“I . . .” My sentence dies out as I look between all three of them. Zoe frowns.

James raises an eyebrow. “You good?”

I find Damien’s eyes again, remembering the broken look they wore as he apologized for something unknown and the disturbing image of him in my dream. Taking a subconscious step back, I shake my head.

“Sorry,” I mumble.

The first bell rings, and I push through the crowd, my hands quickly finding the door to the girls’ room and flinging it open. My chest rises and falls rapidly, and I head straight for a stall, locking myself inside.

Closing the lid of the toilet, I sit on top of it, sliding my fingers into my hair. I’m overreacting. Mason is following a hunch. Despite how much I’m inclined to believe him, hunches can be wrong.

I hear the door to the bathroom swing open again, causing me to freeze, and I tuck my legs up on the toilet seat, not wanting anyone to know I’m in here. Looking to the floor, I see a pair of oxfords making their way across the tile.

“Allie?” Zoe calls, and I hold my breath. “You in here?”

Swallowing, I brace my hands against the cool sides of the stall, trying to remain upright.

She walks slowly, stopping in front of my closed door, and my heart constricts, sending a prayer up to the heavens that she’ll just go away and leave me alone.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but you don’t have to hide from me,” she says, her voice gentle.

It occurs to me then how strange I’m acting. Just yesterday, we were talking together at the coffee shop, and everything was fine. Now, even the thought of looking at her makes me apprehensive. I purse my lips, not daring to breathe.

She leans against the door. “I know it’s probably awkward to see Damien. But he’s not mad at you. None of us are.”

I don’t say anything, and she taps on the stall.

“Come on, you can’t hide in there all day,” she coaxes, and I stifle a groan.

Putting aside my pride, I step down from the seat and unlock the door. Zoe nearly falls backward as it opens. She assesses my appearance, reaching out to push some of my hair behind my shoulder.

“That’s better.”

I force my lips into a tiny smile, limbs wooden.

“Shall we go to class?”

The idea of seeing Mason right now knowing he witnessed what just happened doesn’t appeal to me. I need some time to recover from my embarrassment. “I don’t think I’m going to go.”

“Is something going on? You can talk to me about it.”

The second bell is about to ring, and I eye the door, not knowing what to say.