Campus Love (sequel) Malexmale

24

I hightailed out of school and back home like the speed of wind with one of those school newspapers on the passenger seat of my car. I burst through the front door, calling David's name as if someone was chasing me. My heart pounded as I ran my fingers through my hair frantically.

"David, are you home?!"

"Casper?" He called out to me from the top of the stairs, making his way down. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head, quickly walking up to him.

"Alright, calm down. What's wrong?" He was in a plain shirt and black sweatpants, his hair tousled from what I presumed to be a nap.

"Do you see this?" I held up my school paper, not needing to point at the damage that had been done. It was blown up across the front page. He stared at it, his eyebrows knitting together in a scowl. "This is us, David. At school, kissing, and read the title. Professor seen kissing university student. I had to read through the whole thing, much to my displeasure because they put that I only want you because you're popular and wealthy. I swear it's like nobody can accept we're just people who love each other."

He didn't say anything, which made me even more distraught. "Are you even listening?" I asked in a hushed voice, dropping my hand. "Is this even allowed? And who the hell took this picture? College is the last place I thought I'd be bullied..."

David turned around and walked away, and I gazed after him in surprise.

"David?" I called after him as he disappeared past the corner toward the kitchen. I swallowed, dropping my backpack and following him. He picked up a magazine from the kitchen counter and handed it to me.

"Page 11," was all he said, so I opened up to that same page to see the exact same picture, just smaller and with more written content next to it.

"What's happening?" I whispered, feeling tears come to my eyes.

"I couldn't read it. Dani was the one that saw it; she went out with a few of her friends earlier and..."

"Why would someone do this to us? This is my school, David. Students published this newspaper. God, how do I even go back there after this? What about your job; did they see it yet?"

"They can't fire me over this. They know where you and I stand, and I'm going to set this straight if I have to. We're gonna find out where these pictures came from and who took them, I promise. I told you that we'd never have to watch our backs because I love you. And I don't care what a few stupid magazines have to say about it." He held my free hand, squeezing them lovingly.

"We won't have to watch our backs," I repeated his words. Watch your back. It's what the note had said, and it made sense. When I saw David before his interview and kissed him, I remember turning around to see if anyone was behind me. And this picture was clearly taken from that exact angle--behind my back.

So it wasn't a prank. The person who took that picture wrote that note, I was sure of it. Funny, my mind went to Mr. Larsen, David and Danielle's father, but he was out of the country. And he wouldn't be caught dead at my school. Besides, as awful as this was, it seemed like child's play; immature. So who in the hell was doing this?

I closed the magazine. "Did Rowan tell you his address by any chance?"

"W-why do you need his address?"

"You said it yourself. He has the IQ of a genius. Do you have it?"

"Yes, I do. But, Cas, I said I'll take care of it. Please, you just came home. Grab something to eat or-"

"I don't have an appetite right now." I reached for my phone, pulling it out of my pocket and unlocking it. "Put in his address please."

"So you're just gonna drop everything and drive two hours to Boulder City and show up at his house, unannounced?"