Page 107 of College-Virgin & Dark Bully Next-Door

I push my curtain to the side before going to work and see hers drawn. As if nothing happened at all between us. It was just some kind of hyper-intense fever dream. In which case … I’m ready to go back to sleep and have Sky to myself again – pathetic or not.

Fuck. I’m going to end up begging.

Chapter 32

Sky

I check my phone for the fifth time today. Just to ensure that I’m not dreaming, that the email I’d gotten is actually real.

It happened. Finally. I got the internship.

I should be happy. Bouncing for joy. Probably even doing somersaults in the middle of my bedroom, but it’s bitter-sweet.

Sweet that I’m finally on the road to my dreams. Bitter that I can’t share the news with the first person who crossed my mind.

I’m also sad because this confirms that I’ll be leaving in January.

Leaving with unresolved feelings.

Leaving with a load of guilt on my shoulders.

Leaving the guy I’ve fallen in love with.

The cellphone vibrates in my palm. Bonnie has been up my ass, asking if we’re going to see Ash’s finale fight. She wants to see some action, real action, before she leaves. Because I haven’t told her what happened.

That I ended my relationship with Ash.

Entirely.

Chase comes up and nudges me. “Bonnie’s here.”

“Cool.”

“You can do better,” he insists, taking in my somber expression. It’s the same thing he’s said constantly. I get him, but at the same time, I still care about Ash. Too much. And keep regretting everything I said. “You can, Sky, and you said you didn’t want anything distracting you from school or life. See, you’ve finally gotten that internship. Focus on that.”

“I don’t want to hear anymore,” I whisper, the same thing I say every time he brings it up.

Bonnie walks in cautiously and looks between us. Chase raises his hand to pat my shoulder, then hesitates. He exchanges an unreadable look with Bonnie before leaving, the door softly closing behind him.

Bonnie sits beside me. “So…”

“Screw the fight. I ended things with Ash.”

“Yeah, he gave me the cliff notes version. Why didn’t you call me?”

“You were busy packing, so…” I bite my bottom lip and reach for Dracula.

Bonnie gets in the way. “Hell no. No deflecting. I’m here now. Talk.”

So I tell her everything. She flies on her feet when I get to the part that reveals what Peter did. Her hands curl into fists. “That fucker! And here we were, hating Ash all along.”

“Peter’s not even worth the anger, trust me,” I reply wearily. “It changes nothing. The breakup was for the best. It was going to end when I left, anyway. It’s not like I want to do the long-distance thing.”

“No onewantsto do long distance, but they do because the person matters. Does he matter?”

“That’s not fair.”

“Oh, it matters a whole lot right now. Do you like that dumbass enough to have a conversation with him? Enough to stay with him even when you can’t actively fuck him?” When I stay quiet, she blocks me in again. “You’re not touching Drac until you say something.”

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