Double Digit Read Online Free PDF Page B

I missed out on. That’s why I’m going to make Digit take me to every party on campus.” He squeezed my hand.
    “Oh my God, Digit. I love him.” She wasn’t even trying to direct this just at me. “He’s handsome and sweet and in law enforcement. Hot!”
    Howard was fidgety, like his skin was one size too small. “Wish your hero had been around two weeks ago for the big break-in.”
    John was looking directly at me when that comment registered. His face fell. “What break-in? Where?”
    “Oh, has your girl been keeping things from you? It was big news during the first week of school.”
Shut up, Howard.
    “What was? What happened?”
    I started pinning my hair behind my ears, as if the mere fact of getting it to stay there was going to make this lie of omission okay. “Yeah. Didn’t I tell you about that? There was a break-in at one of the dorms during the day. Campus security was called and the guys sped off.”
    “Which dorm?” He was talking only to me now.
    Howard must have sensed I was in trouble and was going to keep twisting the knife.
    “
One
of the dorms, Digit? It was
their
dorm,
their
hall. No one knew what he wanted—it’s not like people keep lots of valuables around here. But he broke the lock to their room and took nothing, not even their laptops.”
    “Did you get a description? Why didn’t you tell me? Where were you?”
    “No. Because I knew you’d freak out. At an orientation breakfast.”
    John just shook his head. I couldn’t tell if he was scared or pissed or both. He leaned in toward me and I was hoping for a kiss, but I got “We have to leave now.” It was the exact same robot voice he’d used when he was about to save my life by throwing me out of a cab.
    “Sure. Okay. Guys, we’re gonna go. We’ll just . . . we’ll see you tomorrow.”
    We walked in silence back to my dorm. John was holding my hand but not like a boyfriend holds your hand, more like how your mom holds your hand to keep you from running out into traffic.
    When we got to my room, he closed the door and locked it. He checked the locks on my windows. “What else haven’t you told me?” His eyes were more hurt than angry.
    I sat down on my bed and took a deep breath. “I didn’t think it was important?”
    “You didn’t? Six months ago a huge terror organization was trying to kill you. And almost did. And you don’t think it’s worth mentioning a breaking-and-entering incident at your dorm? In your room?”
    “I didn’t want to upset you.”
    “Upset me? What about when they got you? Was I going to be upset then? What was I going to do then, Digit?”
    He sat down next to me and put his head in his hands. He kept talking without looking at me. “This isn’t a game. You were in real danger; we both were. And sure, I was falling for you, but more than that I was just doing my job, relying on my training. That’s the only reason we survived. And now when I think about you, with a gun to your head, I just freeze. I’m so far away now, and I’m getting so paranoid that even if I were here, I don’t know if I’d be clearheaded enough to protect you again.”
    I tried to think of something to say to make him feel safer. Which is funny because I was the one theoretically in danger. I had nothing.
    He got really quiet and lay down on my extra-long, extra-narrow dorm bed.
    “Um, can I . . . ?”
    John scooted over and opened his arms to me. I lay down and had to shift around a bit to fit against him. His heart was beating faster than usual, and his jaw felt tense against the top of my head. Feeling his stress, I realized how much I’d been in denial about everything that had happened. And, ahem, this wasn’t exactly how I’d imagined our romantic reunion night.
    “I’m sorry. I just try not to think about all that stuff. It’s just easier to move on.” I turned onto my stomach so he’d have to look at me. “And, yeah, I was kind of freaked out about the break-in, but I guess I