Dear Love, I Hate You (Easton High)

This is it.

Game over.

The door starts to ope—

“I need backup on the second floor, room B-2506. Got over a dozen kids up in the library,” calls a masculine voice over the radio, and my joints relax, restoring blood flow to my limbs.

“On it,” Sheriff Daniel replies and shuts the door.

The two men charge down the hall the next second. The moment their footsteps fade out of range, Xavier, Theo, and I let out the longest, deepest sigh of relief I’ve ever heard.

“Holy fuck, that was close.” Theo speaks my mind.

The three of us rise to our feet.

“Now’s our chance. I say we get the hell out while they’re upstairs,” Theo suggests.

“Are you crazy?” I oppose. “There could still be a million of them walking the halls.”

“So?” Theo shrugs. “Running sounds a hell of a lot better than staying put, just waiting to get busted.”

“She’s right, dude,” Xavier chimes in. “The school is crawling with cops. I think we should just wait it out.”

“Fuck this, we’ll be here all night,” Theo opposes.

“It won’t get to that. They’re clearing out soon,” Xavier says.

“Suit yourselves. I’m not spending another fucking second in here.” Theo advances toward the door, opens it quietly, and shoulder-checks us. “Later, losers.”

He’s gone before I know it.

Silence descends upon the chemistry lab. Neither Xavier nor I say a word for a minute, paying close attention to the nonexistent noises outside of the classroom. It sure doesn’t sound like Theo’s getting chased or handcuffed out there.

>

I take it that’s a good sign?

I meet Xavier’s gaze and come to the conclusion that yes, his eyes are just as mesmerizing in the dark, and yes, I still have a very inconvenient crush on him.

“Maybe he’s right and we should book it,” I whisper.

He gives a weak nod.

“Okay, but you go first.” He gestures to the door.

The look on my face must be priceless because Xavier stifles a laugh at my expression.

“Relax, it’s just in case shit goes wrong. I’ll hold them off.”

“B-but what about you?” I worry.

“Aveena, listen to me.” He moves closer to me, the sound of my name rolling off his tongue weirdly intoxicating, and I try my best to school my racing heart.

Now is so not the time, heart.

“I set off a stink bomb inside the school, a stink bomb, and all I got was two weeks of detention,” he points out. “That’s a fucking joke for what I did. My mom’s the principal, and I’m team captain. I’ll be fine, Vee. You won’t.”

I’m forced to admit he has a point.