I'll Take You Away From Him

Chapter 17

Stunned by the news, I truly feel happy and grateful that Will stopped me. Even though he said the fiancée is an ex, starting new relationships with a light heart is worth it when you've put a period on the old ones.

In fact, after that conversation, I get the feeling that the internal tension has melted away. And turns out, it was actually there.

I was afraid that, metaphorically speaking, holding hands with such a man wouldn't suffice. I was also scared of losing him because of it.

Now I understand that it's pointless.

You can't lose someone who doesn't feel anything for you. And even if they do feel something, then you won't lose them over such things.

We had a wonderful time together then actually, talking a lot as Will kept asking about me and my life. I share everything he's curious about, but still stay silent about my "fiancé" and the reason for the conflict with my mom.

And we also kiss passionately until my head spins.

We really get to know each other better, and I'm once again amazed at how perfect he is. It seems like people like that don't exist, but here he is, right in front of me, beside me.

It feels so easy and awesome with William that I'd gladly stay and not go anywhere, but time inexorably flows on. I need to go home, even if I don't want to.

Yet I understand that continuing to impose myself would be too much. And I need to talk to my mom.

Another big plus that settles warmly in my heart is that Will guessed I didn't have any clothes with me except for that pajama, so he ordered me a dress similar to the one I was wearing. He even guessed the size.

William knew that I was planning to go to my classes from his place, although I still don't know how, so he took care of the clothes so I wouldn't have to go home in a dirty torn dress in the morning. Then on late Sunday evening, when we headed into different rooms to sleep, he told me that in the morning he will take me wherever I need to go.

Happy, I fell asleep thinking that I would gladly spend every day like that. Just preferably sleeping in the same bed and not in separate rooms.

But I hope the next weekend we will spend differently, as Will will be free and nothing will hinder us from taking the next step.

“Don't look for trouble, okay?” he asked me on the way to university, keeping his eyes on the road. “If you figure out anything, like how your friend lost her phone or something suspicious happens, just write to me immediately. I'll likely be busy, so we'll see each other on the weekend. Until then, try not to do anything silly. After classes, go straight home, don't go anywhere. Understood?” He glances at me, and I obediently nod.

Of course, I'm not planning to rush anywhere anymore. It took just once to draw conclusions.

Stopping near the university, Will gives me a tender, long kiss before letting me go. Radiating happiness, I head to the entrance.

At that moment, it seems like all troubles have faded into the background, but the closer it gets to the end of the day, the more elusive that feeling becomes, as I will have to go home.

Yasmin arrives after the second class. I have been waiting for her with feverish impatience to share the news and ask what happened. We have a little time, so we go out for a break to talk calmly.

I let Yasmin go first, asking how it happened that she lost her phone.

“To be honest, I don’t understand, Aura,” she says with a confused look, staring off into the distance. “I didn’t drink much, you know me. The last thing I remember is feeling sick and going outside. I came to my senses in one of the rooms of the house where we were hosting a party. Well, at least I was alone. I just don’t get it.”

“And I think I get it,” I reply, then briefly recount how I received a message from her number and what happened after that.

With every word I say, my friend's eyes widen more, and shock freezes on her face.

“Do you think Mikey is capable of such a thing?” I ask, finishing my story.

Automatically glancing at the area near the university entrance, I notice him with a group of friends. And, as if sensing that I am looking at him, he turns around. His gaze feels like ice on my skin. Although the guy is quite far away, I still feel his sticky stare on me.

“I don’t know, to be honest, he doesn’t seem like the type to come up with such complicated schemes,” my friend expresses her opinion, which aligns with mine. “More likely he would have just cornered me somewhere right here and started to make a move. He’s too… primitive and hasty for such maneuvers.”

“Then who?” I frown.

“I don’t know. I can’t imagine who among our mutual acquaintances might have needed to drug me and lure you in, for God knows what purpose. There were a lot of people at the party, I don’t know all of them. And when I tried to reach my number, it was out of service. Well, at least it was. I restored it already, I was just working on it today and bought a new gadget, so I'm back in touch with my number.”

“Alright,” I sigh, “Will promised to try to find out who it could be, but anyway, we need to be careful.”

I glance at my phone. There’s no time to call now. I planned to write Will about everything I found out on the next break. Although, there’s not much to write. Just assumptions, no facts.

“It’s great that you met such a guy,” Yasmin smiles. “I told you that nothing in life happens for no reason!”

Laughing, we change the subject to something pleasant and leisurely walk back to the building. During the classes, I manage to distract myself, and I relay my conversation with my friend to Will, to which he replies shortly with "ok."

He seems busy, but I hope he texts me in the evening because I'm already terribly missing him. And after classes, I start to think about how to get home.

I still had some small change, but I might have to borrow from my friend because I won’t have enough for the next day, and I also need to fuel the bike.

Of course, Yasmin doesn’t refuse me, lending me an amount that should last me until the end of the week. After exiting the building, we walk slowly and discuss the lectures.

When we pass by the parking lot, a massive vehicle catches my attention that definitely wasn't here before.

The moment I reflexively turn my head in its direction, the window lowers, and I turn away in fright, quickening my step.