Lucky For You

18 | Lucky & Beautiful

Chapter Eighteen: Lucky & Beautiful

"cant remember what we did last night.
kinda blurry but it all felt right,"
~ walker county

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    I was rolling my lanyard keys on my hand as I strolled on the pavement, turning the corner where my dorm building was.

   My headphones were playing Black Coffee by Madisyn Gifford, which made me chuckle under my breath, since I'd just returned from getting coffee with Cyrus.

   It's Thursday, so he asked if we could meet up after my exam to make a plan about heading back home together. But I finished my exams a week after him, so he'd be going alone next week while I just take the bus.

   I was crying inside, though. I hated bringing luggage into the bus.

   I scanned my card and opened the door moments later, yawning as I took my time making my way to my room. Time was slipping closer to seven at night, and all I wanted to do was sleep. It wasn't long until I was nearly dragging my feet on the carpeted floor, but after rounding the corner, I tensed up.

   In front of my door was Jared, who was about to knock on the door. But as if he sensed my presence, he tilted his head in my direction, his knuckles stopping from meeting the door.

   His hand dropped as he spun his body, fully facing me. I took slow steps toward him, not peering away from his tired gaze and messy hair.

   "Hey, Jay." My smile wobbled. "Your bruise is still looking intense." His left eye was still purple, but the outside of the mark was beginning to fade into a red, I noticed standing closer to him.

   "Yeah. I barely feel it anymore," he admitted hesitantly, his eyes roaming around my face.

   Feeling flustered, I dropped my focus to the small space between us, biting my cheek fat from the inside. It wasn't until I saw him holding a bag with his other hand, did I lift my head again.

   "What's that?" I asked pathetically, pointing to the bag without peering my gaze away from him.

    He smirked playfully as his hand rose. "Taco Bell, Lucky. You told me today was your first exam," he explained, shrugging loosely. "Think of it as an you're almost done reward."

   God, the one thing I love just as much as breakfast food was tacos. More specifically, Taco Bell.

    "You're in luck. I'm willing to eat with you," I teased before stepping to the side to unlock my front door. I heard him mumble something behind me, and I glimpsed over my shoulder. "What?"

   "Nothing," he almost chirped, his body jolting back tensely as he displayed a playful smile. "Open the door, Lucky. I'm hungry."

   I rolled my eyes and did as he told, but one more glance at his eye made my heart sink. I remembered what Liana told me two days back, and I hated even hearing her voice after all these years.

   "I'm tempted to go slower." Saying this, I began to slow my pace at twisting the lock, making him groan impatiently behind me.

   His chest was pressed against my back, but before I could focus on his body, his arm snaked around me and held the back of my hand before turning the key.

   I rolled my eyes and cracked the door open, but he didn't make an effort to move right away. My body craved to lean into him, but before the effort was made, a voice screamed from inside the room.