Paper Walls (Excerpt)

Chapter Three

Leighton's lips were tingling. The faint taste of cigarettes lingered in her mouth and she tried not to think of Wesley's recent words. She felt lightheaded, a million thoughts and emotions pulsing through her.

"I think I should go," Cole said, running a hand through his hair. He got up from the picnic table and hastily shoved his things into his bag.

"Cole, wait," Leighton said, her voice cracking.

He slung his bag over his shoulder and looked at her almost longingly. "I can't," he barely whispered.

And then he was gone.

Leighton breezed into her dorm room, her heart still dancing wildly in her chest.

"Hey, did you get my texts?" Quinn asked, nearly startling her.

Leighton fumbled with her phone and frowned at the list of unopened messages on her lock screen. "I'm sorry. I was with Cole."

Quinn raised her eyebrows. "Oh, really?"

"We were just working on our psych project," Leighton said quickly, crossing the room to throw her bag onto her bunk.

"Wow, so the douche finally cooperated?"

Leighton couldn't help glaring at her. "Hey, you don't know him."

Quinn snickered. "What do you care? I thought you were pissed at him for flaking on you yesterday."

"I was. It doesn't matter. There are things you don't know. Things I don't know."

"Whatever," Quinn said with a sigh. "But I don't trust him. Just like I didn't trust Jared."

Leighton gritted her teeth. "I can assure you that Cole is not Jared." Saying his name out loud made her stomach hurt.

"I'm only trying to look out for you, Leighton. I don't get why you suddenly care so much about Cole. He obviously doesn't care about you."

"Then why did he kiss me?" Leighton blurted out, crossing her arms over her chest.

Quinn's jaw dropped. "What? You barely know him."

Leighton rolled her eyes. "So, I know Wesley too well and I don't know Cole well enough? What do I have to do to please you?"

Quinn pressed her lips together, and Leighton knew she was trying to hide her hurt. "So, um, I was texting you because Wes and I are gonna go off campus for lunch. I was seeing if you wanted to come with us, but..."

Whether it was justified or not, Leighton felt guilty for lashing out at Quinn. "Uh, yeah. Sure." Quinn walked to the door. "Wesley is waiting downstairs, so we better go."

At the mall, the three of them sat at a small table, their conversation scarce. Leighton had texted a casual invitation to Cole when they'd first arrived, and as she picked at her waffle fries, her phone finally chimed. She felt Wesley look up at her from across the table as she read Cole's delayed reply.

I told you I can't.

Then he added, I'm sorry.

Leighton deflated and shoved her phone back into her purse. The knot in her stomach tightened with the sting of his rejection once again. She regretted kissing him. How could she have been so foolish?

"Hey, I'm gonna go get a refill," Quinn said, shaking the ice in her empty paper cup.

Once Quinn had left them, Wesley crossed his arms on the table and leaned forward, lessening the space between them.