We arrive at college in time for first classes. I drop into my seat beside Lottie in history.
“Hey,” She greets. Her bobbed hair is styled in loose waves and is it me or is she wearing make-up today?
“You look nice. Hot date after college or something?” I ask her, waggling my eyebrows.
Lottie giggles nervously, and she chews on the inside of her mouth. Her dark brown eyes hold me captive. “Can we talk after class? There’s something I need to tell you.”
I nod as I pull my I-pad out of my bag. “Of course. Everything okay, though?” I ask her, wondering if I should be worried.
“Oh, yeah, I’m fine.” She reassures me with a smile.
When class ends, we walk to the library and find a quiet corner. Lottie seems nervous about something. I sit down opposite her and lean my head on my hands, waiting for her to speak. She fiddles with her nails and her brown eyes are full of uncertainty.
“I’m seeing someone and I really like him,” she confesses. “He makes me laugh and when we’re together we have so much fun.”
I immediately relax. Is this all she needed to tell me?
“Lottie, that’s amazing. Who is he? Does he go here?”
Her smile waivers. “No, he doesn’t go here. He goes to the community college,” she pauses, “okay, here goes nothing. You do know him. It’s Andrews.”
My smile falters. Did I just hear her right?
“Andrews. Andrews, as in the Andrews who Grayson hates?”
Lottie eyes me warily. “Yes, that one. And he’s told me all about what happened with him and Emily, and he hates how he treated her. I know if he could take it all back he would.”
I sigh, leaning back in my chair. “How?”
Lottie shakes her head, smiling. “You know the coffee shop I work at?”
I nod.
“Well, he would come in every Saturday on his way to work and order a coffee and we kind of just got chatting and I don’t know when, but I started to look forward to seeing him every day. One morning when I served him he asked me if I’d like to meet up outside of work and I said yes. We met up and he took me playing crazy golf. We had a great time, and we laughed a lot,” Lottie says. “I know you don’t like him, but he’s changed. He treats me like gold, Everly, I swear.”
I nod, processing the news. “You really like him?” I ask, and I wince at the surprise in my tone of voice.
She nods profusely. “I really like him and I have hated keeping it from you, but I knew how you felt about him, so I thought it better to keep it quiet.” She reaches across the table and grabs my hand in both of hers. “Please don’t hate me.”
I scoff. “Lottie, I could never hate you. I just hope you’re not making a mistake.”
“I don’t want to hide him any more. We’re together and I don’t want to have to sneak around worrying that we might bump into someone.”
This was not the news I was expecting today. Lottie had it bad for Andrews. The guy who got my boyfriend’s sister pregnant and then he turned his back on her. I want to believe he has changed, but can someone really change that much?
I offer her a half-smile. “It’s your life, Lottie. If you say that he makes you happy, then who am I to try to tell you not to be with him. Just promise me you’ll be careful?”
She bobs her head in reply. “I will. I promise. I feel so much better now that you know.”
Now I can understand why she has been so secretive and coy about all the times she was texting on her phone. Maybe the guy has changed. Lottie seemed happy, and that is all that mattered and if, god forbid, he shits on her, then I’ll just have to be there for her and help her pick up the pieces of her broken heart.
“Come on. Lets find the others they’re probably in the common room,” I suggest, and Lottie links arms with me as we exit the library.
When we get to the common room, the place is fairly busy. My gang is over in their usual corner. Grayson is over by the pool table with the boys. I decide to say a quick hello to him before I sit with my friends. He smiles when he sees me walking his way, his eyes eating me up from my feet to my head.
“Hey Manchester.” He pulls me into his side and kisses my forehead. “Want to watch me beast Owen at pool?”
Owen scoffs from where he is taking his shot on the other side of the table. “You’re dreaming St. Clair.”
My phone pings in my pocket, and I pull it out and see a message from Tyler.
“Who’s Tyler?” Grayson asks, seeing his name on my phone screen.
I shrug. “Just a guy from home. He’s having a birthday party soon, and he wants me to go.”
Grayson's forehead drops into a deep frown. “This the same guy who tried to kiss you?” He asks me quietly so that no one else can hear.
I nod. “He’s just a friend, I promise.”
Grayson nods, still frowning. “Well, if he’s just a friend, he won’t mind me coming to the party with you.”
I look up at him, surprised. “You’d come?”
He nods, looking down at me. “I told you I want to go to Manchester sometime and see where you grew up.”
I chew on my lip. I do want Grayson to see where I lived, but him and Tyler breathing the same air could be dangerous. “We’ll see. I don’t think my dad will let me go anyway with the exams so near.” I sigh and rest my head on his arm. “What about you? How are things with your dad?”
Grayson sighs, looking weary. “He’s a
