“I know, baby.” I cup her face, bringing her closer to me and she doesn’t resist. I rejoice inwardly. “This will never happen again, baby, never. You don’t need to tutor anyone. My mother was hateful and rude and I told her she was wrong.”
She scoffs. “She hates me.”
“She can hate you all she wants. She’s just gonna lose me.”
“You would pick me over her?” She asks, quirking an eyebrow like she doesn’t believe me.
“I would pick you over anyone and I’m sorry I didn’t yesterday.”
She hesitates, turning her face so she’s facing away from me, but I move it back. I rest my forehead against hers, breathing in her air that I missed dearly. I need her like oxygen and I can’t believe I forgot that momentarily.
“You can’t ever do that again, Juliette.” She mumbles warningly and I move my lips to the nape of her neck.
“I won’t, princess.” I murmur, littering kisses all over her neck.
“I’m serious.”
“I know, never again.”
“I won’t come back next time.” She says seriously. That stops my kisses and I look at her, hoping she sees how much that scares me.
“There won’t be a next time.” I say resolute and she only nods in response. I hug her tightly and rest my head on her shoulder. “I missed you so much.”
It felt like an eternity, not hearing her snoring through FaceTime or having her wake me up at the crack of dawn to work out with her. It was misery. Having her leave me like that was unimaginably painful.
“I missed you,” she mumbles back.
“So…” I whisper in her ear. “Chloe?”
I don’t know how, but I can feel her rolling her eyes.
“Did you think something was going on?”
“No.” I lie, scoffing dramatically. “I just don’t like when bitches are in your house.”
“She’s not a bitch.” The minute she utters those words, I pull back from the hug, my hands now placed firmly on my hips.
“Oh?” I quirk my eyebrow.
She sighs, unable to hide the smile tugging at the sides of her mouth. “I’m just tutoring her.”
“Not anymore,” I say. “I don’t like her.”
“You don’t like anyone.”
“Because everyone wants you.”
“You can’t tell me who to tutor.” She scoffs and I answer by pulling her closer to me by her wrist.
“So you’re not gonna listen to me?”
“No.” She yanks her hand out of my grip.
“Don’t be difficult.” I grit my teeth.
“I’ll do what I want.” She says petulantly.
“No.”
