaw ticking, I shake my head. “I didn’t even know anyone was going to bother me when I bought it. I’m not keen on giving away my lunch, especially after being run ragged on the field.”

My rough voice makes her wince.

Good. I hope she feels bad.

I’m not about to sit here trying to be nice while she acts like I’m out to get her. “You approached me,” I remind her. “What did you want to tell me? You said you had something to say, which should be good.”

Her eyes don’t lift from the pizza. I’m not used to girls avoiding eye contact. I should like that she’s different, but there’s something off about her. She’s too jumpy. Too accusatory in her silence.

“It’s…I…” Her jumbled words only make me impatient. Whatever she came here to say is stuck in her throat as she blows out a deep breath. “This isn’t easy for me, okay?”

All I do is blink.

“I think you—”

Just as she’s about to answer, my phone goes off on the table. When I see who’s calling, I bite back a groan and glance at Skylar. “Need to take this,” I mutter, not bothering to move as I lift the phone to my ear. “What’s up, Coach?”

“Letting everyone know a few people on the team will be sitting out for a couple weeks,” is his monotone response.

“Shit.” I don’t realize I say that out loud until he grunts in agreement. “This have to do with the tests you made us take? Is that why they’re being benched?”

Skylar sits up straighter, obviously eavesdropping. I don’t worry about it since there’s no way she’d guess what test I’m talking about. We’re in a college, so for all she knows I’m referring to one of my exams.

Coach Pearce sighs heavily, giving me the answer without confirming as much. “Not at liberty to say. I’m just letting you know that we’re going to need to adjust. Gonna need your help getting some of the second-string ready for the game next week. Think you can handle Bigby?”

William Bigby is one of the newer wide receivers on the team. He’s a damn good one, too, from what I’ve seen, so it shouldn’t be that difficult. Could be worse. “Got it, Coach. I take it I’m cleared to play?”

Another grunt. “Were you worried?”

“Nah. Always been picture perfect health. The guys don’t call me The Monk for nothing these days.”

He grumbles something unintelligible.

I shrug it off. “Anyway, same practice time?”

He confirms before disconnecting, making me drop the phone back on the table. When I meet Skylar’s gaze, there’s something different about it.

She’s studying me carefully. Not quite as intensely as I was doing to her. Softer, somehow, but still full of caution. There’s also a lot less nerves cloaking her otherwise doe-eyed expression.

When she stands abruptly gripping the strap of her bag hanging off her shoulder, I stare at her with a cocked expression. “You going to leave me hanging or what? What did you need to tell me that was so urgent you had to interrupt lunch?”

Dickish? Sure. But untrue? No.

Skylar shakes her head, brushing some of that thick hair behind her ear. “It’s nothing. Doesn’t matter anymore. Um, thanks for the pizza.”

Like always, she leaves me without a single look back as she speed-walks out of Reavers. My right eye twitches as I trail her retreating back until she’s out of sight.

I shake my head, grab the plate, and eat the rest of the slightly cold food while trying to figure out what the fuck just happened.

At least she didn’t bolt on me this time.

Though I could live without the hot and cold treatment from her.

I get distracted from my irritated thoughts by the single buzz from my phone, looking down and snorting over the message on the screen.