“I don’t have them.”
“Yeah, you do. You’ve always had the same phone.”
“I told you, Will, I don’t have them. Quit bugging me,” insisted James. William burst out laughing, but my back was tight as a drum; every muscle was frozen.
“Are you afraid I’ll read your texts with Taylor, Tiffany, Sammy, Becky or . . . what was Marvin’s cousin’s name? Did you ever ask her?”
“Great, William, keep jerking me around,” James grumbled as he gazed at me.
“Will, leave him alone,” I muttered.
“Well, look—”
James’s husky, mellow voice made me jump. I looked down at the book, hoping Will would stop provoking him, but he didn’t.
“Do you copy and paste your messages, Jamie?”
James hinted at a chuckle; this time I looked up to meet his deep gaze.
“Maybe.”
I hate you.
What had just gotten into me? I had to tell Will. Sure, we weren’t together, but I felt guilty, and it still showed a major lack of respect.
I nervously and abruptly shut my book.
“Now that we’re done with chemistry, Hunter can leave, can’t he?”
“Hey, I can hear you,” spat James, his eyes glued to the screen. “Besides, I haven’t started chemistry.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him take a clear baggie out of his pocket.
“James.”
Will’s rebuke didn’t seem to have any effect on him.
“Chill, nobody wants to be with you two. I have a party to think about.” Will and I rolled our eyes.
I put my notes into my backpack while William picked up the books scattered on the bed and reorganized them on the desk. My gaze was entirely focused on James while he did that. I saw him take off his hoodie and throw it onto the bed. Then he adjusted the chain falling on his sculpted chest and stared at me. I felt my breath become fragmented.
Why was my body my enemy? I didn’t want him around, I just wanted him to go away, but I still couldn’t take my eyes off him. I started staring at the black wall next to me.
“Do you think I should paint it all white?”
“Well, you shouldn’t change it if you like it.” William came back on the bed and leaned in toward my face.
Our tongues locked in a sweeter kiss than usual. The flavor of the fruit he’d just eaten mingled with the mint of my chewing gum. I opened my eyes for a split second, just to see if James had left us alone. I managed to catch a glimpse of the last fraction of a second that his gaze remained locked with mine, then he turned around and left the room. A smile escaped my lips when Will put his hand on my stomach so lightly that it made me shiver.
“Do you like that?”
“What?” I whispered between sucking.
“How I do it, June?”
I didn’t know if he was talking about how he kissed or the frequent changes of pace he put me through, but right then I couldn’t answer with a clear head. I liked Will.
“Yeah, so much.”
