Beth and Kim met me outside, eager to hear the story behind my bandaged hand. The prospect of enduring lunch and another class added to the stress of constructing a detailed lie of the night before had me nearly in tears. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I would go to meet him at the designated time and he wouldn’t be there.

Beth noticed my mood immediately. “What’s wrong, Nina?”

“Nothing. Why?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light. It was hard to seem casual when my chest felt full of concrete.

“Nina?”

I let out a sigh of relief. “Jared!” I said, grabbing onto his coat and hugging him. I was too relieved to care how ridiculous I looked.

He wrapped his arms around me without hesitation. “What is it?” he whispered into my ear.

“What’s going on with you, Nigh?” Kim asked.

I buried my face in Jared’s chest, and I was glad when he hugged me tighter.

“Nina,” he whispered in my ear again. “Did something happen?”

I peeked over to Beth and Kim, who watched me with confused frowns. I tried to smooth my face before looking at them. “I’ll meet you guys at The Ratty, okay?”

“Are you sure?” Beth asked, staring suspiciously at Jared.

“I’ll be right there,” I smiled.

My friends reluctantly left me behind, and I buried my face in Jared’s chest once again, tightening my arms around him.

“Nina, please tell me,” he pleaded. “You’ve been freaking out all morning.”

“I’m sorry.”

He pulled up my chin and scanned my face for a clue. He sighed in frustration when I didn’t speak. “Nina, I need to know.”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t come.” I looked down to my boots; I couldn’t look him in the eye while sounding so pathetic.

Jared took my face in his hands and kissed me tenderly. “I will never leave you again. Not like that.”

“Not like what?” I asked, concerned there might be more behind his words.

“I won’t make that mistake again. I’m yours for as long as you’ll have me.”

“You promise?”

Jared smiled. “I love you more than I could ever promise.”

I rested my cheek against his chest and closed my eyes, indescribably happy. The euphoria faded when I realized I would have to make it through lunch and another class before I would see him again.

“Nina?”

“I’m never going to get used to that, you know,” I said, frowning.

“Get used to what?”

“You sensing how I’m feeling. It’s….” I trailed off, wrinkling my nose.

Jared chuckled. “Weird?”

I looked at him sheepishly and shrugged. “Why don’t you come to lunch with me?”

“Here?”

“You can’t go to class with me, but you can come to lunch. It would help.”

“Help with what?” he asked, still stumped.