Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
It’s not hard to get people to leave you alone. A few mean comments and it’s done with. I’m not putting up niceties to make others comfortable when I’m sure as fuck not comfortable around any of them.
Honestly, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with myself at this point either.
Grant makes small talk that I’m not paying attention to. I didn’t know a person could talk so much.
“Does the silence make you uncomfortable?” I ask him when we’re almost to Striker Hall.
“Does talking make you uncomfortable?” he tosses right back at me. I don’t respond, but he didn’t want one. “Where are we going?”
“I’m going to class.” I yank the door open.
“Isn’t your first class...?” I stop walking.
“You’re really babysitting me.” I was joking about it.
“I know your schedule; cool it.”
I stare at him. Did he tell me to cool it?
“Grant—”
“I know; you’ll murder me in my sleep.”
“Why would I wait for you to sleep?”
That calm, cool demeanor drops from Grant’s expression, giving me a glimpse of another side of him. Interesting. “Your scare tactics don’t work on me, nor does your bullying.” What’s he hiding under there? At least I don’t mask who I am. You know what you’re getting.
“I’m not a bully.” That shouldn’t piss me off. I shouldn’t give a fuck if he or anyone else thinks I am one, but I’d always seen my father as one. I would never want to follow in his footsteps, or I’ve done my best not to anyway. Starting to think it’s not working.
“You sure about that?”
Am I?
“I don’t seek people out to push around off the ice.” Grant’s brows rise. “They start the shit and I finish it.” That’s how it goes normally. I can’t say that about the new girl. I’ve done nothing but think about her and try to figure out ways to get her to dislike me. It’s better off if she hates me. I don’t know why that is, but it is.
I’ve been unsettled since I first saw her. I would say she’s fucking with my head on purpose, but when our paths have crossed, she doesn’t bother to even glance my way. Like she hadn’t laid into my ass the other day. And why the hell is it that every time that memory pops into my head I get hard as fuck?
It’s crazy that I even care that she ignores me. Wasn’t that the point of all this to begin with? Usually, I’d be over-fucking-joyed about it. Maybe that’s part of the allure or curiosity. Whatever you want to call it when it comes to her. You always want what you can’t have. I’ve heard other guys talk about girls playing hard to get. I wouldn’t know about any of that shit because I’ve always steered clear of them.
“You don’t have to seek people out to be a bully. And please tell me you don’t have class with a dark-haired girl named—”
“Don’t.” I stop walking, cutting him off. I don’t want him to say her name.
“Don’t what? Speak of—” I grab him before I even comprehend what I’m doing. I slam him into the closest wall, sending a few other classmates stumbling out of the way. He doesn’t fight me as I pin him to the wall.
“Don’t even utter her name,” I say low, letting my anger bleed into each word so he knows I’m not fucking around about this.
“Why, will it make her appear?” the cocky little shit asks, not the least bit scared of me. He’s either crazy or we haven’t gotten to see all he’s got on the ice yet, and he’s been holding it back. In size, we’re not far off each other. He’s leaner, but I’m brute force. I’m about to yank him into me to slam him back into the wall again, but what he says next makes me pause. “Because she’s already here.” He glances to his left.
I cock my head to the side, following his line of sight to see her standing there, watching us, along with a shit ton of other people.
“All right, that’s enough, Luke; you’re not on the ice,” one of the teachers shouts at me.
“We’re just having a powwow, aren’t we, Luke? We’re besties.” His stupid-ass comment almost makes me bark a laugh, but I keep it under control.
“Oh, I was sure you two were going to kiss.” A sassy voice says it, and I know it’s my dark-haired girl. How could I not when I have replayed our first encounter together over and over again? A handful of classmates laugh while others know better.
“Not sure I’m his type.” I give Grant a warning look, and he gives a subtle no shake of his head, silently telling me he’s not going there in front of everyone. Good to know; he’s only a dick when it’s the two of us.