“But that’s different. It’s further away. Can you sleep in front of a phone? It’s like a Japanese fetish thing,” she whispered, cupping her hand in front of her mouth like she didn’t want anyone to hear her.
“You prefer sleeping with me in the flesh, don’t you?” I teased. She jumped.
“No, maybe it’s better this way without you bothering me!”
“I bother you?”
“Would you prefer if I called it hugging me in your sleep?” she murmured, clumsily hiding the tip of her nose with the sheet.
“Says the person who didn’t move an inch.” I burst out laughing.
“Look, I’m tired,” she whined, smiling. I saw her put her phone on the nightstand.
“Sure, when it’s convenient for you, you’re tired.”
“Well? I got sleepy talking to you.” She curled her mouth into a goofy smirk.
“So close your eyes, June.”
My voice came out softer than usual.
She curved her red lips. She didn’t laugh or tease. She just smiled.
Fuck, you really are beautiful.
Then her gaze suddenly became docile, and to my surprise, I saw her close her eyes.
Why was she listening to me? It didn’t make sense.
“James, we still have to talk,” she said, curling up on the pillow.
“I know, but not now.”
And without wanting to, I closed my eyes too. We both drifted into a deep sleep.
40
James
The next morning, I dashed to school with an idea that was drilling into my head: Convince someone to throw a pool party. I had to find out.
I was parked in front of my locker. Connell kept yelling about last night’s party, spilling every detail of what he’d done between the sheets with the girl he’d slept with.
“How about doing that again tonight?” I asked.
“And where the fuck were you, Hunter? I thought you were bringing me stuff. There was only alcohol.”
“How about at your house, Connell? At the pool? Tonight?”
I watched him blow up his cheeks, which were peppered with a slight beard.
“Coach will kill us—too many parties, too many distractions.”
He looked around, following any pretty girl that crossed our path with his eyes. All of a sudden he seemed to regain interest in my idea.
“And tell me, Hunter, are your friends coming too?”
“You throw it, and I’ll make them come.”
