{18+ COMPLETED • COLLEGE ROMANCE}
When a college freshman with a learning disability and a reputation collides with a straight-A, straight-laced girl in the dorm kitchen one night, he sees the darkest parts of himself reflected in her. But the two o...
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M A D I E
October Twenty-Sixth
One
How do you know when something is real?
Is it enough to touch it, to hear it, to see it?
Or maybe you just have to feel it?
—
The words flew out before I could stop them. I could blame it on Beau's tequila, but I knew it was more than that. And shit, I wished I could blame it on wanting some kind of revenge on Quinton, but I knew it was more than that, too.
No, I'd thought for a split second that Bren was going to kiss me, and then he didn't. And I wanted to know why.
Bren's eyelids fluttered closed momentarily. When he opened them, the softness I usually saw there had hardened, glittering like moonstone in the night.
"Madie." His voice was strained and apologetic, and I braced myself to hear the stinging truth. But his response was simple. "Don't ask me that question."
"Why not?" I retorted, and this time I was sure that the alcohol was fueling my confidence.
He gave a quick shake of his head. "Come here."
Gently grasping my elbow, Bren led me back toward campus. I didn't argue, darting through the intersection behind him. The history building was within view, and Bren strode quickly toward it, pulling us beneath the awning to escape the chilling rain.
I leaned against the brick wall of McLaren Hall, feeling it prickle through my wet clothes. The rough surface caught on my hair, but it didn't matter. My hair was already tangled and plastered to my face. I was a mess.
Bren, on the other hand, somehow pulled off the rainy, wet look. His black hoodie was soaked through, clinging to his lightly muscled arms as he paced near the waterfall that rolled down from the roof.
"It's not that simple, Madie," he finally said without looking at me. He kicked at a puddle.
"How is it not that simple?" I pushed wet hair out of my eyes. "Would you or would you not kiss me?"
"I mean, it isn't as simple as pretending you don't have a boyfriend." In a quick movement, Bren shucked his hood down and ran a hand through his messy brown hair. "I've got demons of my own. I'm a disaster inside, Madie."
My brows furrowed. We were all a little disastrous, weren't we? "Your demons didn't get in the way of hooking up with Nessa." Maybe it was insensitive, but I didn't care at the moment.
Bren released a humorless laugh as he stalked toward me, leaning his hand on the brick above my right shoulder. Moisture clung to his thick lashes, darkening them to bring out the black flecks in his eyes. They pressed down against his cheeks for a moment.
