Page 141 of Dear Love, I Hate You (Easton High)

Joy washes over me like a tide.

“I think that’s a great idea, Mom. I’ll be down in a minute.”

“All right,” Mom says and stops seconds before exiting the room. “Pick this up, will you? You know I hate when you leave your clothes on the floor.”

I glance at the clothes she’s referring to.

Xavier’s black hoodie.

If she only knew.

My instinct when she jogs down the stairs is to laugh. Yes, laugh. I laugh at how surreal this situation is. Xavier just gave me the biggest orgasm of my life, then hid in my closet from my mom, and by some unknown miracle, we didn’t get caught.

“Coast’s clear,” I inform him. “You’re going to have to sneak out the back door when we’re getting the groceries, though.”

Xav stumbles out of my closet, a red top that fell on him while he was hiding amongst my clothes dangling down his shoulder.

“I think that belongs to you.” He hands it to me.

“Thanks.” I flush, tossing the tee onto my bed.

“Thanks?” Xav sports a sly smile. “I just hid into your closet like a ninja. I think that earns me more than thanks, Harper.”

His hand knots around my wrist, and he jerks me closer for another deep, breathtaking kiss. It would be perfect if it weren’t for the fact that we both can’t stop smiling. It’s not that easy making out while smiling like an idiot.

“I can’t believe we just did that.” I crack a giggle once we pull away, lacing my arms around his neck.

“Can’t believe we didn’t do it sooner,” Xav replies, and I swat his arm, so happy my chest, my heart, my whole body hurts. I didn’t know happiness could be this painful. Or… is it the prospect of losing said happiness?

“Go out with me tonight.” Xav extends both arms around my waist. “I’ll pick you up once everyone’s passed out.”

“Like a date?” I’m hesitant to ask.

“You’re damn right like a date.” He pecks the tip of my nose.

I inwardly swoon at the gesture and debate on sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night to meet the guy who wields the power to ruin me.

Sounds like a terrible idea.

“What time are you picking me up?”

Aveena

The springs used to be my favorite place in town. It was the only place where I could breathe without the oxygen stalling in my lungs. The only place where I could just be without feeling like a fat man was sitting on my chest.

The stream by the springs practically became my new home the weeks after my papa’s funeral.

I’d sit on the grass for hours and listen to the water, the birds, and the quiet.

Mom didn’t know what to do with me. She couldn’t possibly comprehend why I’d flip my shit at the mention of driving back home. For a little while, visiting our spot helped me cope with the world continuing to spin without him.

Then I got sick of missing him, and it ruined our spot.

Like a song you listen to so much you eventually start to hate it.

Now I only ever come here on the anniversary of his death and visit him at the cemetery every few weeks.

When Xav’s truck pulled up in front of my house at 1:00 a.m., I had no idea where he intended to take me for our “date.” I was nervous It’s hard not to be after he had his fingers deep inside me, but never in a million years would I have expected to wind up in the deserted parking lot by the springs.