Shame (Ruin #3)(49)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken

“Yeah.” Tristan tucked my hair behind my ear and kissed my cheek. “I think I’ll type in the word girlfriend and slap it onto your face. That way, there’s no confusion.”

“Better put whose girlfriend.”

“That’s easy…” He hugged me tighter. “Mine.”

“Yours.” I smiled again. “I like the sound of that.”

“Yeah, that makes two of us.”

I fell asleep after that, unable to keep my eyes open any longer. The next morning we barely had time to scarf down breakfast before Tristan drove me back to campus.

He gave me a hungry kiss before ushering me out of the car; both of us had meetings, though mine I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be having.

“So…” Jack’s voice nearly had me tripping over my own feet as I reached my dorm. I turned around and squinted against the sun. “Is it just me, or is our professor taking a really special interest in you?”

“It’s you.” I rolled my eyes. “I have to grab a few things. Why are you so early all the time?”

“Part of my charm.” He grinned. “Can I come up with you? Sorry, I just really have a headache, and the damn Seattle sun is killing my eyes. Promise I won’t make a sound. I just want to lie on your couch and forget the fact that I actually don’t need my umbrella today.”

I hesitated for a minute then realized I was being rude. “Um, sure.”

“Awesome.”

We walked in silence up the stairs and into my room. I pointed to the couch and dropped my keys onto the table. Jack went over and made himself at home, punching the throw pillow and closing his eyes like he really didn’t feel well.

“Do you need ibuprofen or anything?”

“Is it laced with opiates?”

“Um, no.”

“Then I’m good.” Jack flashed me a smile and closed his eyes.

“Okay, well, I’m just going to hop into the shower really quick, and then I’ll be ready.”

He lifted his hand into the air, waving me off. “Take your time.”

I grabbed my bathrobe and ran into the bathroom. It was weird that he was in my room, but I tried not to overthink it. He’d been nothing but nice and protective, and it was totally wrong for me to assume that he was anything but a good guy.

I showered, dressed, brushed my teeth, ran my hands through my messy hair, put on a baseball cap, and managed to swipe on some mascara — all within fifteen minutes.

“Lisa?” Jack’s muffled voice came from the main room.

I shut my bedroom door and ran out. “What’s up?”

Jack was completely white, like he’d seen a ghost. “I’m not trying to freak you out more, and I’m pretty thankful I’m here right now, all things considering, but I think you should look at this.” He held up a newspaper clipping. Angry red markings had been scribbled across it: Your fault!

I read the caption, “Young man jumps off bridge, falls to his death.”

Feeling sick, I took a step back and covered my mouth so I wouldn’t puke all over the place. My stomach dropped to my knees.

“Hey, hey,” Jack came around and draped his arm over my shoulders then guided me to the couch. “Sit down, it’s okay. It’s going to be fine.”

“Where…” I croaked. “Where was that?”

“Taped to the inside of your door.”

“Inside of my door?”

“Yeah.” Jack nodded. “I didn’t notice it until I looked up from my nap. Whoever put it there…” His voice trailed off.

“I have to move.” I shook my head. “I mean, my place has been broken into, the hate mail… I have to move.”

“Probably not the worst idea I’ve heard all day.” Jack gave an innocent and semi goofy shrug. “You want to go report it?”

“No.” I put my hand on his. “No, that’s fine. I’ll take care of it.” More like, I’d have Gabe take care of it. I was going to give it to him — all the threats, all the notes. I was sick of dealing with it. All of it. I was finally happy, and I deserved to be happy. Tristan had taught me that.

Jack gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Then, at least let me buy you a coffee while we go over the project. I promise we don’t have to get all crazy with our plans, but let’s get out of here, because it’s kind of creeping me out.”

I nodded my head a few times before getting up. When I did, Jack put a protective arm around me and led me to the door.

“I would say to lock it but—” He shrugged. “—a lot of good it’s been doing you.”

“That’s reassuring.”

“Just saying.”

By the time we made it down to the coffee shop, I was in a better mood, probably because Jack had somehow managed to turn my fear into hysterics with his crazy stories and antics. I felt guilty all over again for being so suspicious. Especially after he’d bought me another coffee and made me eat a pastry.

“So…” said Jack, pulling out his notebook. “…we’re supposed to find case studies. The prof, you know the one you’ve been riding in that car with…”

I rolled my eyes.

“…he gave us about a billion different links to stories. We just have to click on the emotion and boom, pick out five.”

“Do you have your computer?” I asked.

“No.” He shrugged. “I left it at my place, but I can always stop by tonight and go over them with you. It will seriously only take us like ten minutes or so.”

“Okay.” I took a sip of coffee. “That’s fine, but make it around five, because I think I may have plans.”

Jack grinned. “Would these plans start with a P?”

“Huh?”

“Never mind.” He saluted me. “Five it is. Now run along to class. We both know how the professor gives good grades to those who are early.”

“Right.” I laughed along with him and grabbed my stuff.

I took the usual route to class, stopping at my mailbox since I had around twenty minutes before I needed to be there. I braced myself for impact and shuddered when I had one piece of mail.

It wasn’t addressed to Lisa.

It was addressed to Melanie Faye.

I swallowed the fear in my throat and closed my eyes. Tristan had said to take control. With a grimace, I opened the envelope and pulled out a slip of paper. All it said was. Ding-ding… your time is up.