His Favorite Student

lights. His stomach sank. He'd wanted to believe she'd leaked the photo. A reason to despise her and blame he

two at a time. His cot was already damp from the light drizzle. He

e she was expecting a ghost. Wh

r eyes were wide open with

uld," he said, his voic

em. Leah walked ahead, curling her hands around herself. Th

em on the table closel

ay? Anyone suspicious h

." She paused. "It was

the room but nothing

o send this to me

e me now?" Her

omeone wants us

like her knees could barely hold her. Julian

t do this," she whispered. "And I didn't

dmitted. "It would'

silence and awkwardness, the rain now tapping agai

want to b

d at her, "t

beneath her eyes, the rise and fall of her chest. Th

re this out

on the edge of her armchair while Leah

at the time. "I should let you get some slee

and uncertain. Then she said, barely

door every few minutes. The way she kept checking her ph

breath. He moved towards the

dded b

ulled off his coat and draped it ov

illow," she offere

rt brushing her thighs, her long hair tied up messily. She wasn't the girl from

ed blanket, handing them to him silentl

u," he sa

tated. "

ing me," h

d smile, then turned b

own the hall. Listened for

sat down on the couch, lea

orning light pouring through the crack in her curtains, the blanket tangled around her

ograph, the message. And Julian, sleeping on her couc

from sleep, sleeves pushed up. He looked completely ou

ke coffee," she said,

faintly. "You were tossing and turning a

. "Sorry. I didn't

aid gently. "I cou

it, letting the warmth seep into her fin

ou think it's over? That... whoev

. If anything, I think thi

her spine. "Why us?

the honesty in his voice was

uld be someone from school. A student. A st

"You said you di

she snappe

en shadow. She hated this. Hated being afraid in her own space. But then Julian di

"I'm not going anywher

e buzzed on the counter. She picked it up with expecting a text from Ava or another

eyes widened as he took the phone and read the message in

ian faces Leah and says, "Pack

lia

re tactic anymore. They knew I stayed over. They're watchi

r pulse pounded in her ears. He calms do

nd moving

stunned. "You... y

e figure this out. My place has security. Doormen. Cameras.

n, we

I don't care. I can't

her wanted to go. But she barely

ag you deeper into

you're not

ly. "What about p

he said. "We don't h

n them. And then she

ka

ut here whil