Heart-Bound ✅

Chapter Seventeen 🔥

By Friday of the following week, Tomie hadn't spoken to Georg once. There were no more group projects as they were instead preparing for their final exams in the upcoming weeks, but though they shared a few classes and labs they didn't stop to speak to each other. Tomie felt embarrassment every time she saw Georg, and it didn't help matters when he refused to look at her.

On Friday, Tomie was leaving campus early. Luckily she was with Maxie when it happened, as they both avoided their sorority house. Stacey had been married for a little over a month, but she was crying daily about her marital problems. It had gotten to the point where Stacey had moved back into Theta Lambda Xi's house and the sorority sisters were constantly on standby giving her comfort. It was positively exhausting, especially with finals coming up.

When Tomie saw Georg headed for his car, she grabbed Maxie's arm. "There he is!"

"Oh, that's your classmate who's the stripper, right?" Maxie asked her.

"You're parked close by, aren't you?! Let's follow him!"

Despite wanting to avoid Stacey's drama, Maxie was okay with this drama and they quickly followed Georg's car off-campus. As they followed at a careful distance, Maxie squinted at Georg's car and made a face. "Look at all that rust on the bumper! Why doesn't he get a new car?!"

Tomie idly shrugged. "He said he puts his money into school."

"Well, that's admirable of him."

They didn't travel far. Georg's apartment turned into a parking garage for what looked like an apartment building. "Go, go," Tomie implored her.

"I'm not paying for parking if I'm not staying," Maxie said defensively.

"Okay, okay, I'll get out here." Tomie unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for the door.

"Call me if you need anything," Maxie said.

"I will, but I'll probably get an Uber™️ back."

Tomie approached the front door of the apartment building. She tried the door handle but it was locked. To her left there was a line of buttons to buzz the different apartment. Tomie contemplated the panel when the door opened and a small family emerged. Tomie tried to look as casual as possible as she entered the building. When she reached the elevator, a new problem emerged.

I don't know which floor Georg's apartment is on.

Not knowing what else to do, Tomie took the door to the parking garage. Feeling like an utter fool was fast-walked along the cars looking for Georg's car. It wasn't on the first floor. She ran up to the second floor but didn't see it there either. She was relieved though to see a sign that encouraged tenants to park on the same floor as their apartment. She didn't see his car on the second floor, but when she reached the third floor she saw him across the way entering another door. Tomie's heart leapt into her throat and she ran after him, desperate to catch up to him before he entered his apartment. She wasn't about to knock on every door looking for his place. To her immense relief, when she opened the door into the hallway she saw Georg further down the hall. But...he was talking with a blonde-haired woman. A very beautiful blonde-haired woman.

Tomie stood frozen, her vision blurring as she watched them laugh together. Then they hugged each other, and her throat tightened. He has a girlfriend. No wonder he never gave me the time of day.

She was prepared to turn around and walk away, but as she started turning she exhaled sharply. The sound she made caught Georg's attention. "W—Tomie?!" he exclaimed.

In the moment she felt mortified being caught following him, especially in front of his girlfriend. But instead of fleeing and saving her embarrassment, she remained frozen where she stood.