Page 71 of Consume Me

“What’s going on between you and Blake?” Tyson asks once he returns from the bathroom, freshly changed.

“Nothing.” I want everything with him, but it’s improbable, so I won’t dwell on it.

I feel my phone vibrate, likely with a new message. I ignore it, even though taming my curiosity to know what Blake texted me is the hardest thing possible––a fight I barely win.

The moment we’re outside, Tyson snaps a selfie of us. I roll my eyes at him as he sends it to someone, and we walk to the main campus.

I feel Blake long before I can locate him. He leans against the wall in an alcove, watching me and ignoring everyone around him. His intense look crawls inside of me, fisting my heart. Still, I look ahead.

Tyson kisses my cheek and walks over to a group of friends.

With shaky breaths, I walk to my class. Only once seated do I pull my phone out and read the string of messages.

Let’s do it your way, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

You went to him? Oh, Silver. Now I am truly pissed off.

I am going to fuck him up so good, he will never think of putting his mouth on you again.

A delicious shiver runs down my spine. I am crazy. There’s no other possible explanation for liking Blake’s jealousy so much. But if he thinks I am a possession, he can shove that up his ass until it comes out of his mouth as an epiphany that I’m not.

Who does he think he is?The only guy my heart, body, and soul react to. Until him, I thought reading romance books set the bar too high—that no one could ever come close. Then he crashed into my life, a tsunami wiping out my damn foundation, leaving me bereft in its wake.

I search for Blake whenever I move from class to class, and every time I don’t spot him, anger turns to sadness, and ultimately to dejection. It’s like reliving the first time I found out he left, leaving me destitute. But my heart knew the night before that he would do it, and I couldn’t stop him. I tried. I pleadedwith him not to go, and when I couldn’t convince him, I called him a coward.

The days after he left were pure agony. My heart went through debilitating grief that made every day a chore to wake up and go on with my life.

That’s why I should have stayed away this time around. My eyes glisten, making it hard for me to see where I am walking. When he vanishes this time, I will be left a shadow of myself.

Pull yourself together, I command, and my body follows through.

When I let myself into the house, Blake glares a hole in the wall he almost fucked me against. I wonder what goes on in his mind.

I went through that night in my head so many times, I still dream about it.

“A movie?” Abi says from the couch, and I nod. By the time I drop my jacket and bag in my room, the buttery, salty scent of popcorn wafts through the air. I prepare a bag in the microwave and head toward the theater room.

Celine is lying on Kaden’s lap, and Abigail is cuddled up to Dane’s side. Meanwhile, Hunter and Bailey sit stiffly next to each other. It must be uncomfortable sitting like that for an entire movie.

I take my seat, and of course, Blake sits next to me at the far end of the couch.

“There’s enough space,” I mumble low.

Our thighs brush, and a current zaps through me. He looks at where our bodies meet, and I can’t help but wonder if he feels it too.Stop being delusional.

I pop a kernel into my mouth, and Blake plucks one from my bag.

“You could have made yourself one.”

“But you like to share your things with me.”

My spine goes ramrod straight. My brother is sitting next to me, but Hunter has his eyes set on the movie.

I whip my head to Blake and whisper sharply, “Eyes on the movie.”

He doesn’t turn. Instead, he peruses every inch of the side of my face, as if he’s searching for something.

“Stop looking at me.”

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