Page 62 of Riot Act

“I already told you. You don’t get conditions.”

“Firstly, you stop being so openly hateful to my friends.”

“Absolutely not.”

“I’m not saying you have to be nice to them. I’m just saying…stop being such a raging dick to them. And definitely don’t threaten them if they do or say something you don’t like.”

“I make no promises.”

“Secondly,” she says, carrying on regardless. The small smile that was tugging at the corners of her mouth fades away. “Secondly, you can never ask me why I tried to kill myself again. Or bring it up. Or mention it. In public, or in private. Not ever.”

Wow. So that’s why she suddenly wanted to hear my conditions. Because she wanted to slip this one in and take that topic of conversation off the table for good. Well…I originally didn’t give a shit why she tried to kill herself. As time has passed I’ve found myself wondering, though. She just doesn’t seem like the type to try and off herself. She’s too…stubborn. Still, who the hell am I to demand that kind of personal information from her. I don’t want to know what kind of baggage she’s carrying around with her. I want to fuck her repeatedly until I don’t want to fuck her anymore. End of story.

“Fine,” I tell her.

“On both conditions. You have to agree to both.”

“All right. I said fine, didn’t I?”

“Good. Then we have an accord.” She holds out her hand for me to shake.

I look at it with mild disgust. “We’re not at a used car dealership. I’m going to blow your back out, Chase. That kind of arrangement does not qualify for a fucking handshake.”

“Yes, it does.” She doesn’t look like she’s going to change her mind.

“Urgh. Whatever.” I shake her hand, rolling my eyes. Once the deal has been made official in Chase’s eyes, I say, “Right. I’m out of here.”

“You aren’t gonna fuck me tonight, then?”

“Hell no. I’m not putting my dick inside you when you’re high, Chase. Ever. Remember that when you’re thinking about burning one down before you come and see me. I will not be happy.”

“What does it matter?”

I enjoy it far too much when I take her by the chin, holding her in place as I look at her. Her eyes look like warm honey. Her irises are crystal clear…but her focus is not. “I want you tofeelit when I fuck you. I want your mental faculties fully intact when you agree to all of the messed up shit I’m gonna do to you.”

Her cheeks color. Her breath quickens, lips part beautifully, just begging to be kissed. And I want to fucking kiss her, which is why I let her go. If I start, I probably won’t stop.

Rather than climb back through her window, I grip the edge of the roof and I lower myself down the side of the building, hanging there for a second before I let go and drop down the remaining twelve feet, landing in amongst the rose bushes.

“Veryimpressive.” I look up and she’s there, peering over the edge of the roof, smiling at me.

“Oh, I know.”

“I guess I’ll see you in A.P. English, then.”

The taunt nearly stops me dead in my tracks. “Wait. You’re notinA.P. English.”

“Aren’t I?”

God.Isshe? Have I just not noticed her there, this whole fucking time? She was in Econ, after all. Is it possible that I’ve been that checked out for so long?

She says nothing. Just laughs.

I flip her off as I run across the academy's front lawn, but by the time I hit the dirt road that cuts through the forest—the one that will lead me down the mountain and back to Riot House—the profound sense of satisfaction I felt at insulting Chase has gone.

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