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Chapter 23

Sleep was overrated. I had finally come to this conclusion after hours of staring up at Alec’s white ceiling. To be fair, it wasn’t thoughts of Xavier, Dan or Maddison that were keeping sleep at bay. It was Alec.

“Would you put that damned thing away?” I sat up on his couch and yelled across the room at him. He looked from up the glow of his phone and in my direction, his trademark smirk in place.

“Still not asleep?” Alec spoke to me, but his attention was on his phone. Who knew the boy had a serious addiction to his iPhone, or that an unhealthy amount of people to talk to at this time in the morning?

“You know, usually the guy sleeps on the couch and gives the girl the bed.” I sat up on the couch, pulling the blankets up with me. To be fair, the couch was actually comfy, but who can sleep with a glow like Tinkerbell in the room?

“My bed.” Alec shot back, his eyes glued on his iPhone.

“WOULD YOU STOP THAT?” I was fed up. The lack of sleep and all today’s events had me at the boiling point! “Put that damned thing away!”

Alec looked up from his phone, and from the glow of the screen I could see his smirk and teasing eyes. “Ok.” He locked the phone and the light disappeared.

“For real, you’re putting it away?” I was shocked he was agreeing so quickly. I expected a bigger fight.

“Only had to ask, Chloe.” Alec faked a yawn and slid down the bed before lying on his side, a mountain of blankets wrapped around him.

Falling back onto the couch, I frowned, annoyed. Hours I had put up with it, and he stopped because I asked him. Alec was more twisted then I thought.

Sighing from tiredness, I closed my eyes, wanting sleep to wipe this day away and let me wake up refreshed.

Alec’s room I had to admit was a bit smaller then Dan’s and a lot messier. I swear he had to remove about a ton of clothes from his couch to find it.

“In here?”

My eyes shot open. That voice.

“You sure it’s ok I’m here?”

My mouth dropped open. “Alec!” I whispered in the darkness, “is that?”

“Daniel?” Alec had a bored tone to his voice. “Yes, it is.”

“But it’s so clear! And your rooms aren’t even next to each other.”

“Vents,” was Alec’s simple answer. “Go to sleep, Chloe.”

It was hard to sleep when I knew Dan was across the hall with…

“Do you think that’s Maddison he’s talking too?” I whispered.

“And you were telling me off seconds ago for keeping you up.” I watched Alec sit up and flick his bedside light on, faking annoyance. “Of course it would be her.”

“So, are you ok?” Dan’s voice was soft, so tender.

“I need earplugs.” I cursed and quickly got up from the couch. “I can’t stay here and listen to him talk to her.”

I picked up one of Alec’s sweaters and threaded my arms through it. It looked freezing outside.

“Fine, where are we going?”

I whipped around to see Alec putting his pants on. “What do you mean we?”

“Don’t want me to come?” Alec raised an eyebrow, watching me questioningly.

“I didn’t say that, I just…” I sighed. “Fine, where are we going? Any ideas?”