Page 7 of Chase Lovett Wants Me

This is getting awkward.

Her tongue darts out and drags across her full bottom lip.

I wait for her to say something. Anything. But all I get is more silence.

While we have this weird standoff, I take in the angles of her face. She has high cheekbones and a delicate nose. Her lips are full and pouty, and her chin is dainty. Her frame swims in the giant hoodie. I’m positive she’s the same girl I spotted in class and getting on the elevator in my building last week.

I’m not sure how long I stand there, but eventually I thumb over my shoulder. “I’m just gonna…”

I back up toward the door and rush out of the room. Obviously, there’s been some kind of mistake. I wait forever for the elevator to take me back to the lobby. Should have taken the stairs.

Some girl is freaking out. Like legit snot-sobbing all over the place. “You don’t understand! If I don’t have my creams, my face will be a mess by morning! I can’tnothave them. And it’s not over the counter. It’s a prescription and my whole life will be ruined without it!”

I approach Colby, but he holds up a hand. “Whatever your issue is, it’ll have to wait until morning. I’m already dealing with enough.”

A group of girls in the corner eye me. I’m not in the mood to be accosted, especially since I still don’t have a fucking shirt. I avoid the elevator and run up six flights of stairs to Brody and Gage’s room. I’m unsurprised to find them sprawled out on their beds watching hockey, surrounded by vending machine snacks.

“I have a problem.”

“Is Cameron a serial killer?” Gage asks.

“No. Cameron’s a girl.”

“Have you hooked up with her before?” Brody’s eyes are suddenly alight with excitement.

Of course he would be all kinds of gleeful about me ending up rooming with a past hookup. I’m not a total playboy, but I like sex, and girls like me, so I’ve enjoyed the perks of being on the hockey team and no parental guidance over the past couple of months. But lately, it’s become…boring.

“No, dude. They obviously made a mistake, but Colby is dealing with drama so I couldn’t explain the situation.”

“Is she hot?” Brody asks.

“I mean, not in, like, a typical way.”

“Does that mean she is or isn’t hot?” Gage presses.

Gage has a very specific type. Either, off-limits like his math tutor. Or, since he can’t have her, anyone who seems interested in him and a party, preferably at the same time.

“She’s not your type.” She has the kind of face you want to keep looking at because it’s not like anyone else’s. “Can I crash here?” They have two beds and no couch, but a single shitty computer chair and an old desk.

Gage looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Bro, we’re all over six-two and these are double beds. No, you can’t crash here, unless you want to sleep on the floor.”

“Seriously? Hotel floors are gross.”

“I’ll sleep with Cameron.” Brody brushes crumbs off his shirt as he sits up.

“No. That’s not…” I shake my head. “No.”

“So she is hot.”

“Yeah, but she’s weird. I showed up and tried to talk to her, and she just screamed then stared at me like I had two heads.”

“Maybe she’s an exchange student and English isn’t her first language,” Brody suggests.

“Her laptop had an English sticker on it.”

“Maybe she’s HOH and communicates through ASL,” Gage offers. He’s fluent in ASL because of his younger sister.

“Maybe? But she was wearing earbuds, so I don’t think so. Could be wrong though.”

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