Page 96 of Please Hate Me

It was so quiet I could hear him chew.

We maintained eye contact for a moment, but I knew if I waited much longer to eat, I’d throw up. So, as long as he wasn’t talking to me, I wouldn’t talk to him.

I walked to the fridge, feeling his burning gaze on me all the while. The cool air dusted my face as I opened the door and leafed through the sushi containers. I pulled out a roll with yams, cucumbers, avocado, and some brown sauce on top—not my favorite, but it’d be good enough to settle my stomach. I shut the fridge and grabbed a pair of chopsticks from the pile on the counter before hopping up onto one of the barstools at the island.

Lucian was still staring at me.

I looked away, doing my best to ignore him. To my credit, I was doing a damn good job until he plopped himself into the stool beside me and pulled my sushi right out from under me.

“Can I help you?” I asked sharply.

His eyes pinned on mine, and his jaw was tight. Suddenly, it felt like I was interrupting something. As if I’d come downstairs and stolen from them, even though I had written permission.

“Cameron said I could have some. I have the texts to—”

“Not before we talk,” he snapped. “Can you explain why my brother is saying you’re done with us?”

“Because I am.” I tugged the container out of his hands. Just as I started to pop the lid off, Lucian pulled it away again.

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am.” Once again, I stole it back.

“No,” he snatched it away again, “you’re—”

“If I don’t eat right this second, I’m going to vomit on your counter,” I warned.

He hesitated, as if he was actually considering whether he wanted to clean up my puke, before slipping my food back in front of me.

“One piece.”

I snapped the lid off and selected one, popping it in my mouth.

“All the pieces.”

He snagged one from the corner and crammed it down his stupid throat before I could stop him.

“Hey!” I exclaimed with a full mouth.

“Hey, yourself.”

To say that Lucian was grating on my nerves would be a massive understatement.

“You can just tell me you’re pissed off,” I accused.

He glanced at me before taking another piece ofmysushi.

“Stop it!”

“I will if you talk to me.”

I groaned and pushed the container away as I hopped down from the barstool. Sushi wasn’t worth this. I could just go upstairs and—

“So, you’re seriously going to fucking run?” He snorted. “Good to see you never fucking change.”

I stopped in place before turning on my heels. I knew better than anyone that it was best to ignore Lucian—he was just tryingto get a rise out of me. But I couldn’t leave well enough alone, so I marched up to him and jabbed a finger into his chest.

“I have changed plenty, thank you.”

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