Dare You to Hate Me

“Stop talking.”

“Start listening.”

She levels with me. “I’m not leaving.”

Figured as much. “Even if this place is making you sick? You can’t go to work or school if you’re feeling like—”

“Please don’t,” she cuts me off, eyes glazed but hard on my face. “Don’t show that you care. That makes… It’s hard for me, okay?”

My jaw ticks, but I nod in understanding. I don’t know what’s happening between us, but neither of us is stupid enough to believe that it’s nothing. It means a lot more than we want to acknowledge—Ivy more than me for some reason.

She nibbles her bottom lip. “It’s probably from the weather changing, that’s all. Everyone gets sick this time of year.”

“Do you need anything? Medicine?” My tone is rough from the rejection, but I know it’s better that I ask even if I can guess her answer.

“No.”

I stare at the soup she stopped sipping, thinking about what Coach said about distractions. I ignore his words though. “Keep eating.”

“Don’t boss me around.”

“Don’t be stubborn.”

We stare at each other, her eyes narrow into a glare, mine distant but firm. To my surprise, she backs down first.

I glance at the watch on my wrist that doubles as my fitness tracker and sigh at the time. I promised Everly I’d stop by this afternoon. His mother won’t be happy if I bail like I had to last time because of the shit practice I had that left me in a bad mood.

“I need to get going soon, but I can run to the store for some—”

“Just go,” she tells me roughly, spooning out more broccoli pieces and staring at them. “I don’t need anything from you except for you to lea

ve me alone. Get the hint.”

I stand, stuffing my hands in my jacket pockets to hide them clenching. “Tough luck for you. I’m not letting you get your way that easily. If I didn’t have anywhere else to go, I’d stay here and bug you until you fall asleep.”

She deadpans. “Then what? You’d watch me snore?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Silence.

I know I’m not being fair, but when is life ever that way? We all have to come to terms with what we’re given, and the nights I got to watch her sleep peacefully beside me in bed were some of my favorites. When I dozed next to her, it was usually the best sleep I got. I wasn’t going to tell her I slept like shit after she left.

“I’ll check in on you later,” I tell her, grabbing one of the drinks Bea slipped into the carrier. I’m a few steps away when I turn to look at her again and ask what haunts me. “Did they ever do anything to you that I don’t know about?”

Confusion twists her face as she lowers her soup again. “Who?”

I drag the tip of my tongue across my bottom lip and shift my weight. “Your parents. Did they ever… I don’t know, did they hit you? Take things further than you let on?”

My blood boils from the thought alone, and simmers when she quickly says, “Jesus, Aiden. Never. They just always fought and said…things. Some people are better off not being parents, that’s all.”

Nostrils flaring, I give her a few short nods before rolling my shoulders back. “Needed to be sure.”

She’s quiet, refusing to look at me.

I quietly add, “I’m glad the assholes decided to be parents, even if they sucked at it.”

She doesn’t get a response in before I’m walking back up the stairs. Instead of returning the key to its spot, I slide it into my coat pocket and notice a few girls in the kitchen watching me from where they’re pulling food from the fridge.