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Her eyes widen like she’s surprised at my words.

“They think you don’t belong?” I continue, leaning forward, my grip on her face tightening. “So what? Youdon’tbelong, Sophie, that’s what makes you special. You’ve never had things handed to you. You’ve never gotten to take the easy path. You’re not like them: you’rebetter.”

She raises her hands to my arms, but instead of pushing me away, her fingers rest lightly on my forearms, a hesitant touch.

“You’re the girl who walked into Spearcrest with nothing and came out on top, despite everyone who tried to bring you down. You’re the girl who defied every insult and expectation, and you did it with your head held high. The girl I fell in love with even when it was the last thing I wanted, because you shone so damn bright I couldn’t notice anyone else but you.”

She huffs out a dry laugh and tries to pull away. “Stop.”

“No.” I drop my hands, cradling her head, thumbs tilting her face up to mine. “Youstop. You’re a shooting fucking star. That’s why they’re looking at you. You’re just passing through the sky, because Harvard’s just a means to an end. So blind them on your way. And then leave them far behind. You’ve done it before, now you just have to do it again.”

I finally release her face, and she blinks at me, her soft lips parting slightly. For a moment, I think she might argue, and I consider shutting her up with a kiss. But then something shifts in her expression. The tension in her shoulders eases, the tiredness in her eyes softening into something like relief.

“You make it sound so easy,” she says, amused, but her voice is tinged with warmth.

“I know it’s not,” I reply. “When has anything been too difficultfor you?”

She lets out a breathy laugh, and I catch the faintest flicker of a smile on her lips.

“Since when are you so wise and clever?”

I tug her hand gently, pulling her closer. “I had a great tutor.”

“Liar,” she says, raising an eyebrow, but there’s a teasing lilt in her voice now, that mean streak creeping in, serrated edges scratching at the deepest chords in me. “You didn’t listen to a thing she ever said.”

“I hung on her every word.”

“You wasted her time with awkward flirting.”

“Awkward flirting?” I fall back onto the bed, pulling her on top of me with a sharp tug. She lets out a squeal of surprise, quickly dissolving into a soft, genuine giggle. “Says the girl who lured me here under the most transparent of pretences.”

“Evan!” she protests, cheeks flushing red, but she’s laughing now, her body relaxing on mine, thighs settling around my hips. She pushes my hair back from my face and grins slyly. “I thought I was being quite cunning, actually.”

“Exactly. Cunning, clever girl.” I press a kiss to her mouth, holding her close. “You’ve got this, Sophie,” I murmur, gazing up at her earnestly. “And I’ve got you. Always.”

15

First Crush

Sophie

Evan ends up stayingthe entire weekend. We hide in my room and order food in, and go for a secret late-night wander when the whole building is dead asleep. On Sunday, I have no choice but to catch myself up on homework and reading while Evan lies on his stomach on my bed, reading a book from my bedside table. It’s well past nightfall by the time I finish, and afterwards, it’s my turn to lie on my stomach on my bed while Evan massages my sore back.

The sensation of his fingers digging into my muscles is close to divine, and Evan clearly feels the same way, because half an hour later I’m on my back with him kissing his way lazily down my body, smearing coconut body butter on my hips as he keeps me firmly pinned to the bed. When he buries his face between my thighs, I have no choice but to grab a pillow and plaster it over my face, nervous that my neighbour will hear me through the walls. I come with a long, stifled cry, my body a wet, shuddering mess.

After the waves of my orgasm recede, I peer over the pillow to find Evan looking up from between my thighs with a lazy grinand a satisfied spark in his eyes. Something flutters in my chest and I have the sudden, inexplicable feeling that I might have a crush on him.

The thought is unsettling, and my heart beats ridiculously fast as I watch Evan pull himself to his feet, wiping his mouth with a thumb before sucking it clean, eyes on mine. I blink, biting down into my lower lip, and a shiver skitters over me, puckering my nipples. Evan lets out a husky laugh.

“Don’t look at me like that, Sutton.”

I squeeze my thighs together and prop myself up on my elbows, watching him as he grabs his sweatshirt off the back of my desk chair.

“Like what?”

He pulls on his sweatshirt and glances at me through the blond curls now drooping over his eyes.

“Like you want me to spread those gorgeous legs of yours and fuck you silly.”