The Hookup Pact

19| Evelyn

I hated Atlas Griffin and I hated myself more for agreeing to his proposition.

What the hell was I thinking? That I could somehow change him like those doormat female leads from sappy romance novels? But then again, I was never looking for a relationship with him. I was using him as much as he was using me.

I didn't want to change him. I knew I couldn't and had no interest in trying. Still, I'd expected him to be at least a bit nicer. Which he was initially. Never once did I feel like he was disrespecting me in any way throughout our...whatever that was. But that night at the penthouse, everything that he said just triggered me more and more. To the point one moment I was talking to him and the next I saw my parents hurling names at me.

A part of me knew that I wasn't anything that they had said, that my mind was playing tricks on me but I couldn't help it. Years of work I had put into building myself from the bottom up went down the drain the moment he repeated those words. So I did the only thing I knew that would take me out of those thoughts and that situation. Run.

As much as I wanted to maintain a brave face in front of him and not break down, I lost control of the tears that welled up in my eyes. Looking back, I died a little on the inside every time I remembered how I almost cried like a baby in the foyer of his penthouse.

"Evelyn!"

I snapped out of my thoughts when I felt someone shake me by my shoulder. Blinking a few times, I turned in my seat to face Tyler who was looking at me with a frown. "The class is over. We can leave," he said.

I whipped my head around to see everyone leaving. "Sorry. I just... I'm out of it today," I said, packing my stuff.

Tyler's lips quirked into a small smile. "I noticed."

Once I was done, we both left the lecture hall and started walking toward the exit. Tyler shoved his hands in his pockets as we walked, a comfortable silence around us. That's what I loved about him. He brought the calm energy into my life that I needed most of the time.

"Is everything okay? You have been..." Tyler trailed off, pursing his lips as he thought about it. "Pretty distracted lately."

Let's be honest, I was a mess. Tyler was just trying to spare my feelings. Not only was I distracted most of the time, but I was also sad for no reason at all. And that just drove me crazy because it wasn't like I was in love with him or anything. But I had gotten used to his company and now I just felt like there was a void that wouldn't go away. I was back to being the sad and lonely high schooler again.

"I'm fine," I replied even when my brain was screaming to pour my heart out in front of him. I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of yet another person.

Tyler stared at me for a long while, saying nothing and just observing like I was some microbe he wanted to analyze. Just when I was about to start shuffling on my feet, he turned away. "Okay," he said, shrugging his shoulders and starting to walk again.

Again, I was grateful for him to not push me and just be there. We went to the cafe together to get coffee before we had to head our separate ways. Tyler came back to our table with our order and then placed a cupcake in front of me which I had definitely not ordered. He slid the white icing-topped delicacy toward me and sat down on the chair opposite mine like nothing happened.

I couldn't help but smile at his gesture to cheer me up. He won't talk much but would always do these little things whenever anyone from the team was struggling. "Thank you," I said and picked up the cupcake, bringing it to my lips. The icing melted on my tongue and I almost let out a satisfied groan. His trick worked.