Page 7 of Hate Me

“Yeah, it means you’re not the dick I took you for after all.”

“Ouch,” I said, slapping my hand to my chest in a dramatic fashion. “That’s harsh.”

“Really? And you didn’t think something similar of me before encountering me in this group?”

“Nope.”

“Come on, you must’ve had your own perception formed.”

“Hot model and social media marketing genius.”

She stilled, then her lips parted. “Wow, that’s… really sweet.” She slapped my shoulder playfully. “Thanks a lot, now I feel like a complete shit.”

“Well, I aim to please.”

She burst out laughing.

And, somehow, so did I.

When we’d recovered, she took a step toward me and an awareness that I hadn’t felt for so long rolled over me at the nearly-there brush of another against me. “You want to get a coffee, or something? Another coffee, I mean? Or maybe dinner later?”

Shit. This was moving along. Too quickly. Managing this interaction had been a big enough step for me as it was, I hadn’t considered how to handle anything beyond this.

Fortunately, I didn’t actually have to yet because I had a thing. “I actually have a project to finish for class. It’s crunch time right now.” And that just highlighted how much I’d actually needed to come here for this extra session, while I had that workload on my shoulders.

“All right, then another time?”

“Maybe.”

Maybe? What was I doing?

“Hmm, maybe. That really makes a girl feel she’s got your interest.”

“No, I mean… yes… I just—”

“Here,” she said, pulling her phone from her tiny jeweled pink purse. “Give me your number.”

I reeled it off to her.

In the very next moment, my phone buzzed.

I pulled it out and swiped it open to see a text.

Unknown Number: Ashley here. Note to Sebastian: make a date with me. Super chill date, no pressure.

I grinned and added her number into my phone. “Got it.”

“Yeah? You’re sure?” she teased.

“I’m sure.”

“Good, then I’m gonna head out. Have a good night, Sebastian.”

“You too.”

I watched her go, her hips swinging in that bold pink skirt as she did. She shot a look over her shoulder and winked at me, letting me know she’d done it on purpose. And then she turned the corner and headed out of my eyeline.

My smile faded as she disappeared from view and that sight slammed up against a memory I couldn’t swallow down fast enough before it was given breath.

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