Page 53 of I Despise You

“I want you with me too.” He kisses the top of my head, his hand rubbing circles on my back.

When his phone vibrates, I pull away from him.

He checks the screen, his face serious, but his lips spread into a grin a moment later.

“What?” I ask.

“A friend just texted me the questions that might show up on our next test.”

“Oh.” I bite down on my lip. The fight for the scholarship is still on, and Chase and I are still competitors.

“I’ll forward them to you.”

A few moments later, my phone vibrates, and I look up at him in surprise.

“Is this a trick? Or did you just share this super-secret stuff with your competition?” I tease.

“I don’t want to have an unfair advantage. I’m going to beat you fair and square.” He grins.

“Don’t be so sure of yourself.” I shake my head at him. “I’m not going to let you win just because I think you’re cute.”

“Cute?” He makes a face. “How about sexy?”

“Yeah, that too.” I stick my tongue out at him.

He runs at me, bring me down on the bed. I let out a yelp, and then end up laughing. He starts tickling me, and tears fill my eyes because I can’t stop laughing.

When he stops, he kisses me, and I snuggle next to him.

“We should get some rest,” he says.

“Yeah, we should.” I stare deep into his eyes.

I’ve never spent the night with him like this. In the same room. In the same bed. Just sleeping. There’s a tiny voice in my head telling me that I should be careful because I don’t know what Chase is really capable of, even when he’s acting like the perfect boyfriend, and there’s no one here to help me. Even if I scream, I don’t know if anyone will hear me or care.

I push those thoughts away because they’re absolutely ridiculous.

Chase winds his arm around me, and it feels so good to be nestled in his arms. I drift off to sleep a few moments later, feeling safer than ever.