Page 64 of I Despise You
Chapter 23
IDON’T GET OUT OFmy bed unless I really need to. It’s a good thing there are no classes today. I’m not even hungry because I know if I have to go out to the cafeteria, there’s a risk I’m going to see Chase. And I don’t want to see him because it will only hurt more. I’m also mad at myself for even giving him a second chance and staying after his first outburst. Whatever is going on with him, it’s something serious. At this point, I won’t be surprised if it turns out he killed Kayla. I didn’t believe it before, but now I see that he’s capable of a lot of things.
The biggest problem is that I can’t stay in my room forever. A knock on the door makes me jump, and I hold my breath. I turned off my phone so Chase wouldn’t be able to contact me. I don’t even know what he thinks or what he might try next.
“Lil, are you in there?” Vanessa knocks again.
The tension leaves my shoulders. It’s not him. I’m safe.
“I spilled coffee all over my notebook and I really need to copy some stuff,” she adds.
I push myself up and rake my hand through my hair.
When I open the door, Vanessa’s smile fades and her eyes widen.
“What happened?” she asks, and I step aside so she can come in. “Did Chase do that to you?”
I close the door and follow her gaze. Bruises. I have bruises on my arm and probably on my neck. Shit! I’ve been so out of it that I haven’t even thought about covering them up.
“I’m going to call the cops and the principal and—” Vanessa starts for the door.
“Wait!” I catch her arm. “No. No cops or anyone, please.”
“But he hurt you! He shouldn’t get away with it. I won’t let him. Not this time.”
I give her a pleading look. “I broke up with him. It’s done. Just leave it, okay? I don’t want to deal with the whole drama.”
“I know. I get it. But if you don’t say anything to anyone, he’s just going to do this to some other girl. And Kayla—”
“Can we please not talk about that right now?” My mind is a mess. I’m a mess. I just want to forget about Chase for a bit.
“If that’s what you want. But I’m staying with you, okay? I won’t let him get anywhere near you. He’ll never lay his finger on you.”
I nod. Having someone by my side will help. I need Vanessa.
She gently places her arms around me and pulls me into a hug, and I fight the urge to burst into tears.
I don’t know how long we just stand in the middle of the room when a knock rattles the door. I know even without looking that it’s Chase, because no one else comes to my room.
“Do you want me to open the door?” Vanessa asks. “I’ll tell that asshole what he deserves.”
“Liliana, I need to talk to you. Please,” Chase says as he knocks again.
If I tell him to go away, he’ll just come back later.
“Okay,” I say to Vanessa.
She’s like a protective barrier between Chase and me, and I hug myself as she opens the door.
“You sick son of a bitch!” Vanessa yells. “How dare you even show your face here? You should be glad she doesn’t want to call the cops! Stay the fuck away from her!”
“Liliana,” Chase says, looking past Vanessa at me. “I’m really sorry. Can we please talk about what you said last night?”
I bite down on my lip. I have no idea why he’s really here. Maybe he just wants to make sure I won’t say anything to anyone. Maybe he really cares. I can’t read his mind, so I don’t know. But I do know that I don’t want to deal with him or talk to him. I can’t.
“Nothing happened. There’s nothing to talk about,” I say, doing my best to keep my voice steady. “I said some things that I didn’t mean in the heat of the moment. That’s all.”
His brow creases.
