Page 39 of I Despise You
Chapter 13
MY PHONE VIBRATES ONmy nightstand, forcing me to look up from my book. I push myself up and grab the phone. My brow furrows when I see an unknown number on the screen.
The first thing I see is an invitation to lunch. I guess someone got the wrong number. But when I read the rest of the text, my shoulders stiffen.
Chase.
It’s the name written at the end of the text. What are the odds that this isn’t Chase Campbell but someone else? He’s not the only person named Chase, and I don’t think he has my number either, because I’ve never given it to him.
But I know I’m fooling myself. It’s Chase. Of course, it’s him. Finding out my number isn’t a problem for him. All he has to do is request something and he’ll get it, no matter how hard it seems. I don’t think Vanessa gave it to him, especially since I know just how much she dislikes him and thinks he’s dangerous. He must’ve found another way.
I start typing a reply, but then I pause. If I want to find some evidence to prove that he killed Kayla, I need to stick to my plan and get close to Chase, no matter how crazy that seems. I don’t know if he’s even capable of feeling anything for anyone other than himself, but I have to try, because if I don’t do anything, I’m not getting the scholarship for sure.
But I’m annoyed that he just got my number and hasn’t even bothered to ask me first. I guess he didn’t expect me to give it to him, which makes sense, but instead of trying the decent way, he just got my number some, potentially shady, way.
I bite down on my lip. What else does Chase know about me? If he can find my number so easily, then he can figure out who I really am and how I got here very easily. He’s probably curious about me, especially if he’s never heard of my family. Almost all the kids here have well-known parents, or at least well known in the Campbells’ family circle. I haven’t heard of most of them, but someone like Chase, who moves in the same circles, probably has. But if he knows the truth about me, what is he going to do with it? He can use it to blackmail me, so maybe he’s inviting me to lunch so he can tell me his demands, which I guess I won’t like.
There’s also a chance I’m overreacting. Chase wanted my number, but that doesn’t mean he asked someone to look into my family and me.
I sigh and decide to reject his offer. At least for now. I’m busy with studying and preparing for the play, and that should be a legit excuse. Chase needs to study too if he wants to be the best student, so he should be able to understand. I need more time to think what exactly I’m going to do with him.
Another text comes a few moments after I send my reply. I groan because Chase now wants me to have breakfast with him tomorrow morning, because I can’t study while hungry.
I silence my phone and place it back on the nightstand. Let him think I’m too busy to even see his text. It’s not like I haven’t told him what I’m doing.
I focus my attention back on my book. Movement on the screen of my laptop catches my eye. I have a new email in my inbox, so I grab the laptop to check it out. The subject line tells me it’s about the play, so I click it open.
The teacher wants us to meet in the theater room in about ten minutes. I scowl. Winning the main role in the play to annoy Brittany is already coming to bite me in the ass, because I’m going to lose even more time than I expected.
I close my laptop and quickly get dressed. I don’t think there was anything mentioning the props and our disguise in the email, so I’m glad I don’t have to carry anything with me. The teacher probably wants to give us some quick notes, and I already hate that I’m going to have to see Chase. Rejecting him face-to-face doesn’t feel the same as doing it over a text. Maybe I’ll have to accept. Unless our meeting with the teachers takes too much time, so even Chase will have to go do his homework or something.
I pass through the busy hallways, unable to think about anything other than Chase. When I enter the theater room, I don’t even realize it’s mostly dark and empty until I stop in the middle of it.
I glance around. Shit. I must’ve misread the email. Maybe the teacher means for us to meet tomorrow at 10, rather than in 10 minutes. But I can’t believe I was that airheaded while reading the email. It’s just so weird. Maybe I’m early, and everyone’s going to get here a minute or so before the start.
A shadow jumps out of the darkness, making me yelp. I instinctively turn around to run, but strong arms wrap around me from behind.
“Hey, princess,” Chase breathes into my ear, sending shivers through me. “Glad you could make it.”
His hand slides up my stomach, squeezing my breast through my clothes. His other hand roams down, and I close my legs. Warmth pools in my body, but this is way too similar to what happened in his room, and I just can’t take it.
“Let go of me!” I yell, trying to push him away from me. If I’m loud enough, someone’s going to hear me and come check what’s going on.
“Are you sure that’s what you want?” His lips brush my earlobe. “We’re all alone here. No one’s going to see us. And if they do, so what?”
“Let go of me now!” I dig my nails into his arms.
“All right.” He steps away from me. “We’re going to lunch anyway.”
“What?” I spin around, glaring at him.
My body is still shaking slightly, so I cling to the anger that’s bubbling inside me.
“You didn’t really think that email was real, did you?” He grins.
I gape at him. He spoofed the email. It’s him who sent it and not the teacher. No wonder this place is so dark and quiet. I’m fuming. I want to punch Chase and tell him he can’t play with me like that. I should’ve inspected the email more carefully, but I never would’ve guessed it was a trick.
“You can’t just send me fake emails!” I ball my fingers into fists.
