Page 38 of Stealing Chances

“When did the two of you start dating?”

My question brought her up short and even seemed to surprise Konrad from his stunned, “Wait, what?”

“Few weeks after my freshman year began,” Bree said slowly, head listing as she studied me. “Why?”

I gave Scarlet a knowing look, but she just slowly shook her head before dropping her stare to the ground.

“Because I knew that,” I finally responded before looking to Bree and Konrad again. “The first party you and Harper came to at my house...did one of my housemates have a blow-up doll?”

Bree’s gaze shifted to the side for a moment before a bemused huff punched from her chest. “Yeah—”

“And that first winter break...did Harper go to Arizona with Brandon for Christmas but come home to spend New Year’s Eve with us?”

“I...wait, that’s right.” Amazement and hope filled Bree’s expression. “Chase—”

“And she spent every Sunday with us for family day,” I said over her, more confident than before.

Bree began nodding, but I went on.

“And Harper’s dad is a massive douche in the Marine Corps who doesn’t talk to her.”

Bree’s stare shifted to Scarlet before locking on me again. “Why are you asking all these questions about Harper?”

“Because I knew all that,” I repeated through clenched teeth. “How do I know all that if I supposedly dreamt that entire year with her? If I’ve had it all confused and twisted?” My tone dropped and filled with all my anger as I took in their lost expressions. “Fuck you both.”

“Chase!” Bree snapped as Konrad said, “The hell, man?”

But I’d already turned and was stalking away from them, past Scarlet, and toward the house.

Anger and confusion stormed my veins in a lethal combination as I shoved through the front door. Not thinking about where I was going or what I would be met with once the others followed me until I heard her.

“Hey.”

That one word stopped me as if I’d run into a wall.

Just as I’d told Scarlet, Iknewthat voice.

Looking up, the oxygen rushed from my lungs on a strained breath when I saw Harper standing just outside the hall, watching me curiously.

“You okay?” she asked, her eyebrows drawing close when she looked past me. “Wait, how did you get here?”

I didn’t respond.

I didn’t think.

I just started toward her and didn’t stop, even when I was backing her into the hall.

“Chase, what are you doing?” she hissed, hands pressed firmly to my chest as she struggled to match my steps.

“Here,” I said when I brought us to a stop in the middle of the hall. “This is where we first kissed.”

Her wide eyes got impossibly wider. “Where we—what?” she asked, choking over the words. “No.”

“New Year’s Eve.”

“No,” she said firmly. “Chase, we have never kissed.”

“I know what I remember,” I argued gently.

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