My Favourite Mistake. Chelsea Cameron M.

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СКАЧАТЬ male voice answered, “Nah, I just got held up. This your place?” Sure, just come on in everyone.

      “No, I just walked into a random room and started putting my shit in it. Yes, this is my place.”

      He walked into the living room, and I followed. Darah and Renee emerged from their room. I’d heard lots of banging and yelling, so they’d probably been hanging Darah’s picture frames to her exacting specifications.

      Standing in our doorway was a guy who looked like he could have been Hunter’s brother. His hair was a little lighter, his build a little stockier and his eyes a little darker, but there was no mistaking the resemblance.

      “And who are these lovely ladies?” the new guy said.

      “This is Taylor, Darah and Renee, my roommates,” Hunter answered.

      “Dude, are you serious? How the hell do you get so lucky all the time?”

      “Born under the right star,” Hunter said. “This is my cousin, Mase.”

      “Nice to meet you, Mase,” Renee said, diving forward to shake his hand. Mase took it and shook her hand, looking a little dazed. “I’m Renee.”

      “Nice to meet you, Renee. I’m guessing you must be Darah,” he said, pointing to Darah, who waved. “And you must be Taylor. I’ve heard so much about you.” How could he? I glared at Hunter, who made an innocent face. “That was so nice of you to take in my poor, unfortunate cousin in his time of need. I thought he was going to be able to crash on my couch, but one of my roommates gave it to another guy who was willing to pay to stay, and I was overruled. Sorry, man.”

      “It’s okay,” Hunter said.

      For the first time since I’d met him, I could see something other than a cocky douche. Someone real. But that person was gone behind a cocky face before I could study him closer.

      “I can see that. Do you need any help?”

      “I think I’m good,” Hunter said.

      Renee piped right up. “I could use some muscle. My bed’s a little askew, and I can’t seem to get it in the right spot. Want to give me a hand?” She twisted from side to side, as if she was showing him what could be his if he complied. Jesus, she was so obvious.

      “Sure, no problem.”

      With that, we let another strange guy into our apartment. I turned my back and returned to my room, hoping no one else was going to pop in. Hunter followed me.

      “Are you hungry? I was thinking of getting some Pat’s. Their delivery guys are probably swamped, so I could go get it. My treat,” he said as he grabbed some more shirts to put in his dresser.

      Was he trying to be nice to me? Did he feel sorry for me? I stared at him, trying to figure him out.

      “Do you like pepperoni?” His voice had lost that cocky edge. It was softer, and…No. He was the same. He was still trying to play me. I knew how those guys were. They were only nice until they got what they wanted, and if they didn’t get what they wanted, they took it.

      “I’m a vegetarian,” I said and went to the bathroom, just so I could get away from him.

      As I passed Darah and Renee’s room, I heard Mase saying something that made them both laugh. Great. Just great. I shut the door of the tiny bathroom and braced myself on the sink. I was losing control. I looked at myself in the mirror. The horrible lighting didn’t do much for my complexion, but it really didn’t do much for anyone. I splashed some water on my face and then hopped up on the sink, setting my back against the mirror. In a matter of a few minutes, my sophomore year had turned completely upside down.

      What was I going to do? This strange guy had just invaded my life. Not only my life, but my space. Our bedroom was smaller than a double-size dorm room. We’d be stepping over each other all the time. He’d see me when I woke up in the morning. He’d be the last voice I heard when I went to bed. I was going to see that damn tattoo and that smile all the time.

      Hunter Zaccadelli would be the last thing I saw when I went to bed and the first thing I’d see when I woke up. That was not going to fly.

      A knock at the door made me jump, and I banged the back of my head against the mirror.

      “You okay in there?” It was Hunter.

      “Jesus Christ, can’t you leave me alone?” I got down off the sink and yanked the door open.

      “I’ll make you a deal, Missy.”

      “Why would I want to make a deal with you?”

      He smirked as if he was waiting for me to say that.

      “Just hear me out. If you can prove to me that you hate me, absolutely hate me, then I’ll leave. Find a couch to crash on.”

      I snorted. “That should be easy. You can go pack your stuff now.”

      “You haven’t heard the rest of the deal. If you can prove to me that you love me, absolutely love me, I’ll leave.” For the first time his face was serious.

      “Are you fucking kidding me? I would never, ever love a guy like you.” I would never, ever love anyone, but that was beside the point.

      “Prove it. If you can prove either of those things by the end of the semester, I’ll go.”

      “You’re going to be out on your ass before then.”

      His smile was easy. He was playing with me.

      “Maybe, maybe not. But you look like the kind of girl who likes a challenge.”

      The small bathroom space contracted around me, the walls pushing us closer. He took a step toward me, and then another. I backed up until my legs hit the toilet.

      “Prove it to me. Show me you hate me.” His voice was soft, and his eyes were demanding. My breathing became desperate, and my vision narrowed to those blue eyes. Something snapped, and my fight instinct took over.

      Before he could move closer, I pulled back and slammed my fist into his jaw and my knee into his groin. He doubled over, clutching his face and his balls.

      “I fucking hate you. Never corner me again, you son of a bitch.” In his compromised position, I was able to shove around him and get the door open to find three stunned faces.

      “What did you do to him?” Renee said.

      “Nothing,” I said, pushing past them and running down the hall, down the stairs and out of the building. My lungs heaved as if I’d been running for miles in Gym and had just been allowed to rest. I put my hands on my knees and gasped, feeling like my lungs would never be full again.

      People gave me strange looks as they unloaded lampshades and pillows and under-bed boxes from their cars. I ignored them and started walking down the sidewalk toward the parking lot. I pulled out my phone and hit Tawny’s number, hoping she was on her lunch break.

      “Hey, Kid, how’s the moving going?” Tawny’s voice brought instant calm, СКАЧАТЬ