As I speak, his smile grows wider, and all it does is piss me off. It shouldn’t, especially given the circumstances, but I can’t help feeling like this is all one big joke and at any moment, he’s going to realize he’s ruining his reputation by doing this.
But he doesn’t say anything. He just keeps grinning.
“What?” I snap.
He shakes his head, still smiling. “You’re cute when you’re annoyed, did you know that?”
“I am not. And I amnotannoyed.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Fine. So I’m annoyed. But I just bled all over my pants and thewhole damn schoolsaw it.”
“It wasn’t the whole school.”
I glare at him, and he rolls his lips together to keep from laughing.
“Sorry, bad time to get picky with words.” He brushes another hair away, and goose bumps break out over my skin. “Look, who cares if those asshats saw? It’s not a big deal.”
“Yes, it is!” I argue. “How are you not grossed out right now? They were.”
“Because I’m not them, Clover.” He leans closer, and it’s too much, but I can’t seem to make myself move away. “Because I’m pretty sure there is nothing you could do that would gross me out.”
I wrinkle my brows, shaking my head. “What? What do you mean?”
He chuckles. “Come on. Do I really have to spell it out?”
“Yes, because I don’t understand what’s happening here.”
He watches me carefully, like he’s trying to discern if I’m messing with him or not. I’m not. I have no idea what he’s talking about.
Finally, he exhales slowly, then says, “What’s happening is I’m trying to tell you I like you. I have since the first day of school. I’ve tried telling you before, but you wouldn’t listen.”
My jaw drops. This is a dream. I must have fallen asleep at the lunch table. I had to have. That’s the only explanation I have for what I’m hearing.
“You…like me?”
He nods. “Yes.”
“Since the first day of school?”
Another bob of his head. “Yep.”
“But…” I think back to that day. I spent most of the time running around campus, trying to figure out where my classes were because I was so anxious that I forgot the entire route I had mapped out ahead of time. I don’t recall seeing Callum at all, and I really think I’d remember him. “We didn’t even talk that day.”
“We didn’t have to, Chloe.”
Chloe.
Not Clover. Just Chloe.
I don’t know what it is about hearing him say my name, but it rattles something so deep inside me that I do the craziest thing I’ve ever done in my life.
I kiss Callum Keller.
CHAPTER 5
KELLER
