Tutoring the Bad Boy

Hiding in Plain Site

Emma

A yellow leaf floated by as I walked past the quad with Madison. As I inhaled the crisp air, the hairs on the back of my neck rose.

I skimmed over the crowd of college kids hanging out on the bright autumn day. I shook my head. He wasn't here.

Thank God.

"What? Do you see him?" Madison asked, as her hazel eyes gazed around.

The green grass hadn't faded yet, and I shook my head as I inhaled its sweet scent. "No. I'm sorry. I should have never told you about him."

She pressed her hand to my arm and stopped me. "Emma, I hope you never feel you can't tell me something. I know we've only been roommates for several weeks, but I like you. We're friends. I'm here for you."

Hot tears pricked my eyes. Damn it. I swore I would not cry, not this time. Not at Winter River University.

I shook off the tears and smiled. "Thank you. But it was just my overactive imagination. My dad always told me since I was an only child that I had to use my imagination to invent siblings to play with. Like when my friends were sick and couldn't come out to play." I giggled.

"You're lucky. I suspect imaginary siblings don't steal your good dresses and ruin them with cherry punch." Madison frowned.

I knew Madison didn't have much growing up and treated her belongings with care. I was lucky; it was just me and Dad, and he made enough money that I never had to worry.

"You really don't have to come to the library with me. I think I can make it across campus by myself." I shrugged, but deep down, I was thankful to have someone walk with me.

"Like I said, I'm here for you. I'd be fearful too, especially if I had an ex like yours."

I sighed. My ex-boyfriend, Mark, wasn't a good guy. Madison and I had talked about him this past weekend, and she told me I was attracted to bad boys.

Perhaps she was right, but not anymore. If dating a bad boy caused me to run to three different universities in just over a year, then I wouldn't date at all.

Being nineteen and on the run wasn't a fun life. A part of me was jealous of the kids in my dorm who went out to parties and strolled around campus, completely oblivious to the surrounding people.

Madison was the first friend I made who I felt I could trust since I started college. That was the only bright spot in my chaotic and stress-filled life.

Even my dad couldn't know where I was. He understood, but still, he missed me. We had tried going to the police after the last time Mark found me and I ended up in the hospital. Mark's dad was a government official, so the police did nothing.

That was when I realized I needed to leave for another state, somewhere Mark couldn't find me and where his father had no influence. I even got a burner phone to keep up my weekly talks with my dad.

He thought I was taking it too far, and maybe I was, but I'd rather be safe than dead.

"But you don't need to go to the library. It's Saturday; you should be sleeping in or going to the campus café like you do every day." I rolled my lips over my teeth, trying not to laugh.

Madison had a total coffee addiction. I liked coffee and drank it most mornings-especially during finals week-but Madison took it to a whole new level.

"I still plan to go to the café since it's just a few buildings over from the library. I'm just making sure you get to the library safely."

The sun hit her cascading black curls as she smiled. She was gorgeous, and I'd told her a few times she should be a model. She scoffed, saying that was for skinny girls.