"I know exactly what I'm giving up. I remember who's waiting for me at home." My hands slide down his chest. His abs are so ripped. My finger flicks a b.u.t.ton on his shirt, just above his waist.

Peter's shoulders tense. He lets out a ragged breath. Peter's hand lifts and brushes my cheek. I lean into the touch and close my eyes. He pulls away from me like I burned him. "Sidney, I can't do this. I can't." Peter pulls at his hair and turns away from me. He paces the floor once, then twice.

When he looks up, I panic. I see it in his eyes. He's going to push me away. I don't move. I brace for impact, expecting him to open the door and throw me through it, but he doesn't. He rushes toward me and places hands on either side of my head. I don't know what he's doing. I can't tell if he's going to yell or-

I don't get to finish the thought. Peter leans in. His lips are so close to mine. I feel him resist. That part of him is still fighting it, but he doesn't back away. Peter closes the s.p.a.ce. His lips press lightly to mine. It's a whisper of a kiss. Peter's still holding back. His body is all taut muscle. When I lift my hands and try to touch him, Peter jumps and pulls away. His face is scrunched with indecision. His hands fist at his sides. He looks like he wants to hit the wall, and turns away from me.

I'm insane. I walk over to him. I'm behind him. I made up my mind. I can't do this to him. It's tearing him apart. I feel the strength I need to walk away. It's faint, but it's there. "Peter, it's okay. I'm sorry. I won't do this to you."

His face is in his hand. Peter turns around slowly and looks down at me. "I can't do this to you. I know what you went through to get here. I can't send you back to the people who did that to you... I can't let you do it. I love you, Sidney." His eyes search mine. It feels as though we're breaking up. Something tightens around my throat. I try to swallow, but I can't.

"I love you, too, Peter." I smile at him sadly and turn to leave.

My hand is twisting the k.n.o.b when he says, "Stay."

"What?"

"Stay, just a little longer. I can't let you go, not yet."

I'm near tears. After everything we've been through, I can't believe I have to walk away from him. Life is so unfair, this is so wrong. I love him and he loves me. The odds are so slim, so miniscule, that a person will find their match. I know he was made for me, and I know I have to leave.

I shake my head. "I can't. This is an all or nothing kind of deal. I can't stand being around you and not touching you. You asked me if I'm attracted to you-I am. A lot. Everything about you entices me. Peter, I need to go." Pressing my lips together, I walk out of his apartment and fly down the steps. I suck in the night air like I'm suffocating. I walk the two blocks to my dorm, alone, thinking.

I'd give up everything for him, but then what? He has no job, I have no money, and we both live in a box.

Love sucks.

CHAPTER 20

I feel hollowed out. Even my skin feels fragile. My fingers drift to my lips. The memory is still there. It's like I can still feel the pressure of Peter's mouth, the way he fit perfectly into the seam of my lips.

I can't see Peter again. That doesn't really sink in until I'm walking down the street. There's a good chance that I won't even be his TA anymore. Strictland will separate us.

I think about how my days will be without Peter, having him so close but not being able to talk to him, or touch him. Oh G.o.d, it hurts. It feels like someone took a knife and carved out my heart. I want to double over and cry, but I don't. I keep walking.

A car full of guys slows as they drive by. They whistle and catcall me before zooming off. When I'm finally on campus again, I'm back in my element. I can handle this. I make a beeline for the dorm. When I get to my room, it's filled with girls. G.o.d, why can't I ever be alone? Millie looks at me over the tops of several ponytails. They've got a vat of blue Kool-Aide and are dipping the ends of their hair into the tub. Tia is sitting by the door. Her arms are folded over her chest and she's leaning back in a chair.

"Not into blue?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "Nah, I'd love blue, but the only way it'll show up in my hair is if I bleach it first. I'm not bleaching it. It'd probably fall out or something." She glances up at me, and notices my puffy eyes. "What's up with you? Something happen?"

I nod. "Yeah, the normal s.h.i.t. Got chewed out by Strictland for being Peter's friend, and got attacked by a squirrel. The d.a.m.n thing ripped my arm off." Tia looks at my face to see if I'm making stuff up and then back at my arm.

