Dare You to Hate Me

Frowning, I gesture pointedly toward the notes still not sure I believe his intentions are innocent. I’ve already got half a page of lecture notes written, proving I’m the one out of the two of us who’s clearly been listening. “The only reason you want to study is because you’re not even paying attention to what he’s saying about Neanderthals.”

He shakes his head instantly. “Nah, I happen to like you and your sass. Wouldn’t mind seeing more of it. Though I wouldn’t mind using your notes either. And before you get all girl power and all that, I’m not trying to use the lame studying excuse as a way to get into your pants. I’d just ask if you wanted to sleep with me if that’s what I was after.”

I blink. “And that works for you?” It shouldn’t be surprising to me. I’ve been in situations where it took a lot less to get me to unbutton my pants.

He gives me a cocky smile. “Every time.”

The professor clears his throat loudly in warning, his eyes cast in our direction. I sink into my seat and shield my face with my hand since m

y faded blue, nearly white, hair is pulled back in a messy braid today.

That doesn’t stop DJ though. Only moments after Relethford goes back to his lesson, he’s back at it again. “Plus, I want to see how Aiden reacts.”

I can’t pretend that doesn’t interest me. “I don’t see why that matters,” I lie. Whether he believes me or not, I don’t know. Maybe if he were Aiden, he’d know my tells.

DJ leans in. “He was pissed, you know. Would have thought finally getting some would calm him down. He’s too tense all the time. I don’t know what you did, but it only made him worse.”

My lips snap together. There’s not much I can say to that. Whatever happened between us is nobody else’s business, and I walked away that night knowing it was better for both of us.

That’s not true.

I walked away for me.

He bumps my knee with his. “What do you say? You know where we live. Come over. We can get this guide done and study for the test. Maybe order some food. I won’t even try copping a feel, though I’m sure you’d like it.”

I snort over his certainty, starting to shake my head over his offer when he does something I haven’t seen since I was at least seven. He gives me the puppy dog look.

And for some reason, it works for him.

“Give me an hour,” he pleads, sticking his lip out and batting his lashes.

His theatrics make me sigh. “It’ll take longer than that to get all the answers down, much less study them.”

His eyes light up. “Is that a yes?”

I shrug. If I want to keep my grades up, I need a quieter place to study than my house. I usually hide out in the library on the third floor, but I’ve learned that’s where a lot of people like to go to hookup, and the noises I’ve heard from the periodicals are almost traumatizing.

“Fine.”

“I’ll give you my number,” he says, starting to take out his phone.

My nose scrunches before I can stop it, making him snicker. “No. I’ll swing by tomorrow at five. We need to start ASAP if either of us stands a chance.”

He sticks his hand out. “Deal.”

I don’t shake it and ignore him the rest of class.

Bea’s is almost closing when I get called into the back by the namesake herself. Her white hair is chopped short into a pretty pixie cut that only someone with her lean facial structure can pull off. She’s smiling like usual when I walk in, gesturing toward the counter with ingredients covering it.

“What’s up, Bets?” When Elena tried calling her that, Bea lectured her on how she’d always be Grandma or Grandma Bea to her. Lena smacked me later when it was just the two of us again because I’d laughed, cementing her Ivyprofen nickname for me.

She picks up an apron and passes it to me. “I’m going to teach you how to make my famous pumpkin cheesecake bars like we discussed. Don’t think I forgot about it.”

My stomach growls over the sound of them, which she smiles at. I tie the apron around my waist and look at all the ingredients. “Are they new? I don’t remember seeing them on any fall list from last year.”

One of her wrinkly hands, aged and scarred from all her kitchen mishaps in the past, waves at me. “I always change up the fall menu. These kids always want pumpkin something or other this time of year. Might as well play around and profit from it. Before now, only my family has ever had these.”

That makes me smile wider. “You could always cave and start offering pumpkin spice—”