Ceaseless (15 page)

CHAPTER 14 

Pagan
             

           
   
I managed to wake up with my 
alarm clock
 this morning so 
I had time to
 make 
the quick stop to the 
coffee shop
. I would also be more awake during class. Miranda 
was still 
sleeping when I left. Her first class of the day wasn’t until eleven so this was her morning
 to sleep late
. Unfortunately
,
 I hadn’t been blessed with one of those on my schedule.

After spending Saturday morning with Dank
,
 I’d gone to the library and found the other books I need
 for
 
my 
Literature class. Then I’d called it an early night. Miranda had gone out with Nathan and not returned until seven on Sunday morning. I’d once again been woken up entirely too early for a weekend. She’d insisted we spend the day shopping for new underwear and shoes.

I’d texted back and forth with Dank some and he’d called once but
 
I hadn’t seen him. 
Not that he hadn’t tried.
 Miranda had just consumed my 
entire 
day Sunday. 
Then that night when she
had 
gone o
ut
 with Nathan again, Dank wasn’t around. At least I 
got
 to go
 
to bed early.

The line
 at the coffee shop
 was not moving very quick
ly
.
 I glanced down at my phone for the time
; 
I had fifteen minutes. The walk from here was about five so I should be good.

              
Finally
,
 the blond guy in front of me moved. He was holding two cups of coffee and smiling at me. I returned the smile and waited 
for 
him to actually walk away so I could step up and order my morning caffeine
,
 but the guy wasn’t budging. He held out one of the coffees to me. What was he doing? Sharing? 
Um, no thanks.
 I was picky about my latte.

              
“Caramel latte with 
whipped cream
. Just for you,” the happy 
stranger 
said. How had he known what I was going to order? And why did he order it for me? Was he a st
alker? Should I call the police?

              
“Next
,
 please,” the guy behind the counter said in an annoyed tone. We were holding up progress.

              
“Take it. The guy just made it. I can’t drink two of them.” The sincere kindness in his eyes sold me. Maybe he was just a lucky guesser. Or maybe I should really call the cops.

              
I took the cup from his hand and stepped out of the line. The girl behind me sighed loudly and mumbled, “Finally, Thank you.”

              
I took a sip of the coffee and realized it really was exactly how I liked it.  I should at least thank him and be polite. I’d think about the restraining order later. “Um, thanks for the coffee. Not sure how you knew what I wanted but thanks. I’m 
gonna
 be late for class so this helps out.”

              
“Can I walk you?” He asked moving with me as I made my way to the door.

              
“Uh, yeah, I guess. Do you go
 here?” I asked as he fell in step beside me.

              
He chuckled softly and the hairs on my arms stood up. Not a good sign. I stopped drinking my coffee. Something was off here.

            
  
“I’m just a local,” was his reply. A local serial killer whose clutches I may have just walked into. “I have to admit I took an educated guess with your coffee and got lucky. I was trying to impress you with my chivalry. It looks like I’ve sc
ared you instead. I didn’t mean
 to.”

              
He was observant. I’d give him that. Nodding I still didn’t take another drink of the latte. This entire situation was beginning to annoy me. I didn’t have a coffee I could safely drink and I was going to be late for class if this guy didn’t 
leave me alone
.

              
“I was curious. Do you have a boyfriend?” Well he was straightforward. I could lie and send him packing or I could answer honestly and run toward my building.

              
“Um, not that it is your business
,
 but no.” 
Now should I run?

              
“So, you and 
Dankmar
,
 I mean Dank Walker 
aren’t
 a thing?” Wait…. What? How did he know about Dank? Was he a fan? Maybe this was 
Dank’s
 stalker.

              
“Uh, no. I just met Dank Walker,” I replied stepping up my pace. The guy paused and I thought I was going to get away from him until I heard him jogging up beside me.

              
“You didn’t know him before college? Like in high school?” What was with this guy
’
s questions? Oh. Questions… he was one of those gossip magazine reporters. That had to be it. I didn’t realize Cold Soul was that big yet. I was being harassed by the paparazzi.

              
“Listen, I just met the guy. I know nothing about him. Leave me alone,” I snapped and shoved my coffee back at him before turning an
d
 breaking into a run to get across the street before the light turned. I’d have to tell Dank about this. Or 
Dankmar
… was that his real name?

              
“Whoa, Peggy Ann. Who 
ya
 r
unning from?” Gee asked stepping in front of me as I reached the Science building.

