Page 70 of I Hate You More

I dashed up the stairs, happy to be free of the strange tension Chase’s parents brought to the house. They seemed friendly enough, but it was hard to tell when their faces showed so little expression.

Chase’s bedroom door was closed when I reached it, and I knocked. “Go away, Shane. I don’t want to talk about it.”

I frowned. “It’s not Shane.”

The door opened, and before I had a chance to look at Chase, he grabbed hold of my wrist and pulled me into the room. As soon as the door shut behind me, we were kissing. The kiss was hot and desperate, like Chase couldn’t get enough of me, like I was the key to forgetting his problems.

Deep within me, I felt the urge to kiss him back with just as much passion, but it didn’t feel right, and I jerked away. “What are you doing, Chase?” I whispered.

His eyes were stormy, and his shoulders were tense. “I think it’s pretty obvious what I’m doing,” he replied. His voice held none of the kindness he’d shown me in the last few days, and I hated the distance that seemed to stretch between us.

“Well, I don’t really appreciate being used,” I replied, because that was exactly what it felt like.

He gave a humorless laugh. “You think I was using you?”

“Well, you certainly weren’t romancing me,” I replied, folding my arms over my chest. “What is up with you?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“What? You’d rather just make out and ignore your issues?”

He shrugged. “Seems like a much better plan to me.”

I huffed out a breath. “Like I said, I don’t want to be used. Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong.”

His gaze darkened as he finally met my eyes. “Nothing’s wrong,” he growled. “And if you’re not going to be useful, you can get out.” He was lashing out at me, but I wasn’t sure what I’d done wrong. I felt sure it had something to do with his parents, but if he wouldn’t talk to me about it, then I could only make a guess. Still, he didn’t need to be so horrible to me. I was just trying to help.

“Whatever, Chase. I thought we were getting along, but I knew it wouldn’t last long. You just can’t help but be a jerk.” I shook my head, frustrated that we so easily reverted to our old ways.

I turned toward the door but paused and looked back at him as I opened it. “By the way, your parents are here and dinner’s being served.” I walked out without waiting for a response. He could be rude if he wanted, but I’d never taken it before and I wasn’t about to take it now.

* * *

Dinner wasabout the most awkward affair I’d ever attended. Shane, Chase, and I all sat totally silent at the table while Dad and Mr. Williams kept reminiscing about the good old days at school. If I had to listen to one more tale about their glory days on the football team, I was going to scream.

“Of course, Chase will never get a chance to experience the high of winning the state championship, seeing as he quit the team,” Mr. Williams said. His eyes were staring daggers at Chase across the table.

Chase refused to look up from his empty plate though. He kept slowly scraping his fork across its surface like he was searching for food that wasn’t there. His dad almost seemed to be baiting him, urging him to react. Chase remained remarkably calm though, which was totally unlike him. He never reigned in his broody temper around me.

“You’ll certainly be leading your team to victory though, won’t you Shane?” Mr. Williams turned his attention on my brother.

“We sure hope so,” Shane replied, though he sent a nervous look in Chase’s direction.

Chase had told me his dad wasn’t happy he’d quit football last year, but I never would have guessed he felt this strongly about it. Judging by the tension in the room, it was an extremely sore spot for his dad.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I was relieved to have an excuse to look down at it rather than continue focusing on the train wreck of a dinner I was being forced to sit through.

Tessa: How’s your dinner?

I’d messaged her when I heard Chase’s parents were coming over. I thought tonight would be boring, but this dinner was even worse than I’d expected. I replied to her text with a grimacing face emoji.

Tessa: That bad, huh?

Me: Worse. This dinner is the most awkward thing ever!!!

Tessa: Worse than the time you dropped dinner on the floor and your dad’s friends had to order takeout?

Me: Waaaay worse.

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