Something Gained (USC Series Book #1)

chapter twenty-two

SOMETHING GAINED
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BROOKLYNN

Look, I'm not one to threaten violence. I prefer going for the easier route: talking it out. But when Professor Rosen comes into the picture, those intentions fly out the window.

Just the mere sound of his voice makes me want to punch him. Like who the hell assigns an exam a day before you have to take it and then lecture almost all the students when they come close to failing.

I'm so annoyed with his antics that I'm surprised that there aren't giant footprints left behind me after every step I take.

The campus is somewhat quiet. It's almost the end of the day for most people and the weather has seemed to be chillier as we approach winter, so I'm shocked by the few people that are having picnics in the quad.

"Brooklynn!" I hear my name being called from behind me. I stop walking and find Tyson and Malachi walking towards me. Well, Malachi is walking and Tyson is jogging, flailing his arms in the air.

As they come near, I can already feel the gazes of lingering students glued to me. I don't know how Aidan and his friends deal with this attention all the time.

"Just the person I was looking for," Tyson says once he reaches me and stops.

"Really?" I raise an eyebrow at him curiously.

Enthusiastically, he nods. "Uh-huh. In fact, someone else is also looking for you."

My eyebrow remains cocked upward. "Oh, and who might that be?"

"Aidan," Tyson tells me with a smirk.

Really? Aidan needs my help?

We have barely spoken since Sandy and Danny happened, as I'm referring to it. Considering that he had dressed as Danny and he told me he was on a mission to find his Sandy, I felt the name was fitting.

Anyway, it's been a week and a half since Sandy and Danny. We have only spoken once, and that was to work on our project some more. I had brought nothing about the kiss up and he made no effort to either. And frankly, it was awkward.

I sure hope he wasn't regretting it because I sure as hell wasn't.

Even though at that moment, it was a terrible decision, and it did potentially ruin things in our friendship; I don't regret it. It had been the best kiss I had experienced in my whole life.

"Why?" I ask suspiciously. I'm hoping this isn't some kind of setup.

Tyson shrugs. "Who knows?"

Slowly, I nod along.

He stares at me for a moment and then continues his way up the path. I am left standing in the middle of the cobblestone path with Malachi, staring at Tyson's retreating back, confusedly.

"Does he think we are following him?" I whisper as if Tyson can still hear me from a few feet away.

Malachi looks away from Tyson and stares at me blankly. "Y'know, I've learnt it's better not to ask any questions about him."

"Huh. I think I might need to learn that."

Seeing as Tyson is almost halfway across campus and assumes that Malachi and I are following him, I travel across campus to catch up to him.

Aidan's house is off-campus but isn't too far away—about a five-minute walk—so in no time, I'm presuming, Tyson is surely back at his house and disappeared inside whilst I'm still left wandering through the cold weather. Malachi is trailing closely behind me, paying not a lick of attention to me, however.