Page 35 of Rebel Romeo

“Well, it’s Keith’s words… not Shakespeare.”

“Semantics. It’s still a lot to remember.”

Her face softened. Compassion. It looked good on her. Like every other fucking thing on the planet. No matter her mood, Katherine was fucking gorgeous, and I both hated and loved her for it.

I flicked the cigarette to the ground and pressed my toe against the embers.

“I’m free tonight,” she said, sniffing the sugar bomb and dipping her finger into the whipped cream.

“I have football practice.” I’d completely underestimated how much time both football and being in a show would take. I had zero social life ever since the semester started.

“Come over after,” she said, but didn’t finish her thought before we were interrupted.

“Holden!”

Fuck. Me. I squeezed my eyes shut because I recognized that shrill voice behind me. Ever since Addison transferred into our class, she’d been all up our asses. Constantly at my heels and even though she was now fucking my roommate, it was clear that she was only doing it to make me jealous.

I spun to find Addison walking toward us. Her leotard left little to the imagination and a sheer tulip skirt billowed against her thin legs with each step.

I stifled my groan with a gulp of coffee.

Katherine scoffed, the guttural sound rolling in the back of her throat. As she turned to leave, I grabbed her hand, tugging her back toward me.

“Wait,” I pleaded. “Don’t leave me alone with her.”

“Two favors and an apology? How’d I get so lucky in one day?”

“Please?” I whispered, squeezing her hand.

Katherine arched her brow. “Fine. But only because she’s the only person in the world I hate more than you.”

I smiled despite her because we both knew she didn’t hate me. She was pissed at me, sure. But hate? The only thing about me that she hated was how much she wanted me.

But before I could respond, Addison halted mid-step in front of us, her gaze dropping to our linked hands.

“I, uh, was wondering where you were last night,” Addison said, carefully examining Katherine and me. “Ross had a bunch of us over to watch the game, but you and Duncan were MIA.

“We went for ramen,” Katherine answered for me, tilting her chin higher.

Addison’s eyes shifted with uncertainty between us. “Y–you did?”

“Yep. Ramen,” I responded.

It was almost true.

Kind of.

“Right. Well… maybe I’ll see you this weekend? I’ll be at your house.” Ignoring that Katherine was still holding my hand, Addison stepped forward and ran her fingertips down my arm.

Girls can be fucking savage.

“You’ll be there with Ross,” I snapped. “Besides, I have an away game this weekend.” I didn’t bother telling her the ‘away’ game was only twenty minutes away.

“Okay… well, are you coming into class?” The bravado I’d seen in her the last couple of weeks faltered, fracturing at seeing me and Katherine holding hands offstage.

Katherine drifted her arm around the small of my back, hugging me into her. “Yeah, we should probably get in there, Boo-Bear.”

Boo-Bear? Oh, fuck no.

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