              
“Some whacko nosey guy. I’m thinking he was a gossip reporter. He was asking me about my 
relationship
 with Dank. Or 
Dankmar
,
 as he called him.”

              
Gee’s amused look vanished and she turned her head back toward the street I’d just 
crossed
.  A snarl appeared on her face. I glanced back and sure enough the guy was still standing there watching us
, b
oth hands holding a coffee cup.

              
“You know him
? Because he seriously 
creeped
 
me out.”

              
Gee shook her head, “Voodoo boy 
doesn’t 
know when to quit.”

              
“Voodoo boy?” I asked confused.

              
Gee turned her gaze back to me, “Nothing. 
Water under the 
bridge
 and shit.
 Come on, we actually have a class together. This will entertain me.
 Oh
,
 and here take this. It’s from lover boy.
” She s
hoved a backpack in my arms.

“What’s this?” I asked confused.

“You needed a laptop and Dank delivered. Come on,” Gee said 
and 
s
pun around in her black leather combat boots and stalked toward the building. I had to hurry to keep up.

I’d forgotten he’d mention
ed
 letting me use his other laptop. This would make my week so much easier. Mom still hadn’t gotten enough 
money
 to order
 
one
 for me
. I would be sure to thank him properly as soon as I saw him.

              
I’d been hoping to see Dank
 
this morning but there was no way we had more than two classes together. At least
 I had Gee in this one. Well… maybe that wasn’t a good thing. She might end up being more distracting than anything.

              
Gee had actually flirted with the professor. Heavily. As in made him blush bright red several times. The man stammered all over himself through most of the class. It was more entertaining than anything. I hadn’t learned one thing. At least he had given us some references and a website with this week
’
s assignments.

              
“I can’t believe you,” I said
,
 laughing as we
 walked to
 the dorm. I had th
ree hours before Calculus with Dank.

              
Gee shrugged, “What
?
 He was a cutie. 
The quiet nerdy kind.
 I like to fuck with their heads. Besides that shit is boring in there. I got better things to do.”

              
“If you want to pass this class then you had better pay more attention to what he is sayin
g than how to make him blush.” 
Although
,
 it was funny to watch.

              
“Subject change. 
The guy this morning.
 Stay away from him if you see him again.”

              
Did she know him? Her comment about ‘voodoo boy’ had bothered me but Gee was weird and said 
off the wall
 things. I’d blown it off. Now, I was concerned. “Is he dangerous?” I asked glancing back to see if we were being followed. Maybe that call to the cops wasn’t such a bad idea.

              
“He won’t hurt 
you. 
Trust
 me. Just avoid him. He’ll disappear soon enough.”

              
Must be 
paparazzi 
like I’d assumed. Cold Soul’s lead singer couldn’t hold their interest long. Not when they had 
movie stars
 behaving badly to chase down.

              
When 
we turned the corner and the front of our dorm came into view, I saw Dank 
leaning against his motorcycle 
with his arms crossed over hic chest talking to a couple of girls. He looked very 
uninterested
 and his eyes immediately found mine. He didn’t say anything to them as he straightened up and walked away from them toward me. 
That was the way I wanted a guy I was considering 
dating
 to act when 
he was being flirted with by other girls
. I couldn’t keep the silly smile off my face. 

              
“Looks like Romeo 
was
 waiting 
for 
you
r
 return.”

Dank

              
If 
my time
 was limited before Pagan’s soul began connect to Jay’s then I was going to make damn sure that she couldn’t get me out of her head. I’d spent all morning planning o
u
r evening. Now, I just had to get her to agree.

              
Gee muttered, “Pagan got some 
Bourbon street
 coffee this morning,” as she walked past me on her way to the dorm.

              
I didn’t need
 an explan
a
tion
. I had warned Leif but I was ready to put some action behind my warning. She didn’t remember him. His time with her was over. His staying around was only going to confuse her.

              
“Hey,” Pagan said in way of greeting. She had stopped in front of me. She didn’t look upset or scared. Whatever Leif said to her hadn’t made an impact. 
Ghede
 really needed to get his kid a hobby. Pagan was no longer available for his entertainment.

              
“Good morning. How was class?”

              
She shrugged then an amused smile broke out on her face, “Gee had the professor a blubbering nervous wreck with her flirting.”

              
Leave it to Gee to cause a stir wherever she went. “Is that so? I take it you enjoyed the show.”