Page 104 of I Don't Need Your Love

Lifting my head, I spot the twins at the popular table, glaring at us. Well, at Carly. “They’re harmless. Ignore them,” I tell her. “Eventually everyone will learn that I’m taken.”

“Are you sure you want to—?”

Taking both her hands, I stare into her eyes. “I’m not sure about a lot of things, but I’m one hundred percent sure about this. About us.”

She smiles shyly and nods. “Okay. I’m sure, too.”

Not caring that we’re in public and that teachers might see, I lower my head to brush my lips across hers.

The entire dining hall releases loud gasps and murmurs fill the room. Carly’s friends look so happy for her.

It’s a little hard for Carly to get through breakfast with everyone staring at us. I’m used to it, so I try to act as normal as possible, keeping her engaged so she won’t look around at all the stares and glares. These kids will eventually get over the shock and move on. I’m not worried about them, or even me. I’m worried about Carly being uncomfortable.

“You good?” I ask her as I squeeze her hand.

She nods. “Yeah.”

“Sorry about all this. Want to get out of here?”

“No, it’s fine. Let them stare. I don’t really care.”

I smile. “Yeah, let them. They’d better get used to seeing us together because there’s no way in heck I’m ever letting you go.”

Her cheeks redden. “Really?”

“Really.”

Addie, Sophie, and Raven squeal while Caleb grins. “You guys aresocute,” Addie says.

Carly and I look at each other, me raising my brows. “Normally I don’t like being called cute, but I’ll make an exception,” I joke.

We finish up our breakfast and make our way out of the dining hall. There’s a crowd of girls surrounding the exit and we push through them, me ignoring their attempts to grab me. I clutch Carly’s hand tightly so I won’t accidentally lose her in the crowd.

“It’s not like he’ll stay with her for more than, like, a month,” a girl says as we pass her.

“Yeah, he’ll probably get so bored of her.”

I glance at Carly to see if she heard that, but she doesn’t look bothered at all. I bring our interlocked fingers to my lips and kiss hers. She smiles at me.

As we pass the Parker twins, they don’t look angry anymore—they look shocked beyond belief. They reach to grab my arms, but I turn away from them.

We finally exit the dining hall and enter the school building. I don’t want us to separate to our classrooms, but I’ll see Carly in advanced English soon. I walk her to her first class, holding her hand like I don’t want to let go. But unfortunately, I need to or else she’ll be late.

I close my arms around her, pressing my cheek to hers. “See you later.”

She buries her head in my chest. “Bye.”

After sweeping my lips across her cheek, I wave and walk off.

A few girls try to chase after me, but I shrug them off. Some crowd around my desk after I sit down in my classroom. Once they realize I’d rather scroll through my phone than give them the time of day, they scatter away.

I keep myself busy looking at pictures of Carly on social media. My lips kick into a smile. I can’t believe we’re together now. I never thought this would actually happen, but life has a habit of throwing curve balls.

Good curveballs.

Awesome ones.

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