Page 34 of I Hate You More

Bile rose up in my throat as my gaze skimmed over the words typed across the bottom of the page. It was my phone number and an invitation tocall Ally for a good time. There was only one person in this school who hated me enough to do such a terrible thing…

I scrunched the poster into a ball and threw it away from me as hot tears pricked the corners of my eyes. The paper skidded across the ground before coming to a rest against the wall. As I looked up from it, I realized I’d drawn quite a crowd. Kids had paused all along the corridor to watch me and I had to wonder what was wrong with them. Did they enjoy my pain? Did they like seeing me upset?

I swallowed a heavy lump in my throat and tried not to cry. I thought that living with Chase was going to be the worst thing to happen to me this year, but apparently, I was wrong.

“Ally…” I turned to find Chase behind me, his eyes dark and filled with anger. I’d seen the expression on his face a million times before, but something about it was wilder now, and I couldn’t understand why. I expected him to be smug about the posters, not angry.

I took a step back from him, crossing my arms over my chest. “Why would you do this?” My throat felt scratchy, and my voice sounded hoarse, like it hadn’t been used in forever.

He shook his head. “I didn’t—”

“Don’t lie to me,” I growled. “You were standing right where this picture was taken on Saturday night. I know it was you.”

“I swear it wasn’t me.”

I didn’t believe him. And I didn’t want to hear any more of what he had to say, so I turned and fled down the corridor, rushing toward the front of the school. I’d felt so brave when I’d stepped up on the podium to dance on Saturday night, but all of that strength escaped me now, and I had no idea how to face the posters plastered all over school.

I somehow managed to stop myself from crying until I reached the parking lot. I didn’t have my keys though, so I sagged down next to the car and bundled my knees up to my chest. I pressed my head against them as I took deep breaths in and out. It was just a prank—Iknewthat—but that didn’t stop the fact it hurt.

“Ally?”

I looked up and let out a relieved breath as I saw Tessa and Mia both rushing across the parking lot toward me. They didn’t slow down until they reached me and crouched down at my side.

“You saw the posters,” Tessa said, her eyes filled with sadness.

I nodded and wiped my hand under my eye. “Yeah, I saw them.”

“Please don’t cry, Ally,” Mia said. “I’m sure no one believes you’re actually a stripper.”

“Well, I really hope not,” I said. “Although some of the messages on my phone beg to differ.”

Tessa started to scowl. “Well, whoever is messaging you is an idiot, and you better believe we’re going to find the person who did this and make them pay.”

I sighed and rested my head back against the car. “Well, I’m pretty sure we don’t need Sherlock Holmes to solve the case. It was Chase.”

“What?” Mia gasped. “He would never.”

I shrugged. “Apparently, tormenting me at home wasn’t enough.”

Tessa was shaking her head though. “You guys always bicker, but he’s never lied about you before. I don’t believe he’d do something like this.”

“I guess he’s just more of an ass than we knew.” My phone vibrated in my pocket, but I refused to answer it. I was going to need a new number.

“What are you going to do about Chase?” Mia asked. Her voice had quieted a little, like she was nervous to ask me.

I looked back at the school as I considered her question. We already had a plan for getting rid of him, but the idea of dating someone who could do something so cruel to me was abhorrent. On the other hand, living with that person was worse.

My gaze hardened as I turned back to my friends. “I’m going to go through with the plan and get rid of him for good.”

They both looked at me with surprise. “Are you sure you can handle it?” Mia asked.

“I don’t have much of a choice.” I shrugged. “I’m still not certain the plan’s working, but it’s the only option I’ve got.”

“Oh, it’s working,” Tessa said. “I saw him looking at you on the dance floor on Saturday night, and he couldn’t take his eyes off you.”

“Sure, and putting up posters at school claiming I’m a stripper was just his way of telling me he loves me,” I said with a roll of my eyes.

“I have heard that’s how most psychos express their love,” Mia said with a laugh.

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