You’re the Reason, стр. 23

“So, you’re going out with him again?”

I lifted my hands to my face and scrubbed them up down, needing to wake up from this craziness. “Please leave me alone.”

“Chantel and I are going with you.”

I spun around to glare at him. “Is something wrong with you? Like seriously messed up in your head?”

My question obviously confused him judging by the look on his face. “No.”

“Are you sure? Because I think you’re the crazy one I need to stay away from. You are seeing my roommate. Which means you have no right to tell me what to do.” I turned back around and despite his attempts to say more, I ignored him.

Going with him to the coast had been a bad decision. Nothing good came of it. He now thought he could tell me what to do and who to do it with. He clearly didn’t get the memo. No one told me what to do. Not him. Not Chantel. I made my own decisions—good or bad, they were mine to make.

When the professor dismissed us, I took my time, hoping Chase would leave before me.

“We need to work on our project,” he said, still seated in the seat behind mine.

I closed my eyes. Dealing with him was beginning to wear on me.

“Are you free tonight?”

I said nothing as I put my laptop into my backpack and stood up.

“Sophia?”

I swung my bag over my shoulders and secured it onto my back.

“I’ll be in the media room at seven,” he said, making no move to stand as I marched out of the lecture hall.

***

“Are you gonna meet him?” Valerie asked over dinner that night.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s been acting so strange.” I closed my eyes. “What am I saying? He only ever acts strange.”

“He’s always been a pretty chill guy,” Valerie said.

“Are we talking about the same Chase?”

“Apparently, you just bring out the worst in him.”

“Oh, yay me.”

Valerie smiled before taking a bite of her salad. “You don’t really have a choice, though, do you? He’s your partner and your grade depends on both of you doing the work.”

I released a deep breath, hating that she was right. I couldn’t let my feelings about him affect my grade in class. I could show up, watch the movies, and then write the paper without barely even having to talk to him.

Two hours later, I passed through the front door of the media room, scanning the dark room for Chase. He’d selected the same cubicle we sat in last time. I slipped into the empty seat beside him, and he jumped when he saw me.

“Hey,” he said.

I removed my bag from my back and placed it on the floor.

“I already got the two movies,” he said.

“Let me guess, the shortest ones?”

He shook his head. “Longest.”

I heaved a deep breath, as two thoughts weighed on my mind. One, why did he want to spend time with me? And, two, what psychological issues did he suffer from? “I don’t think I can make it through two movies tonight.”

He shrugged. “I’m free tomorrow night if you are.”

Ignoring his offer, I pulled our assignment sheet out of my bag, making sure I knew what the requirements were. It took no time for the woodsy scent of his cologne to drift toward me, working its way into my breaths. Why was it that hot guys always smelled good? Was it an unspoken requirement or something?

Chase switched on the old black and white movie, and I began taking notes. As the movie played, I sensed Chase moving closer to me. Eventually, his arm rested against mine. Oh, no you don’t. I shifted my arm away.

When he realized I was keeping my distance, his hand landed on my arm. I pulled my arm free of his grasp. “Cut it out.”

“What?”

“You know what.” I continued taking notes, and he stayed away from me for the remainder of the movie. When the credits rolled, I packed up without a word and walked out.

“Sophia,” he called.

But I kept walking, knowing he had to return the movies to the counter and pack up. That gave me a head start. I hurried through the deserted floor toward the elevator, pressing the button and impatiently waiting for it to arrive.

I heard footsteps behind me and realized I’d failed to elude him.

“What are you doing?” Chase asked, his hands gripping the straps on his backpack.

“You know what I’m doing.”

He released one of his straps and slipped his hand into mine.

My eyes shot down to where his big hand was linked with mine. I clenched my teeth. “Let go.”

He shook his head as I tried releasing my hand.

“So, it’s been you all along?” I said.

“What?”

“The one I need to be careful of.”

He scoffed, before leading me away from the elevator.

“What the hell are you doing?” I asked, trying to resist him but he was too strong.

He said nothing.

My eyes shot around. There was no one around to help me if I screamed. I’d seen enough movies to know you never go to a second location with your kidnapper.

He moved us through the high shelves filled with old books until we were in a deserted corner of the library.

My heartbeat thrashed as he backed me into a wall, my backpack softening the hard wall behind me. His hands landed on the wall above me and he kept me still with the weight of his body.

“You are the most infuriating girl I’ve ever met,” he said, his blue eyes staring into mine.

As nervous as I felt, I wouldn’t let him see my fear. “Then let me go and you never have to see me again.”

“Oh, I wish it were that simple.”