Chapter 16
June
It would’ve been wonderful to have a civil conversation with James and find out what had made Will so angry, but that didn’t happen. He blamed me for everything and always defended his best friend.
“I’m capable of choosing where I should be.” My statement earned me a sharp look. James brought the clear paper to his mouth and licked it.
I didn’t understand why I felt like this.
I couldn’t stand him. In fact, we couldn’t stand each other, and even if he was nice to me, which he absolutely wasn’t, the way he treated Sammy was vile.
James represented the opposite of everything I liked in a guy. I didn’t understand what I found so arousing about him.
“I’m gonna smoke,” he announced, getting up.
“Just tell me what happened with William,” I insisted, following him.
With one hand he grabbed my shoulder and forced me to back up against the wall.
“Look, White, I don’t know what’s gotten into your head, but I’m never gonna ruin my friendship with Will.”
“What are you talking about? Why would you ruin your friendship with Will simply because you hate me so much?”
“I fucking hate you,” he spat an inch away from my face. “You’re an insufferable princess.”
“I hate you, too, you’re heartless.”
I looked up slowly, not wanting to take my eyes off his bright, full lips.
“You want me,” he said, his voice cracking while his breath on my mouth sent shivers down my spine.
“You are a total idiot.”
“Don’t provoke me, Snow White.”
I felt the weight of his body press against mine, sending an electric shock between my legs and making a pleasant tension settle in my stomach.
“Or what?”
His eyes narrowed into the typical slits that made him look like an expert predator.
“Or you’ll find out. I already told you.”
You’re only good at talking. I didn’t say that out loud so I wouldn’t get into trouble later. His hand, which had held my shoulder, drifted to my jaw, and he traced circles with his thumb.
Why was he doing that now?
“And quit bothering me all the time. I’m tired,” I said.
James came so close to my face that I had to control my breathing.
“You’re the one who’s all over me.”
“Since when are you so brazen when we’re alone?”
His timbre changed and got deeper. My arms started trembling, but I fought to hide it from him.
“Since when do you lose your self-control, Hunter?”
A smirk crept over his full lips as he leaned toward my ear.
“Don’t kid yourself about me. Ever.”
His warm lips grazed absentmindedly against my neck, short-circuiting my brain.
“I’d never be so na?ve.”
“You should’ve understood.”
“What?”
“That I act this way only because I like dangerous games.” I felt his warm breath on my skin.
“Would I be a game to you?” I asked, without swallowing.
“Isn’t that obvious?”
For a moment our lips got dangerously close. I felt my stomach do a somersault.
If only he didn’t smell so good . . .
“I’d never kiss you,” he maintained, as if the thought had just come to him right then.
“Nor would I. My mom made out with your dad, and then she left him. I’m not repeating her mistake.”
My provocation made him smile a little, almost innocently.
“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”
“It’s what I think. And I won’t change my mind.”
I kept my head held high under his cold gaze while a whirlwind of boiling sensations opened an abyss my lower stomach.
“Wanna bet, Snow White?”
If I hadn’t just heard him say those words, I probably would’ve thought he really wanted to be so close to me then. Maybe to kiss me. Because his mouth could say one thing but the intense way he stared at me suggested something else altogether.
“Don’t think so highly of yourself. I can certainly do without thinking about what kind of kisser James Hunter is.”
He looked at me arrogantly, slowly moving away from me.
“I’ll let you fall sleep wondering about it, then. And remember, I can play with you. You can’t play with me,” he articulated, his features hardening.
“I’m leaving,” I grumbled, turning away.
“You can sleep here.” He motioned to the couch right before putting a vape pen between his lips.
“But you said—”
“Shut up and sleep here.”
I saw his broad shoulders move away up the stairs. Good night to you too, asshole.
>> <<
I was lost in a weird dream that night; really weird.
I didn’t remember anything except blurry images and smells that seemed real.
How could anyone dream of a smell? It was absurd.
But I smelled it clearly even when I opened my eyes and looked around.
The morning light sluggishly penetrated through the half-open shutters, and silence reigned.
There was nobody except me in the living room.
I curled up under the covers, basking in the feeling of warmth, and for a few moments I closed my eyes. But then I remembered something.
I hadn’t had any blanket when I fell asleep.
Why did I have one now? I rubbed my eyes, struggling to get off the couch.
I went to the bathroom to freshen up. My hair was scarily rebellious, and I was still wearing the sloth pajamas under my hoodie.
Had I really confronted James Hunter dressed like that?
I checked the time on my phone. It was a quarter to seven.
I even had time to make myself breakfast. I looked in the pantry, but it was practically empty.
There were no cookies, croissants, or anything sweet.
And I always needed sugar in the morning.
I checked the fridge and saw that there were enough eggs and milk, so I grabbed a new bag of flour and got to work. Pancakes.
“I can’t believe it, you really slept on the couch?” Will’s drowsy voice came from behind me.
He hugged me from behind before whispering in my ear, “Sorry about last night.”
I tensed under his warm hug.
“You were really pissed.”
And I was scared to be around you.
