Free The Same Side (University Park #2) by CM Doporto Page A

She removed the strap of her camera from her neck. “Then again, I’m sure this project will have a happy ending.” She gave me a slight nudge.
    “Yeah, I guess.”
    “What’s wrong?” she asked as I hit the button for the elevator.
    “I don’t know. He’s acting kind of distant.”
    “Distant?”
    “Yeah.” I stepped into the elevator and Delaney followed behind me. “Didn’t you notice he didn’t even bother to kiss me on the lips?”
    “Now that you mention it, yes. Maybe the pictures just brought back a lot of bad memories.” Delaney waved a manila folder that encased pieces of Raven’s life. The good and bad.
    Delaney had a point. “You know, I didn’t think of that.” I leaned against the wall for support and sighed. As the elevator rose, the lightness in my stomach pressed hard against my diaphragm, causing my breaths to become shallower. “But, I think it was what his mom said.”
    “About you being too good for him?”
    I nodded.
    “Maybe so, but quit worrying and give the guy a break.” The elevator doors opened and she laced her arm through mine. “I know he’s crazy about you.”
    “You really think so?” I leaned my head against hers.
    “I’ve got the pictures to prove it.” She held up her camera and smiled.
    She might have seen something between us, but I knew what I felt in the car and what I saw in the depths of his eyes. Something had definitely changed.
     
    ***
     
    My intuition proved to be right. The entire week passed and I had only heard from Raven a few times, one of them being a request to review his term paper. When I had finished my edits, I asked if he wanted to meet in person to talk about them, but he said he’d let me know if he had questions. Unfortunately, he never asked to see me.
    I tried to remind myself that we were friends who happened to share a few moments of fun, but the kisses he left on me told my body something else. My heart had even felt it. But other than telling me he wanted to have fun with me, Raven hadn’t made me any promises. So why was I missing him so much?
    “I’m headed to the library to meet Luke.” Delaney popped her head in my room.
    I glanced up from my laptop. “Okay.”
    “Is everything okay?” Delaney resituated her backpack.
    “Yeah, I guess.” I reminded the ache coming from the center of my chest to stop bothering me and just let me be.
    “You still haven’t heard from Raven?”
    I pretended to be typing even though none of the letters formed any words. Raven was totally distracting my mind. How could a guy have that effect on me? Especially when we had only kissed. “No, but it’s probably because he’s studying for exams,” I said, using first excuse that popped up my mind.
    “Exactly. So stop obsessing over it. But if you need an excuse to call him, I think I can help you.” She placed a manila folder on my desk.
    “What’s that?”
    “The pictures I borrowed from his mom.” She winked and my fingers stopped. “Tell him I put the pics on a CD as well. It’s in there.”
    Picking up the folder, I smiled. “Okay, I will.”
    “See you later.” Her voice lilted as she spun on her heels and left our suite.
    Opening the folder, I removed a few pictures. I shuffled through them and stopped on a picture of Raven kneeling in the center of a football field. In one hand, he held his helmet, and in the other, a football. His face looked a few years younger and his body leaner but still muscular. He had that same charming smile and that enticing sparkle in his eyes that woke every nerve ending in my body.
    Damn I miss those eyes on me.
    Not caring if I seemed like the desperate girl, because in all honesty, I probably was, I picked up my phone and typed out a message.
    Me: Are you busy?
    I stared at the screen for a while, waiting for him to text me. Checking the time, I saw that it was only eight-thirty. He couldn’t be asleep. I had a final the next day, but I didn’t care because I wanted to see