Page 65 of Only With You

As it does, my mind strays to the blonde girl who has recently decided to occupy a small part of my brain. It’s just a slight portion of it, but still, her presence has taken residence and has refused to leave. Of course this would happen, because even in my own head, Julianna does whatever she wants.

The one place that’s supposed to be mine has now been tainted by the person who’s supposed to mean nothing to me. Now she’s in my thoughts, occupying space in my brain she has no business residing in, and it’s fucking with me.

Glancing back up at the screen, I smother my chuckle, scrubbing my palm over my stubble.

The universe has me fucked up.

The one girl I’ve despised wholeheartedly, and who mutually feels the same for me, is in love with me. No, notme, but Haptic, the online persona I created on YouTube seven years ago.

A knock on my bedroom door ceases my thoughts.

The distraction is nice, but when I hear the lively voice on the other side, I’m not sure what’s worse. My defiant thoughts on a particular blonde or the aggravating bloke on the other side of my door.

Begrudgingly, I choose the latter and shift my laptop so the screen is facing away from the door.

No one, including my best friends, knows about my YouTube account. It’s not that I don’t trust them, but this is something that feels too intimate to share with anyone else.

Pulling the door ajar, I stare at my animated roommate.

“Landon.” He vibrantly smiles, showing off his perfect, straight, white teeth. “My best friend.”

“I already told Jagger no.”

They’re throwing a party tonight, and while I wanted to have nothing but peace and quiet, that’s not going to happen. But I’m not going to rain on their parade, which is why I asked Polly and Gabby if I could stay at their apartment. They’re coming to the party, and from what I understand, so is their roommate.

That’s great for me, because there’s only so much of her I can put up with. And I swear if I keep thinking about her, I’m going to lose it.

“I’m not here to get you to stay. Although, I really think you should, but that’s beside the point. I actually have something for you.” He digs in his front pocket and pulls out a small folded piece of paper.

He holds it up, but I don’t take it.

“What’s that?”

“Take it and find out.”

I narrow my eyes, inspecting the paper, but it’s so small and folded that I can’t see anything. “Not until you tell me what it is.”

Saint’s smile lifts higher and something playful glistens in his eyes. “Oh, come on, just take it. You know you want to.”

“I really don’t.” I go to shut my door, but he shoves his foot in right before I get to. “Saint, I really don’t have the energy, nor the desire to deal with you right now.”

“Come on, take it,” he whines and pushes his hand toward me. “I had to bribe Bre to give it to me. Come on, take it.”

That piques my interest. “What do you mean you had to bribe her? Why?”

“Because this may or may not be a particular person’s private Instagram account.”

How underwhelming and a waste of time.

“I don’t use Instagram.” I didn’t delete the account, just the app off my phone.

He groans, throwing his head back. “God, you’re no fun. Can you just take the paper? I swear you won’t regret it.”

My gaze veers to my laptop and back to him. “If I take it, will you leave?”

“Yes.”

As I take the paper from his palm, he removes his foot, but he doesn’t walk away. He stares at me expectantly and I’m tempted to shut the door in his face, but I refrain from doing so.

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