“White.”
James was talking to me but I wasn’t listening. Only when I felt his warm grip on my shoulders did I come back to reality.
“Calm down.”
He barely shook me, so I lowered my head. I couldn’t look him in the eye anymore. I probably wouldn’t be able to look at myself in the mirror anymore.
“I gotta go home,” I said flatly.
James curled his lips, wrinkling his forehead.
“Hey, so,” he said, turning around.
I felt the bitter cold from the window cut against my skin. I shivered while James rummaged through his closet looking for clean clothes.
“Come with me. It’s too cold to bike home,” I said.
He grabbed a pair of tracksuit pants, put them on, and turned to shoot me a look.
“I don’t think so. I’m eating breakfast first.”
“Asshole.”
I lifted up the blankets and bent down to look under the bed for my backpack, which had my clothes.
“Well, then I’m going alone.”
“What do you have to do at home?”
I was stunned by his question, but even more by the firm pressure he applied when he grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward him.
I barely stumbled but managed not to lose my balance. James pulled me toward him, swallowing me up in his space.
“Don’t tell your mom you slept here, or she’ll give you hell for a year.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Do you think I’m dying to tell her? I won’t tell anyone, especially not her.”
I saw him nod, before running his fingers through his hair.
“That would be better.”
His lips hypnotized me for a fraction of a second, but reality set in quickly.
Was he telling me he didn’t want me to go around telling everyone we slept together? Or that I should hide it from William?
“Where are you going?” I muttered when I saw him go to the door.
“Breakfast. Move it, Snow White,” he hissed, reluctantly finishing his joint.
“Your dad’s here. I can’t go down there.”
I glanced quickly at the window, but I already knew it would’ve been difficult to get down from there.
“Do you think my dad gives a shit about you?” he shot back.
“No. But it seems like—”
James curved his lips into a mischievous grin. “Like what? That I banged you all night? Quietly?” He was using a tone that got on my nerves.
