Page 43 of Little Do You Know

Thalia is pressing buttons on her camera, and I pull my phone out, but the tension is thick. “Haven’t you heard you’re not supposed to go hiking alone? What if you came across a bear or a serial killer?” I ask, trying to lighten the air.

“Bears aren’t too bad. You have to make yourself loud and large to scare them away,” she replies, leaning over to show me what’s on her tiny screen. “This is why I came by myself. It’s hard to find people that will sit and wait for the perfect shot.”

Even on the tiny screen, it’s easy to see that it’ll be incredible when she blows it up. “Maybe you’re just not hanging out with the right people.” I want to sit and wait while Thalia tries to get the perfect shot.

Lia looks skeptically at me, picking up precisely what I’m putting down. “Bash, I’m pretty sure we’re at the point where we don’t need to tiptoe around saying something. If you want to go hiking with me, then say it.”

“That’s not what I’m getting at. I’m just saying that most of your friends here aren’t into the same things you’re into,” I explain, chuckling because imagining Vera out here with Thalia is funny.We all used to go hiking in high school, but now? She would never.

“I’m sure if I asked Landon, he would come,” she muses, and I can’t hide the look of surprise on my face.

“I didn’t realize you guys were talking again.”

Her fingers are tapping rapidly on her knee. “He apologized. I guess Landon only asked because Vera told him I liked him.”

I hate how that hurts to hear. It was just sex between us. I shouldn’t be jealous of Landon, especially after she was adamant about not liking him. The same could be said for how Thalia feels about me, but that doesn’t change our chemistry.

“Do you?”

She laughs dryly, looking at me with annoyance. At least that hasn’t changed. “Yes, Sebastian. I’m so interested in him that I got plastered after he asked me out, and then I had sex with you. I definitely like him.”

I feel slightly better. “Why would Vera tell him that?” I ask, ignoring the bite in her voice.

“That’s what I was out here trying to figure out. I couldn’t come up with an answer that made sense. It all sounds ridiculous now that I’m saying it out loud.”

“I’m sorry.”

Thalia pulls one of her legs up to her chest to rest her chin on her knee. “It’s not your fault; I don’t want you to apologize. I should be apologizing for my attitude. I’m acting like an asshole.”

“You’re not an asshole. I would know.” I bump her shoulder with mine. “I don’t know how to help with Vera.”

“I don’t need your help; you don’t owe me anything, Sebastian,” she says stubbornly, but I would expect nothing less from Thalia. We took one tiny step forward and three giant steps back.

“I do. An apology that I should have said a long time ago,” I start to say, except Thalia can’t help opening her mouth.

“Stop—”

I let out a frustrated sigh, cutting her off. “Will you just let me apologize without interrupting me?” Her mouth surprisingly shuts, and I sit back against the truck. “I’m sorry that I came and kissed you at your dorm without saying anything. I should have asked first, and I should have talked to you after Owen left. It hurt hearing what you said to him, even though you said it to protect my friendship with him. At least, that’s why I think you said it.”

I’m doing what Mimi said I should do and apologizing. It’s long overdue. I don’t know how to tell her the real reason why her words hurt me so much. I’ve never said the truth out loud to anyone before. I haven’t bought Thalia flowers like I told Mimi I would, but I’m starting in the right direction.

Thalia’s face softens as she turns to look at me. “I’m sorry for saying it. I panicked. Owen was there asking questions, and you were in the bathroom. I…was overwhelmed. I didn’t mean any of it, but I was trying to protect your friendship. I was trying to protect you.”

“I know,” I whisper, shame crawling all over my skin at how I treated Thalia after what I heard. It took me a long time to look past what she said and to look at why she said it. The splash of freckles across her nose is more noticeable today, momentarily attracting my attention. “I get it now. It was a lot.” I can’t help letting my attention fall to her soft lips. I’d give anything to kiss her again.Thalia’s so damn pretty. I was a fool to think once would be enough.

Thalia surprised me the other day. I didn’t know that sex could be fun and erotic at the same time. It caught me off guard, but it also solidified a major issue. For a moment, I didn’t care that Owen could catch us. I didn’t want her to leave my room because I liked holding her.

Thalia surprises me again by laughing softly. “I could have handled it better, but I appreciate the apology. ”

“Lia, what if I don’t want a ceasefire?” The words are terrifying, but I can’t cram them back into my throat once they fall out.

Her green eyes widen with alarm. “What are you trying to say?” Oh shit, there’s a real possibility this isn’t going to go well. I should have just stopped while we were having a pleasant conversation.

“What if it wasn’t just the one time? When we’re not fighting and at each other’s throats, we could…” I trail off as Thalia gapes at me. Maybe this is just something I want and not something she wants.

“We could what? Continue screwing? What the fuck, Bash? I’m worth more than that, and I know it. Just because I sucked your dick doesn’t mean you get to ask me to be your fuck buddy,” she fumes, climbing out of the truck bed quickly.

Oh shit. That’s not where I was going with it. Honestly, it’s a little contradictory, considering she is the one who asked me to have sex with her in the first place.

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