Red Shoes, Black Coffee (Red & Black #2)

15 | Travel bag

Ada

People are watching you. People are watching you. They can see everything.

I repeat it in my head like a mantra. It reminds me I need to keep my composure when all I want to do is bang my forehead against the wall and cry.

I slept for two hours last night. I was slowly starting to get over the whole burglary thing after a week. Now it's happening all over again and all the progress I've done flies out the window.

I glance at Levi. He notices me looking and stares back. Save money for apple pies, I tell him with my eyes, we're going to need a lot of them.

Next to me, Julie Ann places her hand on my shoulder and squeezes gently. Her smile looks forced. She knows about the nightmares. Yesterday night, Levi barged into her room and announced a pajama party. I think Julie Ann's roommate now hates us a little. She was starting her her classes early in the morning today. And the three of us haven't exactly been quiet.

And since I know what it means to function after a whole night of not sleeping, I can sympathize with her.

I suck in a deep breath, trapping it in my lungs for a moment. When I let it out slowly, the feeling of eyes upon me becomes too much. I relent and lift my gaze, peering through my lashes.

Jed's eyes are dark as he drills hole through my head silently. His face blank, revealing nothing. His voice deep and steady when his lips part and he speaks.

"A burglary?" He asks in a flat tone.

"Um..." Where are my gray cells when I need them? "Yeah."

Jed's eyes flash dangerously and his voice drops even lower. "Again?"

"Uh-uh." I do realize I must sound like an idiot but I can't help it. My mouth is no longer connected to my brain. "Seems like it."

"You mean the dorms at your school have already been burglarized once?"

"Just one room."

I don't bother telling him the room was mine. He doesn't need to know that.

"And you still live there?"

Emotion finally creeps into Jed's voice. It's filled with disbelief, incredulity, and dread. His eyes grow wide and his brows disappear behind the hair covering his forehead.

"Uh-"

Whatever smart comment was about to come out of my mouth is stopped by my phone ringing. I almost cry with relief at the distraction. I think I break a record digging it out of my pocket and answering it. Raising the phone to my ear, I cover the other one with my palm and inch away from the others.

"Hello?"

"Ada?" It's Colin. "Where are you? There's a meeting in the-"

"I know." I say before he can finish. "I'll be on the campus in a moment. I'm at Caffair right now."

"At Caffair? Is Levi with you?"

"Yes. And Julie Ann." I twist at the waist to glance over at them, watching me from their spots by the counter. "We were just leaving."

"Should I come get you?" He sounds worried. "I could be there in five minutes."

"No. I'm fine." I don't want him coming here and driving me to the campus. I know his intentions are good but I'm not a damsel in distress and can get there on my own.

"I'll be there in fifteen." I tell him.

"Fine." An audible exhale. "Come straight to the assembly hall."