"Holy s.h.i.t. You're serious?" she asks, and sits up straight. I nod. Before I can say anything else, she's up and tugging me out of the room and down the hall. "Millie's blonde and going to stick her whole head in that bucket. It's going to take her all night to get the color to show up. So talk. What's going on with you? Why'd Strictland chew you out?" She pauses and her eyes widen. "s.h.i.t, Peter? As in Dr. Peter Granz?" I nod. She pulls me into her room and closes the door. "My roommate is down there with Millie. Spill. What the h.e.l.l is going on?"

I flop down on her bed with my shoulders slumped forward. I shrug. "I don't even know. Peter is Dr. Granz. It's a long story, but I nearly slept with him before I realized who he was."

Tia's eyes bug out of her head. "What?"

"Millie dragged me out on a blind date when she wanted to hook up with Brent. I was supposed to meet them there. Long story short, I sat down at the wrong table." I look up at her face. Tia is really nice. I've said stupid c.r.a.p to her before, but this makes me nervous. "Don't tell anyone, okay? I don't want him to get in trouble."

"I'm not telling anyone, but you have to tell me what happened. How'd you end up with him that night if you were on a date with another guy?"

"The other guy had happy hands. I left early. When I went to the parking lot, Peter was standing there with his hood up. He was new here and alone. Plus he's hot and funny. I don't know. I ended up going home with him. We made out. A lot. Before things got out of hand, the phone rang and I left. I recognized him the next morning in cla.s.s."

"Holy s.h.i.t!" she stomps her feet on the floor, way too excited. "So, what now?"

"We grabbed dinner after club. It was nothing, but Strictland showed up and ate with us. Then she kinda gave an ultimatum. Peter gets fired and trashes his career if he continues to see me, and I get flunked and can't graduate. I can't repeat cla.s.ses because of the scholarship. And I have no money. She knows that."

Tia is at the edge of her seat with her fingers by her mouth. "Oh, my G.o.d. But wait, I thought you said nothing was going on?"

"Nothing was going on. We were friends with an awkward start, but..." I sigh and tug at my hair.

"But it's more than that now?"

"Yeah, way more. Holy f.u.c.k, Tia. Like holy frickin' f.u.c.k. I can't even tell you." My lips mash together. I want to punch something. "It's not like I've been cut off from my best friend, although he is and I have been-it's worse than that. I feel like my heart got ripped out.

"And Peter. We were at his apartment fixing this," I point to the claw marks, "and I kissed him. He said he can't, but he loves me-"

Tia gasps, "Oh, my G.o.d. Do you love him?" I glance up at her. She tenses and shakes the bed with her hands and squeals when I don't answer. It must be written all over my face because she says, "Oh, my G.o.d! That's so romantic! You love him, but you can't be with him. What are you going to do?"

I shrug. "Nothing. There's nothing to do. I can't let him risk his career for me, and I have to graduate. I can't f.u.c.k it up and go home." I bury my face in my hands and rub hard. Everything is falling apart. I feel so fractured, like I'm crumbling.

"I've never heard you curse like that before."

"There's not been much to curse about. I have no idea what to do. I have to stay away from him, but I can't." I laugh bitterly and wrap my arms around my waist. I can't chase away the sensations that are choking me. I'm looking at her floor.

Memories well up, uncalled. "That was my first I love you, well, the first one that was real, and then this happens. We aren't even friends anymore. We can't be. I have no idea how to deal with this." My hands are on the sides of my head, and I shove my fingers into my hair.

Tonight started out great. I can't believe this is happening. Yes, I should have known, but I didn't. I didn't know I was falling in love with Peter. I didn't even realize it until tonight. I'm so d.a.m.ned stupid. How did I not see it? Especially when everyone has been less than tactful about it.

"Oh, G.o.d," I groan into my hands. Looking up, I ask, "What do I do?"

Tia's face is full of sympathy. "The only thing you can do. Stay away from him and distract yourself with chocolate."

CHAPTER 21