"As flattering as that assessment is-"
"No, listen."Through the alcoholic haze, an idea sparked - terrible and brilliant."What if we pretended?Just for a bit?Make him jealous, make her see-"
"Absolutely fucking not."Ezra's voice turned sharp.
"But-"
"No."He set her down carefully against a brick wall, his hands steady on her shoulders.Even in her drunken state, she could see something like pity in his eyes."That's the worst idea I've heard, and I once listened to Cole try to explain why breaking into the physics lab at 3 AM was a good plan."
Ashley slumped forward, her forehead hitting his chest.Her hair had come loose from its careful styling, falling around her face like surrender."You're right.That would be terrible."
"Monumentally terrible."
"The worst."
"Though..."His thoughtful tone made her look up."Hypothetically, it would drive him absolutely insane."
They stared at each other for a long moment, the street lamp casting shadows across his face.
"No," they said simultaneously.
"God," Ashley groaned, sliding down the wall to sit on the cold concrete.Her dress rode up, but she couldn't bring herself to care.The world spun lazily around her, and she tasted salt tears, she realized.She was crying again."I'm going to regret everything tomorrow, aren't I?"
Ezra crouched beside her, his usual smirk softened by something that looked dangerously close to understanding."That's tomorrow's problem.Right now, let's focus on getting you home before you propose marriage to any other emotionally unavailable asshole."
"I hate you," she muttered but let him help her up.Her legs felt like water, her heart like lead.
"The feeling's mutual, sweetheart."He steadied her with surprising gentleness."The feeling's mutual."
CHAPTER26
Ashley's head throbbed with each step across the courtyard.She'd barely managed to change into leggings and an oversized Yale sweater, the most effort she could muster after waking up fully clothed on top of her covers, courtesy of Ezra's almost gentlemanly act last night.The morning sun felt like needles against her closed eyelids, and the whispers didn't help at all.
"...carried her out of the party...""...Ezra Martinez and that physics girl...""...saw them by Sterling Memorial..."
The fragments of conversation followed her like persistent ghosts, but her hangover-addled brain couldn't quite piece them together.She was too focused on putting one foot in front of the other and making it to her morning class without throwing up or dying - whichever came first.
She didn't register someone falling into step beside her until a hand closed around her elbow, steering her off the path.Through her headache fog, she recognized the route to Marsh Botanical Garden - that quiet corner of campus where century-old trees created pockets of absolute privacy.
"What the f-" she started, but Ezra's expression stopped her.She'd never seen him look so thoroughly annoyed.
He led her deeper into the garden, past the greenhouse and through a grove of maple trees until they were completely hidden from the main paths.The morning light filtered green through the leaves above them, and somewhere nearby, water trickled from one of the garden's fountains.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"he hissed, releasing her arm.
"Shh!"Ashley pressed her palms against her eyes, willing the world to stop spinning.The most humiliating hangover of her life wasn't helping this conversation."What are you talking about?"
"Why is Jackson calling me pussy-whipped?"His voice dripped with barely contained rage."Why does everyone suddenly think we're together?"
"How should I know?"But even as she said it, the memories started coming back in hazy flashes.Ezra's arms around her, the world tilting as he carried her past Sterling Memorial.
And then - giggles.High-pitched voices cutting through her drunk fog.
"Wait," Ashley pressed her fingers to her temples, the memory crystallizing."There were these two second-years.By the library."She squinted against the morning light, trying to catch the fragments."One of them had pink highlights.They were taking pictures..."
"Pictures?"Ezra's voice turned sharp.
"Yeah, they..."She swallowed hard as more details surfaced."One of them runs that stupid Yale gossip account.Yale Afterhours or something?"
