One of the Boys ✔️

XXII

I didn't head into uni until it was a bit later in the afternoon. I'd been procrastinating all morning and I knew that if I was going to get any work done on this assignment, I couldn't stay in the apartment. On top of that, Kaidan had texted a time for me to meet him and it was coming up soon.

Closing my book, I rolled off my bed, grabbed my laptop in its case and headed out into the living room. Cam, having already finished his last class for the semester was reclining on the couch in front of the TV and he looked at me when I walked into the room. Seeing that I was ready to go, his face transformed from relaxed to tense in seconds.

"I still don't like that you're going," he said, and I knew that he had hoped I would change my mind.

I sighed. "I know. But you don't get to make that decision for me."

Cam dropped his head back onto the couch cushion. He hadn't changed out of his trackies and loose t-shirt, but he still managed to make it look damn good. "What time are you meeting him?"

I looked at my watch. "In about five minutes," I replied. "His class is finishing soon. We're going to grab some coffee."

Cam was flicking his fingers absentmindedly. Another tell that he really didn't like this situation. Meanwhile, I was playing with the zipper on my laptop case while he pondered his next words.

"What time will you be home?"

I chewed my lip as I thought. "I'm not sure. I was planning on staying in the cafe for a little while to finish this assignment."

Cam furrowed his brows. "When's it due?"

I shifted from foot to foot. "Tomorrow."

The corner of Cam's lip twitched and I could see the dimple on his cheek. "What have you been doing in your room this whole time?"

I didn't answer him at first.

"Blake?" Cam asked teasingly.

"Reading," I replied.

Cam's face broke out into a full-blown grin. "You're hopeless."

I swiped my keys off the counter and spun back to face him, my hair swishing around me with the movement. "Ah, yes, we both know I'm a lost cause. But you're stuck with me anyway."

I winked at him before closing the door on my way out.

The walk to campus felt both too short and too long. Kaidan's expression when he'd left last night was all that crossed my mind. What was that pleading look for? Was he apologising for what he'd done? Or did he want something else?

My phone buzzed the second a walked onto the campus.

Got delayed. Give me another five minutes?

I tucked it back in my pocket and made my way over to the Building M cafe, ordering a coffee to sip while I wait. You get different types of teachers on the last day of a unit; some of them are more than eager to get out of there while others are happy to just sit and yack and waste everyone's time. Clearly, Kaidan was stuck with the latter.

It only took a few minutes before I heard someone call my name from the doorway. I looked up to see Kaidan, and he looked a bit frazzled. He gave me a small smile before quickly placing his order at the counter and sitting down in the seat opposite me.

"Hey," he said breathily.

"Hey yourself," I replied.

Kaidan exhaled harshly and ran a hand through his hair. "About last night--"