“I told you, I got in a fight with James,” he explained calmly. Obviously, it was water under the bridge for William.
“Okay.” I cut him off and started cooking again. I heard heavy footsteps come down the stairs.
William smiled and sat down at the table, waiting for the food.
“Of course—” He paused when he saw me serving warm pancakes. “What more could I ask for?”
I shyly smiled back.
“What more could you ask for?” asked James, swaggering into the kitchen with an arrogant look on his face. He looked at the food on our plates and grabbed a coffee mug, staring at it intently. “A cappuccino with decent foam, softer pancakes, and a blow job before school?”
I’d had every intention of not even saying a word to him that morning, but this was too much. I laser focused my eyes at him, so much so that Will waved his hand for me to let it go.
“As you can see, you can always do more,” James sneered, crossing his arms across his chest after sprawling on a chair.
“Like spit in your food while I make it? Huh?”
“Given what a bitch you are, who says you haven’t already?”
“I guess I’ll let you wonder about it, then,” I whispered using his exact words from the night before.
James didn’t get irritated, but he bit his lip and focused all of his attention on his phone.
“Don’t listen to him, June.” Will squeezed my arm and pulled me onto his lap. He whispered, “Why’d you sleep on the couch? You could’ve come to my bed.”
“I was hot, and I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t want to wake you up. I get really agitated in my sleep.”
Hearing my words, James hinted at an insolent smile without taking his eyes off the screen.
“You even stole the precious fleece blanket that James uses when he sleeps here. It’s incredible that he didn’t notice,” exclaimed Will, confusing me. Oh, that that explained the scent. Well, well, well.
“Yeah, I stole his precious blanket, exactly.” I narrowed my eyes at James, who didn’t bat an eye.
“You didn’t notice?” Will asked James suspiciously.
James answered with a fake smirk. “Let me know when you’re done fucking around.”
James’s morning crankiness skyrocketed when Will started feeding me forks of pancakes full of maple syrup.
“Come on, Will, I’m eating it myself, cut it out.” I groaned, smiling.
“You’re sweet,” he whispered, giving me a kiss.
And it would’ve been sweet of Will, too, if he didn’t insist on staring at James right after kissing me.
I didn’t like how William looked at his best friend like that while he was with me. I wasn’t a trophy or a reason for dispute. But that was exactly how they were making me feel. If Will had an inferiority complex around James, I wasn’t going to be the one to feed into it even more.
“I’m gonna tidy up before heading to school,” I announced, ready to remove myself from the situation.
James stretched, making his toned muscles swell. The hoodie lifted, exposing his taut, solid abs.
“You’re not coming to school?” asked Will, getting up from the table.
“I don’t know,” replied James.
“June, I’m gonna get dressed. You don’t need to clean up anything, Jamie will take care of it later,” teased William, before going upstairs.
Yeah, sure, so we’re all set.
“I’m not in the mood today.”
“You’re never in the mood when there’s a quiz,” I said, putting the plates into the dishwasher.
“Do you hear how much you fucking talk first thing in the morning? You’re just as awful as your cooking.”
When I turned around, James was staring at me and still sitting with his legs open.
“My pancakes were excellent. And judging by how quickly you ate them, you agree with me.”
He smiled mischievously.
“Maybe you’re pitiful even with the last alternative. But at least it’ll keep your mouth occupied, and you’ll stop being a pain in the ass.”
“What alternative?”
I’d been awake for less than a half hour. My brain was anything but quick. I saw James open his legs under the table and press his tongue against the inside of his cheek. His asshole smirk explained the dirty thing he was referring to loud and clear.
“You’re really bored, huh?” I shook my head, irked.
“Even more when you’re around,” he shot back, crossing his arms.
“And tell me”—I slammed the dishwasher shut and then turned around to look at him—“how come you hug people in your sleep and become a sleepwalker and bring your precious blanket to people you hate?”
I saw him stand up suddenly. “You really talk too much, princess.” He came closer to my ear with a speed I didn’t expect, and I didn’t have time to react. “But you don’t know how fucking little you’d talk with me.”
He was provoking me. Or maybe this was just his infuriating way of being, but I shouldn’t have cared. I should’ve ignored him. I went to the bathroom and locked myself in. I brushed my teeth and put on my uniform. I needed time to fix my hair, which was really unmanageable this morning.
“White! Get a move on,” I heard James yell past the door, impatient as usual.
“Jackson’s already here.” Will came to let me know.
“What is your deal, I was just brushing my hair,” I muttered, heading out of the house.
When I got to the threshold, the fresh eight a.m. air hit me right in the face, more bitter than usual because it smelled like smoke.
James was smoking, leaning against the outside wall.
“Like you wasting time getting ready would change anything,” he said sharply. “You tell me, if we have to wait, Snow White—”
“Do you really have fun calling me that?”
“Do you want the truth?” James came closer, unnerving me even more. He blew the smoke into my hair then whispered in my ear, “You’re the one who loves when I call you that.”
“Should we go?” Will, already sitting in the car, called in a tone that was anything but amused.
“After you, Snow White.”
I gritted my teeth and rolled my eyes. I hate you.