Page 127 of For the Fans

My face contorts in puzzled outraged as I lean in, folding my hands on the table. “Maybe I’m only distracting toyou, superstar.”

His eyes lift to mine, shooting rage at me through the swirls of bronze and green. “Whatever, stalker. Don’t act like you signed up to be the mascot for any other reason than to follow me around some more.”

Anger sizzles in my veins like acid as my jaw ticks. “Followyou?? Check your ego, golden boy. I don’t care enough about you to follow you anywhere.”

He drops his fork on his plate with a loud clink, straightening in his seat. “Oh, you mean like youdidn’tfollow me to BC??”

My mouth falls open in a silent gasp as I look around the table. Guty and Theo are gawking at us both uneasily, as if they’re preparing to break us up. And Lexi has a wicked grinresting on her lips, arms folded over her chest like she’s enjoying the drama.

“What the fuck is your problem?” I hiss at Kyran through gritted teeth.

“As always,youare my fucking problem.” He stands his ground like the goddamn stubborn asshole he is. “Youbeing hereis my problem.”

“You’re such an uptight prick,” I scoff.

“Yea, and you’re clearly obsessed with me,” he rumbles smugly, though there’s no amusement on his face or in his tone. He’s straight up being a massive fucking prick to me for no reason, just like he’s been doing since the moment we met.

“I don’t think you wanna pull that thread…” I mutter quietly, then mouth the wordbaby, cocking my head to the side.

His eyes harden as he grips the edge of the table, maybe to hold himself back. “Just leave, loser. No one wants you here.”

My body is keyed up with adrenaline-fueled fury as I scoot my chair out behind me with a loud scrape, standing fast. “Perfect. Because I’d rather choke to death on this shitty food than spend one more second looking at you.”

Kicking the chair away, I storm out of the room, getting myself the fuck out of there before I explode. I can feel all the eyes in the room on me as I go, but I don’t even fucking care. I just need to leave.Get as far away from him as possible…

I’mfumingthe entire walk back to my dorm.

Who the fuck does he think he is?? What gives him the right to talk to me like that?

I haven’t done shit to him but breathe in his fucking presence, and for years he’s been treating me like that’s the worst thing I could ever do. Like my existence is some great tragedy and I just don’t fucking get it.

Just because my mom married his dad?

Just because we’re different…?

Why does that make him hate me so much??

Whipping open the door to my dorm, I stomp inside and slam it shut with a roar. I’m immediately pacing around the room, yanking my hair in my fists. Just when I thought we were finally getting somewhere… Likemaybehe’d stopped hating me so much for no reason, he turns around and goes right back to his default bitch ass ways, privileged, stuck-up dickhead that he is.

“Fuck you,” I growl under my breath, storming into the kitchen to grab something that will calm me down.

Opening a bottle of Jack Daniels, I take a large swig, wincing as I do. Then I reach into my pocket for my vape pen, sucking a long, hard drag, holding it in my lungs while I squeeze my eyes shut tight. Letting out the pungent smoke, I try my hardest to calm down, but I’m still fucking pissed. I end up ripping a few more shots from the bottle before I can even unclench my muscles enough to move again.

Robin comes padding over to me with one of her little catnip toys in her mouth that she always carries around, rubbing her body on my legs. I think she can sense that I’m upset, and aiming my hazy gaze down at her, I can’t help but relax just a little.

Scooping her up into my arms, I nuzzle my face on her fuzzy head. “He’s just such a prick sometimes, ya know?”

Her purring is definitely calming down. Shuffling over to the couch, I plop onto it, petting her while she nestles up on my lap.Thank the gods for this little puffball to cheer me up.

“If he thinks he can just show up here afterthat, he’s got another thing coming,” I grumble to her while my brain sifts through memories of him showing up in the middle of the night.

It’s what he does, after all. Because no matter how much hehatesme, he still likes what we do in secret. I know he does.

And even though I wish I didn’t, I like it too.

If those friends of his only knew…And Lexi, what a dumbass. He can’t even get hard when he tries to hook up with her, yet she’s still just gaga over him. It’s pathetic.

Kyran Harbor has a secret that onlyIknow, and that gives me some comfort while I putter around for the rest of the night. I change into my comfy clothes, eat a bowl of Lucky Charms, then put some music on in my bedroom while I draw.