Chasing Red (Chasing Red 1)

“I told you not to drink that milk shake, Kar.”

She groaned and went straight to a bathroom stall. “Why do I have to be lactose intolerant? Why? Why?” she lamented, slamming the door. “Why the fuck don’t people flush the toilet? Do they think I enjoy looking at their crap? Enjoy smelling it? Fucking flush the toilet already!” she growled.

I heard a toilet flush.

“I think you’re right. You need to get laid.”

“I’m gonna find that god we saw earlier. Just watch me. He is hot enough to compete with that asshole Cameron. He even has a tongue ring. Did you know Cameron has one too? And I don’t know if you’ve figured this out or not, but our names are kinda similar—Cam/Kara/Kar, it’s like karma. Isn’t that sweet as fuck?”

Here we go again.

Chapter Twelve

Caleb

The last thing I thought I would ever be was a clingy boyfriend.

I dated girls, I hung out with girls, I slept with girls—but that was about it. There was never anyone I was even close to being serious with, and I was fine with that.

Ignorance is bliss and all that crap.

Why did Red make me want more?

I’d finally convinced her to let me drive her to school. Barely. She didn’t give an inch. If she did, she made me work for it. Some mornings I’d find her gone, so I made sure to wake up earlier than usual.

I used to hate waking up early, but now I liked it because there was something to look forward to.

I glanced at her as I drove us to school. I could only see her beautiful profile: the catlike slant of her eye, the slash of her cheekbone, the fullness of her bottom lip, her dark hair whipping in the wind from the open window. And my heart ached a little.

What is it about this girl?

Red tore my world apart, brick by brick, and revealed something more. Something inside me I had long forgotten. Something I yearned for.

“What are you doing after class tonight?” I asked. “And don’t say work because I know it’s your night off.”

When she didn’t respond, I threw her a glance. She was biting her lip, looking indecisive. Her hand was tightly wrapped around her seat belt. I spotted a small cut on the skin of one of her knuckles. I had noticed her skin was sensitive and easily bruised.

My chest tightened.

I wanted to shield this girl.

More than anything in my life.

But why? Why her? Why now?

Was it because she was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen? Was it because she was the first girl to turn me down? Was it because she was a challenge?

I’d seen her wake up early every day, go to school and work, and even though exhausted after a full day, she’d make sure I had something to eat. The light would be on in her room late at night, and I knew she was studying. Through her door, I could hear the soft background music she played, hear her muffled voice as she memorized her notes, but what I never heard was a complaint. Not even once.

She worked hard without expecting much in return, and when she received more than she expected, she was distrustful. It was like watching someone at war with the world every day. And maybe she was. Maybe that was why she’d set her defenses so high, never dropping them for even a moment. Maybe she didn’t even know how to let them down anymore.

She was like a puzzle that was missing a few pieces. Maybe I’d carve my own pieces to complete her.

I was treading dangerous waters, and I was clueless how a real relationship worked, but I was never one to give up easily when I really wanted something. And I wanted a relationship with this girl.

She didn’t want to commit to me. She wanted it slow, so we’d take it slow.

“I’m studying for exams tonight,” she finally answered me.