CHAPTER 5 - COLLECTING WHAT'S MINE

(Adeline’s POV)

I stared blankly at the whiteboard, trying to follow the professor’s ramblings on abnormal behavior theories, but my brain had officially checked out the moment I stepped into class.

My leg bounced under the desk, hands nervously clutching my pen as I scribbled useless notes that made no sense.

Stay calm. Focus, Adeline. Focus.

But it was impossible.

My heart wouldn’t stop racing, and every few seconds, flashes of last night slammed into my head like waves. Travis’s lips, his touch, his damn smirk that could set any sane girl on fire. It was a mess. I was a mess.

I squeezed my eyes shut. Get it together, Adeline.

The worst part? My phone kept vibrating every now and then in my bag. I didn’t have to look to know who it was.

The unknown number that popped up just an hour ago, right before class started, was enough proof.

Travis.

I hadn’t replied, hadn’t even dared to open the chat, afraid that if I saw his words again, my cheeks would catch fire right there in the middle of class.

I wasn’t stupid—I knew Travis wouldn’t just leave it alone. Not after last night.

And sure enough, my phone buzzed again.

Ignore it. You’re alive. That’s enough, I chanted in my head.

My class was over, and I couldn't even lift my body. Just moving my legs felt so heavy.

I could only sit there, breathing heavily, as if walking out that door meant meeting my end.

Then, I saw the classroom door open, my pen slipping from my fingers as Juan walked in.

He looked like hell.

Disheveled hair, half-buttoned shirt, a deep scowl planted across his face. My heart nearly stopped when his eyes locked on mine. Oh God.

I straightened my back, trying to look normal. Innocent. Like the good little sister he thought I was.

Juan walked straight to me, leaning over my desk, his voice a harsh whisper.

“Did you get home last night?”

My throat tightened. “Y-yeah… yeah, of course.”

“Travis said he dropped you off.”

That lying bastard.

I swallowed the panic and forced a smile. “Uh-huh, yeah… I wasn’t feeling well, so he called a car and dropped me off at home.”

Juan narrowed his eyes, studying me, as if my face would betray the truth.

“You didn’t text me.”

“You didn’t text me either,” I shot back quickly, before I could overthink it.

His jaw clenched. “My phone was dead.”

Or you were too busy having your own one-night stand, I thought bitterly.

“Did he… did anything weird happen?” Juan’s voice dipped lower, cautious.

I blinked fast. “Nope. Totally fine. Dropped me off. I went to bed. Nothing happened.”

Nothing happened.

I was already burning in hell for lying; what was one more?

Juan seemed to let it go, muttering something about needing coffee before trudging to the back of the class. I sucked in a sharp breath and exhaled shakily.

Survived. Barely.

After class, I packed up quickly, desperate to get out and clear my head. I needed normalcy, and thankfully, I’d already promised my friend I’d hang out today.

“Where are you going?” my friend Jasmine asked, appearing beside me. She wore a cap and oversized hoodie, already half-prepared for our outing.

“Out with you, remember?” I forced a grin.

She frowned, linking arms with me as we walked out of class.

“You don’t look like someone ready to go out. You look like someone who just got hit by a truck.”

More like hit by a Travis, I wanted to say.

I shrugged. “Something… big happened.”

Jasmine raised her brows dramatically.

“Spill. Now,” she demanded.

I shook my head quickly. “Later. We have plans today, right?”

She pouted. “You better not back out. You promised you’d help me get those stupid prints for my project.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m not backing out.”

We were just about to reach the campus gate when another girl from our year, Madeline, rushed up to me, waving her hand.

“Adeline!”

Jasmine and I both turned.

Madeline jogged to a stop, panting.

“Hey… there’s a guy outside, said he’s looking for you. Tall… really tall… hot… BIG… kinda scary looking.”

My stomach dropped.

No.

No, no, no, please not him.

“Who?” Jasmine asked curiously.

Madeline pointed toward the front gate. “Out front, leaning against a car.”

My hands felt clammy, and Jasmine’s stare turned suspicious immediately.

“You know who it is, don’t you?”

I licked my dry lips. “I… I’ll go check.”

Dragging my feet forward, I prayed it was anyone but him.

I swear. If it really is Travis, I'll...

Damn it! What am I going to do when I turn into a stupid donkey in a second?

Adeline, you're really done for. It seems like God doesn't love me at all.

The moment I turned the corner, my prayers went unanswered.

Leaning casually against his sleek black car, looking like trouble wrapped in confidence, was Travis.

One hand tucked into his pocket, the other scrolling lazily through his phone. Dark sunglasses perched on his nose, shirt rolled at the sleeves, every inch of him radiating that cocky, dangerous energy I stupidly remembered far too well from last night.

I stopped dead in my tracks.

“What… the hell…” I whispered under my breath.

As if sensing my presence, Travis lifted his head, lips curling into a slow, knowing grin. He pushed off the car, pocketed his phone, and walked toward me like a predator closing in on his prey.

“Little canary,” he greeted, voice smooth as sin.

Jasmine appeared behind me, whispering, “Who the hell is that?”

I ignored her.

My pulse hammered wildly in my chest as Travis stopped right in front of me, sunglasses reflecting my panic-stricken face.

“Miss me already?” he asked.

I wanted to scream, hide, and slap him all at once.

Instead, I whispered, “What are you doing here?”

His grin widened. “Collecting what’s mine.”

My brain short-circuited.

Jasmine gasped behind me.

“Oh, my God.”

Dead.

I was dead.

My life was officially ruined.