Page 42 of Return Policy
My mind wanders to one of those guys actually finding my sketchbook.
What if they look inside it?
OH MY GOD.
What if Elijah finds it and looks inside?
I suck in a sharp breath, bolting up so fast I almost fall off the bed. “Fuck, fuck, fuckedy fuck!”
“Sophia, babe?” Sage snaps to get my attention. “You’re spiraling again.”
“Fuck!” I shout, pulling my knees to my chest. “Sage, I’ve drawnhim…multiple times.” Since I started tutoring Elijah, I get distracted when doodling and once I snap back to reality—there he is. All brooding, with sharp jawlines, that crooked grin, and tousled hair. I drag my hands across my face. “He’s going to think I’m a stalker.”
Even this past week, all the time I spentnottalking to him, I was drawing his gorgeous face. That’s how I’ve been getting him out of my system. When I wanted to reply, I’d draw him instead. I was already feeling weird after my call with Jake. Then Tuesday morning, I woke up with a bombarding amount of texts from Seth, and it all just reminded me why I don’t want to be in a relationship. They’re fucking messy.
People get hurt, people hurt you, and some people don’t listen no matter how much you beg.
I added distance between me and Elijah because I have no interest in a repeat of that crippling heartache just for some guy.
But over this past week, I’ve slowly realized Elijah isn’t justsomeguy. I’ve barely slept in days, battling myself over responding to his messages. He’s not even my boyfriend, and I’ve missed him so badly even my fictional boyfriends can’t distract me. His gaze was burning into me during world history and at the end, I ran out like a scared little shit.
The last drawing I did was Elijah in class, smiling as he looked at something in the distance.
Fuck.
There goes my persona of indifference.
Sage gives me a knowing smile. “Okay, we’ll circle back to that revelation later… But it’ll turn up, take my word for it. And if Elijah is one of the good ones, which I think he might be, he won’t look inside.” I groan again, and she throws her arms around my shoulders. “Am I ever wrong?”
I rest my chin on my knee, turning my face to her. “No.”
“And I won’t be today either. Now text Loverboy and see if he’s made any progress.”
“Loverboy? Seriously?” I say with a choked laugh. “We’re justfriends.”
The word is spoiled milk on my tongue.
“Mm-hmm.” She purses her lips and mockingly nods at me. “Friends who can’t stop eye fucking each other. You know what, I have a better nickname anyway: Honey Dick.”
“Sage!” I squeal, throwing the closest object I can find, which, luckily for her, is one of my stuffed koalas. She ducks out of the way, and it flies past her, knocking a water bottle off my dresser. “Never say that again.” I grab my phone off my bed, pulling up my text thread with Elijah.
HONEY BEE
Me
Any luck?
Honey Bee
Maybe, I’ll let you know soon
I scoop up the lace scraps from the floor, tossing them back in my underwear drawer. My phone buzzes, and I open it to see a picture of my sketchbook next to Elijah’s smiling face.
Damn if those dimples don’t do something to my insides.
“Thank sweet baby Jesus!” I shout, texting him back the same phrase.
“What?” Sage asks, whipping her head around from the pile of clothes she’s folding on the floor.
