Page 49 of I Hate You More

16

Ally

I could feelChase’s gaze against my skin as he followed me back out to the pool area. I wasn’t as uncomfortable as I might have been in the past though, and it seemed like the usual animosity he had toward me was missing from his stare. Maybe that meant we’d already made some progress.

My heart was still fluttering in my chest after plucking up the courage to offer him a truce. I’d been nervous to talk to him so openly, but it had been surprisingly easy, and I’d almost enjoyed lowering my walls for a second to connect with him.

It was a risk, but it would be worth it. Tessa was right: we were never going to get anywhere until I’d cleared the air between us.

“How did it go?” Tessa asked as I came to join her. She nodded at the other side of the pool, and I didn’t need to look to know she was indicating in Chase’s direction. I could sense him across the yard like we were connected by a taut piece of string.

Miles and Mia were in the pool with some of Shane’s friends. It was a really strange gathering as our two groups never mingled at school. The guys didn’t seem to mind though, and my friends weren’t exactly complaining.

“He agreed to the truce.”

Tessa grinned. “I have to admit, I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“You didn’t?”

“Well, put you and Chase in a situation where you have to interact, and you both tend to self-combust. I wasn’t sure you could handle being cordial enough to come to a truce with him.”

“I don’t self-combust,” I grumbled.

“You kind of do.” She laughed. “You guys just can’t help but set each other off.”

“Hence why I can’t handle living with the guy for the next year of my life,” I replied with a sigh. “If he didn’t set me off, or I could control my temper around him, this wouldn’t be the problem it is.”

“Well, you’re going to have to control it now. At least, in the short-term,” Tessa said. “I’d say stage two is coming along pretty nicely.”

I stole a glance in Chase’s direction. He was talking with my brother and Luke and was actually smiling as he spoke. Chase looked like a completely different person when he wasn’t scowling. I always thought of my brother as a sun and Chase as the thundercloud that followed it everywhere it went. But, when Chase smiled, he transformed into a star of his own that shone far brighter than I ever realized.

When he looked like that, a part of me felt bad that I was try to get rid of him. But the moment I recalled his true nature and the unforgivable things he’d done to me, I was easily able to ignore any surfacing guilt.

As it started to grow dark, everyone moved inside. Shane ordered us some pizzas as some of the boys were starting to get a bit tipsy from the beers they’d been drinking. I had a quick shower and changed into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt before heading back to the rest of the group. I knew Tessa would be disappointed with my outfit, but after a day out in the sun, I wanted to wear something comfortable. Besides, according to her, I’d already accomplished step one and was making good progress with step two.

As I headed back downstairs, I noticed the music had been turned up and was blasting so loud it was impossible to hear any of the voices in the living room. It was a miracle I managed to hear the doorbell ring when I reached the bottom of the stairs.

I went to get it, expecting it to be the pizza delivery. Instead, a large group of kids from school were standing at the door. They didn’t wait for me to invite them inside and barreled past me into the house before I could utter a word of protest.

I frowned as I slowly trailed after them, and my jaw dropped when I entered the living room to find it packed with people. Miles was the only one of my friends I could see and I grabbed him by the arm, turning him toward me. “When did all these people get here?”

“Just in the last twenty minutes or so,” he replied. He looked just as annoyed as I was that our casual gathering had become a full-blown house party. Neither one of us were really party people.

“But what are they doing here?”

“I think you’ll have to ask your brother that,” Miles replied. “And if this is the way tonight is going, I might head off. I got a bit too much sun this afternoon, and this music is giving me a headache.”

I could tell Miles wasn’t lying because the bridge of his nose had turned bright red. Still, I knew him well enough to understand a house party wasn’t his scene. If the party wasn’t happening in my house, I’d probably have bailed as well.

I smiled at him and sighed. “Take me with you?”

Miles laughed and held his arms out wide. “You’re more than welcome to come if you want.”

I shook my head though. “No, I should stay.” I couldn’t just abandon my house at a time like this. “Someone needs to keep an eye on things here.”

“Good luck then. I’ll see you on Monday,” he said. “Tell the girls I say goodbye.”

I nodded and gave him a little wave before turning back to the room to try to find my brother. He was over by the kitchen, and I made a beeline straight toward him. Well, as straight as I could. I had to weave my way through the growing crowd of partying students that separated us.

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