Page 70 of Chaos at Westbrook High

“Yeah, but that’s not the point.”

“What’s the point?”

I glare at the ceiling, but I don’t push him away or stop him from making out with my throat.

“I hate you.”

“You keep telling yourself that,” he teases, pulling his phone out from pocket to unlock it.

“What are you doing?”

“My dad makes us get tested once a month. Well, just me now ‘cause my brothers are married and happy and shit. My last one came back three weeks ago. I’m negative.”

“What are you doing?” I repeat.

“Calling Wren to ask him to send me a photo?—”

“Do not call Wren!” I snatch the phone out of his hand in a panic. “Jesus.”

“Hailey?”

I look down when I hear Wren saying my name, realizing the call is already connected. Hitting Kai with a warning look that says, I’ll castrate you, I hand it back to him.

“Hey,” he says, pressing it to his ear.

We’re so close, I hear it when Wren speaks again. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

Wren pauses, then asks, “What’s wrong with you?”

Kai’s looking right at me, and the grin on his face is as big as I’ve ever seen it. “Nothin’.”

“Okay… Are you sure?”

I expect Kai to make something up, to tell him he called him by accident or something, but I’m starting to learn that Kai doesn’t lie.

“Yeah. I gotta go. Bye.”

“Kai, wait?—”

“I’m good, brother. I promise. I’ll be home soon.”

Wren sounds relieved. “Okay. See you later.”

“Later.”

“Don’t fuck it up.”

Kai stifles a laugh and hangs up on him, putting the phone back into his pocket.

Standing in my entryway with his arms wrapped around my waist, I clear my throat and say, “I’m negative too.”

He stares at me. I stare back.

“Three weeks?” I ask, chewing the inside of my cheek. “How am I supposed to know you haven’t?—”

“I haven’t,” he insists, and although it surprises me, I believe him.

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