Page 47 of Rebel Romeo

Her roommate, Jill, stood in the doorway sporting the most obvious Cheshire grin I’d ever seen.

“Hey you two,” she sang. “Whatcha up to?”

“Studying—”

“Practicing lines.” We spoke in unison and then looked at each other, guilt etched into our expressions.

“Okay, then.” Jill smiled and dropped a frozen pizza on the counter. “Want to stay for dinner?”

She gestured to the pizza.

I looked thoughtfully at it. “No offense, but I’d need, like, two more of these just for me if it’s going to be my dinner.”

“So?” Jill says with a shrug. “We’ll get two more. Or we’ll order real pizza.”

Katherine rolled her eyes at Jill. “And blow the paychecks we just got this weekend? No, thanks.”

A pang twitched in my gut. Despite all the panties I’d bought from Kate. Despite the payments I’d made. Despite her catering job, she still didn’t have enough money to pay for a pizza.

Kate turned those cerulean eyes at me, adding, “But seriously, you should stay. You need to watch Leo and Claire as Romeo and Juliet! Plus, we have mac and cheese and hot dogs we can make as a side dish with the pizza. It’s kind of my specialty.”

Her nose did a cute bunny scrunch thing, and I couldn’t help the stupid grin that curved on my face.

I wanted to stay. I really did. But I also knew that if I stayed, I would end up squished on the couch next to Kate. And I’d probably end up kissing her goodnight. And that kiss would turn into inviting her to dinner. Then all hell would break loose.

“Raincheck?”

Her smile twitched and I could tell she was fighting the urge to frown. Somehow, even though I knew it was impossible, the color of her eyes dimmed. “Sure.”

Jill shrugged and gave me a look like I was the stupidest guy in the world.

I glanced again at their makeshift kitchen. A microwave. One of those large air fryer toaster oven combo things that was probably illegal to have in the dorms. A hot plate that was definitely illegal to have in the dorms.

I gathered my bag, rushing to get the hell out of there. Away from these feelings that were too fucking familiar and yet too foreign all at once.

I’d been here once before. Freshmen year with my one and only girlfriend that my parents utterly sabotaged.

And I wasn’t sure I had it in me to do it again…

Not even with a girl as amazing as Katherine.

Or maybe especially not with a girl as amazing as Katherine.

My mom had already found Katherinee once. I couldn’t let her destroy the only sweet, pure thing in my life.

Katherine followed me to the door, leaning her temple against the doorframe as I stumbled out into the hall. A light flickered above me and the warm, soft glow of the lamp inside framed her like a halo.

Her voice was low and sultry in a way that suggested she wasn’t a virgin, even though I knew better. “I’m holding you to that raincheck, you know. Leo movie night will happen.”

I swallowed, but it lodged at the back of my throat. I was so tired of denying this. Denying Katherine. Denying myself.

“I never said it wouldn’t,” I said, my voice hoarse.

She leaned forward. “And just so you know, Romeo and Juliet is two hours long.”

A smile twitched on my mouth as I leaned forward, too. “The Departed is two and a half hours.”

“I guess we’re in for a long night.”

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