Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 112951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
I gazed down at the cement. I hadn’t asked Casey for details because a part of me didn’t want to know.
I wished I didn’t.
She couldn’t fight him. She couldn’t lift her arms.
He cursed. “I thought you knew.”
I shook my head. “I just knew it happened, not the details.”
He raised his hand and then held it in the air. He didn’t know what to do with it. He finally patted my knee. “I’m sorry, Clarke.”
My last name felt right. That put space between us again. I could muster my composure again.
I nodded a couple of times, wiping my palm over my eyes. “I’m fine.” Class was probably starting. “Go to class.”
He didn’t leave. He stayed. “Are you coming?”
I shook my head. “No.” My heart hurt too much.
“I’ll take notes for you. I’ll stop by your place later.”
I wanted to laugh. The girls in my hallway would mess their pants, but I didn’t. He touched my shoulder once more before going past me and entering the building. I was thankful this entrance was never used. Emotions I didn’t understand and didn’t want held me sitting on that step long after Shay was gone.
I stayed and imagined not being able to lift my arms.
I was in my room that night when Shay called me. Grateful for Missy’s absence, like always, I answered and leaned back in my chair. “What’s up, Coleman?”
He paused a beat before laughing under his breath. “Coleman. Okay. I get it. We’re like chill buddies? Is that it?”
Was there a better description for us? I shrugged to myself. “We kinda hate each other but still seek each other out. I figured it’s time to move on from calling you ‘That Guy I Hate’ in my head to a name. Last names seem fitting. You can keep calling me Clarke.”
“I never know what I’m going to get with you.”
I was purposefully keeping it light. I wasn’t ready to dive into the deep waters we had been in when I saw him this morning.
Light and surface. That’s what I wanted at that moment.
“Guess that’s my charm. I’m not like all those other girls whose panties go up in flames when you walk into a room.”
I saw a chain email from Gage, and instantly hit reply. “Stop sending me these stupid things.”
“What?”
Shay was mocking me. I could literally hear the smile in his voice. I breathed a little easier, grateful he was following my lead.
He said, “You mean that burning aroma I smell isn’t your thong? And here I was getting cocky when it came to you.”
“First, ew.” Burning smell? “That’s disgusting. If anything, it’d be me having to smoke a cigarette before seeing you. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but you’re a little stressful to deal with.”
He barked out a laugh. “That’s called charisma and primal animal sexiness. It oozes out, and you are affected. You’re just so messed up you don’t even know what it is. Your body is stressed from fighting itself so you don’t lunge at me. I know what’s good, Clarke.” He dropped his tone. “And it’s definitely me.”
Insert eye roll.
“And two,” I kept on as if he hadn’t spoken, “we hate each other. Remember? Let’s cut to the chase of why you called so we can resume the vow of silence we’ve taken around each other.”
“Holy fuck, woman. Vow of silence? What are you, a nun?”
“Why’d you call?”
I wasn’t starting to enjoy this call. There was no point. This guy wasn’t funny. He wasn’t sexy—his words, not mine—and there was no thawing at my hatred wall for him. Nope. No thawing at all. My body was warming because I had a sweater on, and in this weather, was that really needed?
I think not.
“I’ve got those notes for you.”
Everything went on high alert. I bolted upright. Red alarms were blaring in my eardrums. “Okay.”
“I’m downstairs.”
“What?” A myriad of curses spewed from me before I realized I was even cursing. I shoved back the chair to stand. “Why are you here? I have a rule!”
“A rule?”
Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck!
The sweater was too constricting all of a sudden. I felt like I was being choked to death. It was too close to my neck. Hitting the speaker button, I flung my phone onto the bed and tugged at my sweater.
“Yes. Guys I know don’t come here. Ever.”
“Any guy? Are you serious?”
Pulling off the sweater hadn’t helped. I still felt like I couldn’t breathe. Scrambling around, I grabbed for a tank top. It was see-through. I almost tore it as I pulled it off. “Yes. Any guy. Especially guys like you.”
“Me?” His confusion was clear. “What’s wrong with guys like me? Because we hate each other?”
I tore through my drawer and grabbed at a black top. It was short-sleeved, but it’d do. I yanked it on, popping my head out. “Hot guys. Guys who make girls drool. Guys who warrant attention and jealousy. And since we’re on the topic, if you ever see me in public, act like you don’t know me.”