Chasing Gold

40| your safe place

I put my things away in my Axis Day Billabong backpack and I walked out of my aisle exiting the classroom. When I walked down the small steps of the Biology building I bumped into Inez. "Hey, stranger,"

"Hey," I smile.

"It's been quite a long time since I last saw you," Inez pauses as we walk through campus. "Are training after hours?"

I shake my head. "Practice runs late once in a while, but I've just been busy."

"I see," Inez replies. "I wanted to ask if you would want to hang out later tonight at your place, we can study for the Genetics exam and work on our assignment. I have a feeling that even though the subjects for this exam are easy, it will be much more complicated than what it seems."

"I would, I could use all of the help for this one as well. I visited Professor Evans during his office hours and I have a ninety on the class so far, I can't afford to fail this exam. Not with the final exam left."

"I feel like there's a but coming," Inez says and I give her the I'm sorry look.

"It is," I reply. "I'm going to have to take a rain check on the study session, I have plans with Ev tonight."

It wasn't a complete lie. I had plans with Ev but my night wasn't involving just Ev. Trust me, I wish it did. I had a race tonight. And for obvious reasons, I couldn't tell Inez about my other plans. Inez wasn't fond of the idea of me hanging out with Ev from the look on her face.

"You and Everest?" Inez asks. "Since when are you and Everest hanging out again?"

"Since we came back from Nebraska," I reply shortly. I knew that Inez felt like I owed her answers but the truth of the matter is that I don't. I didn't then when we were fucking around and I don't now.

"Connery, I know it's none of my business but how can you possibly trust her after what she did to your family?" Inez asks and I was starting to get annoyed by her hostile attitude.

"You're right Inez, it isn't," I reply. "I don't owe you any explanation for what I do or don't do. You don't have to trust her, I do. And just so you know, Conrad destroyed my family, not Ev. She just uncovered the truth about who he really was."

"This clearly has to be a sick joke," Inez huffs.

"Look I have to go, I'm picking up Emma for lunch before I head off to practice," I tell her as I begin to walk away. "I can meet you tomorrow at the library to study if you would still like to. Just text me to let me know and I'll be there."

My car wasn't parked that far away from the Biology building but since there were so many students on campus unless you got here at the break of dawn, you would never find a parking spot a few steps away from the building.

Emma was staying at the apartment my mom rented until she could find a house for herself with her. My mom tried to stay in the same house with Conrad until the trial was over but she couldn't bear spending another second in that house. Especially when she had to see his face every day. She was still going to be at trial like she promised she would be, but living with Conrad was too much for her.

Before driving off to the apartment building I texted Emma that I was on my way. Just like Ev, like every girl I know, my sister takes three hours to get her hair and makeup done. Add another two for choosing what clothes she was going to put on. I knew that she probably wasn't nearly done getting ready so I gave her a heads up so she could speed up the process.

[CONNERY]
Em I'm OMY

[EMMA]