Connected by the Tide Read Free Page B

, but he kept glancing at her every few minutes. He felt her gaze on him as well. The sexual tension was between them. He felt it, and so did she.
    The teacher announced the end of the class , and they left the room. Henry walked out first then turned to Ren, wanting to talk to her.
    “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said with a smile. She walked away, shaking her ass as she moved. He stared at her with sinister thoughts. She turned around and pointed at him. “I said I had my eye on you.”
    “Damn. I got caught again. ”
    “You’re lucky I’m too nice to beat you up .” She walked around the corner and disappeared.
    Henry stood there for a moment, staring at the empty hallway. He shouldere d his bag, then left, walking to the cafeteria. He had a smile on his face, moved by Ren and her sexiness. She wasn’t just cute, but funny. Normally, he wasn’t into blondes, but he was into her.
    When he walked in the cafeteria and sat down, Sydney was practically sitting on Coen’s lap, rubbing her nose against his. Nancy was texting on her phone, oblivious to their a ffection. All the happiness Henry felt disappeared. The bile rose to his throat, and his stomach hurt. He hated seeing Sydney with him. He tried to pretend he was okay with it, but he wasn’t. It was agony. Sydney and Coen didn’t even notice his presence. It was like he wasn’t even there.
    He stood up then left the cafeteria, pushing through the doors as he moved to the parking lot. He still had more classes that afternoon, but he wasn’t going. He couldn’t concentrate, and he couldn’t think about anything but the pain. As soon as he got a grip on himself, finally felt normal again, Sydney had to break his heart by practically humping Coen in his fucking chair. When he reached his car, he slammed his fist into the door, stinging his knuckles. He shook his hand, trying to dissipate the pain. There was a dent in the panel. He was too pissed to care.
    “Henry?”
    He turned and saw Ren standing there. “Yeah?”
    “What’s wrong?”
    “Nothing,” he said as he wiped his knuckles on his jeans.
    She wasn’t buying it, but she didn’t challenge him. “Is your hand okay?”
    He didn’t show it to her. “Yeah.”
    She stared at him for a long time, unsure what to say. Henry waited for her to leave, to let him demolish his car in peace, but she stuck around.
    “Well, I hope you feel better tomorrow,” she said as she walked away.
    Henry sighed as he watched her go. He ’d finally made a friend, and he chased her away. He wished he would just get over Sydney already. He got inside his car then drove to a coffee shop down the road. If he went home, he knew what he would do, and he had to avoid that. The Vaseline bottle was sitting in his nightstand, ready to be opened. He shook his head and ignored the thoughts.
    The inside of the coffee shop was dark and calm. Jazz music was playing in the background. A lot of students came here to study since it was near the university and so close to the ocean. There were groups huddled at tables and couples talking quietly. Henry ordered his drink then sat down, putting his laptop and papers around him.
    After reading a few chapters, he looked up and felt his heart skip a beat. Ren was sitting across the room, ducked in a corner. She was reading the same book he was, and she held a highlighter in her fingertips.
    Henry stared at her for a long time, noticing the slender curves of her face and the brightness of her eyes. Her legs were crossed under the table , and he couldn’t help but notice them. They were firm and tight, like she was a distance runner, and she wore sandals that revealed her perfectly manicured toes. They were the nicest feet he had ever seen. He felt awkward when he realized he was staring at her toes. His eyes glanced up to her chest. She was wearing a yellow top, and her curves were noticeable through the shirt. When Henry realized he was getting hard from staring at her breasts, he