Falling Helplessly

Chapter 12 | Your Fault

12

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ISABELLA

"Have you called Sierra to tell her you went on a date with Mr. bad guy turned good?" Addy asks over the phone.

"Yeah, I called her this morning. She was pretty surprised but happy for me."

When Miles dropped me off last night, I could tell he didn't want to leave. I didn't want him to either. But what on earth would we have done if we hung out longer? Played go fish? I don't think so.

I didn't want to rush things; the pace we took things last night was perfect. I never expected Miles to be so romantic and gentle, but he surprises me every day.

I pull my notebook closer. "Auscultatory gap is the brief absence of sound during blood pressure reading..." I write and reread the information until it's implanted in my memory. The chatter of Rosie's Café today is quieter than usual, which is nice because my usual place of study (the library) is ruined.

I jot down the next fact. "Usually disappears between first and second Korotkoff sound and is common in patients with hypertension."

"You go to Greenoak University?" an unfamiliar voice asks, breaking me from my thoughts. I look up and see a tall, red-headed guy beaming down at me.

"Yeah," I chuckle nervously. "I go to Greenoak, how did you know?"

He points to my bookbag, where a large pin engraved with the university's name sits. That was a dumb question.

"Oh, yeah." I shake my head in embarrassment. "Where do you go?"

"Greenoak also," he says. "I'm Lucas Humphrey." His hand extends, ready to shake mine.

"Isabella Gallagher." I smile, shaking it. He looks at the empty seat across from me like he wants to sit, so I offer.

"Do you want to sit?" I could use a new friend. I don't have many and he seems nice.

"I don't want to interrupt your studying."

"I've been studying for hours now, I could use a break." I shove my books aside, nodding my head to the empty seat. He smiles graciously before sitting.

"So Isabella, what's your major?"

"Well, nursing but hopefully specializing in ICU or ER." I hold up my books and he laughs. "What about you?"

"That's awesome and I'm a podiatrist."

"Foot doctor?" My eyes widen. "Brave soul, I'm not a foot person at all." I scrunch my face up at the thought of touching feet all day.

He laughs. "I don't mind, I'd rather deal with feet than tons of blood."

"I don't mind the blood." I shrug and bring my coffee cup to my mouth. I watch his eyes scan over the mess of books on the table. His muscular arms extend out and he picks one up.

"This doesn't look like a medical book," he nags, observing my copy of It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover. He flips through the pages, but I lean over and snag it from his hands before he can continue.

"It isn't a school book." I shove it into my bag.

His eyebrows raise with amusement. "You like to read?"

"Like? I love to read." I see his grimacing expression and groan. "Don't tell me you despise books..."

"It's not my preference but I don't hate it," he says, and I make a tsk-tsk sound. "I like other things."

"And what's that?"

He pauses, leaning in toward me. "Pretty girls like you."

My eyes widen, and I chuckle awkwardly. I lean back in my seat, distancing myself from him. I was not expecting that answer at all.

"Well then," I reply, not knowing what else to say.

He chuckles, clearly noticing my stunned reaction. Before he can say anything, the cushion sinks in beside me and someone snakes their arm around me.

"Hey, thought I'd find you here." I look right into Miles' eyes and heat creeps into my cheeks. He has a shit-eating grin on his face that makes me shift uncomfortably.

"Hey," I mumble, having trouble forming actual words.

"Well, I should get going, I have work," Lucas states, getting my attention. "It was very nice meeting you, Isabella."

"It was nice meeting you too, Lucas." I cast an 'I'm-sorry-it-ended-this-way' smile. He nods, indirectly accepting my apology as he pushes himself out of the booth. Miles hasn't taken his eyes off of him.

Before Lucas walks away, I see him cast a scowl at Miles. Did they just have a pissing contest?

I slowly turn back to Miles, who is already staring at me with a raised brow. "Hi," I mutter like an idiot, not knowing what to say or how he's going to react.

"Lucas Humphrey?" he says. I can sense the disgust in his voice. He knows him, of course, he does. For all I know, Lucas is probably a part of the friend group.

"Yes, that's his name."

He turns his body slightly inward so he can look at me better. People are staring at us, well more so at me because of his arm holding me.

"Why was he sitting with you? He's a dick."

"I didn't know he is a dick, he seemed nice to me."
"Well, looks can be deceiving."

"Remember, you used to be too," I remind him. I notice my comment strikes a nerve because he pulls his arm away.

"For your own sake, don't talk to him."

What the hell? I stare at him, appalled by what he's saying. "Are you telling me who I can and can't talk to?"

"I heard what he said to you Bell, and you didn't even stop him, you let him hit on you."

I scoff at the idiocy. "So it's my fault he hit on me and I didn't tell him to piss off?"

"You never had a problem telling me."

"Because I had a reason, Miles." His face falters. "So if I'm thinking clearly, I guess it was your fault last night when that waitress hit on you? We're not dating, Miles."

The anger in his eyes drifts away, only to be replaced by hurt. I blink, stunned by what I said. I didn't mean for it to sound so harsh; I was just trying to prove a point.

"You're right." He breathes. "I'll just leave you be then."

He stands abruptly, not waiting for a response, and marches out of the cafe. Everyone is looking at me, intrigued by what transpired.

I wish I knew because I'm just as confused.

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