Chapter 88

Avery’s pov It has been three days since I’ve been visiting the gym to see if Xade would finally show up and explain to me why he stood me up.

But every single time, he was a no show.

“Do you know when he’ll be here?” I asked Christian who was lifting weights, and another guy spotting him. They both looked at me and Christian let out a snort.

“He’s your boyfriend,” he said. “Aren’t you supposed to know his whereabouts?”

My stomach flips oddly in anxiety and my cheeks heat up. “We’re not-

I stopped, sighing and grabbed my things. What use is there to tell him that Xade and I were not really together? I must look like a bigger fool too for coming here after him like a puppy without a leash.

Was I so desperate to see him?

It’s six thirty a.m, early. And I got here at six. Hoping he’d finally show up today despite us not setting a schedule for today at all.

The desperation to see him, smell him, and be near him was clawing at my insides even though I should be more angry at him more than anything.

I turn around to head to the door, but stop when Christian called out to me. “Wait.”

I turn.

He puts the weights back on the bar and with a grunt, sits up. “I have empty spots left if you still need a trainer.”

I frowned. As much as I want to learn boxing, something tells me that it would be best to decline Christian’s offer.

“No,” I smiled awkwardly which I a more than certain came out like a cringe. “It’s fine.

He shrugged, grabbing his water bottle. “Suit yourself. But if I were you,” he smirked. “I’d not waste my time on Xade. You’re not the first girl to come here obsessed over him.”

I flushed red, my cheeks feeling so hot. My tongue is heavy and I am too humiliated to find words to respond. So with an awkward cringe, I turn around to leave without saying another word.

I walked out of the building, with determination that I would not come back here for Xade again. It’s clear that he doesn’t want to see me and though it hurts, pains more than I wish it hadn’t, I’d respect his wishes.

Back at the dorm, I’m just stepping into the room when the smell of coffee reaches my nose. I’ve always loved the smell of coffee, but suddenly, it turns my belly and I throw my hand over my mouth as I gagged.

Melissa is sitting at her desk, a steaming cup of coffee beside her. Hearing the horrid sounds coming from me, she turns around, her brows scrunching.

“What’s with you?” She asked and picked up her cup of coffee.

I looked down at her plate. There are about five scorns on the white glass plate, and the sight somehow turns my belly even more, I shook my head, swallowing, and peeled my hand off my lips. Worse mistake because now the nausea just got worse.

I drop my bag to the floor and turned around, racing out of the room to the communal bathroom down the hall.

I barely make it to the sink in time, gagging and retching painfully. My fingers grip the counter, gasping as I throw up into the sink bowl. The air stenches quickly of vomit and the chlorine water as I opened the faucet to wash out the puke.

I shudder, gripping the edge of the counter as I gagged. My eyes flick up to the mirror, staring at my reflection. I don’t understand why I am suddenly sick. The smell of coffee have never done this to me before.

My lower lip tremble and I notice the color whitening, my face e flushing off the natural alive color and turning ashen.

One of the stalls open, and a girl comes out. She cringes, eyeing the sink bowl in disgust. “Are you okay?”

I just nod, despite not feeling okay at all. She hums and leaves the room, not bothering to look back. Now alone, I retched again into the bowl.

“Sick?”

I looked over at the opened door, Melissa is leaning against the doorframe, in her hand is her cup of coffee. The smell reaches me and I gag. “Can you, not come in here,” I coughed, gagging as the scent grows stronger. “The scent of that coffee is upsetting my stomach.” I gasped, just as I throw up into the sink bowl again.

Melissa frowned, looking down at her harmless cup of coffee. “Since when?” She asked in confusion, stepping into the room and pouring the rest into another sink bowl. She eyed me. “Want to go to the hospital?”

I shook my head, opening the faucet wider so the stench of vomit could disappear faster. “No. Must be a bug. I’ll be fine.”

She shrugged. “Or maybe you’re about to get your period. Happens to me when I am close to getting mine. Like every smell upsets me.”

“Yeah,” I said softly, my eyes staring at my reflection intensely. “Could be.”

Later that day right after class, I am stuffing my face with donuts while watching a rerun of Supernatural when a knock sounds at the door.

I paused the show and looked at the door in confusion. Melissa isn’t here…could it be her? Had she forgotten her keys again?

I got off the bed and stroll to the door with the rest of the donut between my teeth. Just as I sink into the goodness, I open the door, only to cough when a set of blue eyes connect with mine.

“Xade?” I coughed.