He grinned. “No.”
I frowned, clutching my notebook to my chest as I dodged passersby. “Then why do you keep bugging me?”
His lips pursed. “You’re very infuriating, you know that? And stubborn.”
“Likewise.” I glanced up at him, flashing him a sardonic smile. “Nobody said we had to do this. You’re the one pushing for…” For what, exactly? “…it.”
“I know, but that doesn’t change what I said. You’re still infuriating and stubborn.”
I stopped in the middle of the hallway. “Then why are you–” I shook my head. “Never mind.” His motives didn’t matter. I sighed and rubbed my forehead. “Can’t you just leave me alone?”
He lowered his eyes. “No.”
“Why not?” I demanded.
“I just…can’t.”
Ugh, I’d had it with his little games! “That’s not–”
“You need me,” he said, lowering his voice.
My brows knit together as I stared at him. What did he mean I needed him? For what? My mouth set into a hard line as I crossed my arms. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He smirked. “I know. That’s why you need me.”
What the hell does that even mean?
I shook my head again. “I don’t need you.”
The smirk left him. “You will. And I’ll be here, waiting.”
“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, but I don’t need you, and I never will.” My skin burned as anger built inside me, like a volcano ready to erupt. “The sooner you get that through your thick skull, the sooner you can leave–me–alone,” I hissed, turning to leave.
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me off to the side of the hallway, backing me up to the wall as his arms caged me in. “It’s you who won’t leave me alone.”
I gaped at him. “I’m not the one who–”
“It’s true.” His gaze seared into me, pinning me to the wall. “I think about you far too much, and to be honest, I don’t like it… You won’t get out of my head.”
His declaration floored me. My mouth opened, but nothing came out. I closed it and dropped my eyes, glancing beyond the muscled arms boxing me in, to the sea of students around us. Time seemed to slow, the cacophony surrounding us fading from my ears. It was then that I noticed them.
Girls.
Most of the girls in the hallway were staring at us, some more openly than others. No, wait. Not us. Him. They were staring at Thomas. How had I not noticed it before?
Andy’s words ran through my head, and I knew it had to be true. Girls did throw themselves at Thomas. Constantly, I bet.
So why was he wasting his time on someone like me, who didn’t want anything to do with him?
Unless…maybe he saw me as a challenge. He said himself he couldn’t stop thinking about me. It was probably because I was the only girl on the face of the planet to ever tell him “no.”
He waved his hand in front of my face. “Emily? Are you even listening?”
I blinked and looked up at his beautiful face. His eyebrows had pulled together, a little indent between them, as his pale blue eyes bored into mine. His hair draped across his forehead in a haphazard way, and I reached up, brushing it to the side. He stilled, his brows relaxing as shock crossed his face, quickly followed by his ghost-of-a-smile.
I knew then that I’d give in if he asked. All this fighting–this resisting–it was just because deep down, I knew that all he had to do was say the words and I’d be putty in his hands. Yeah, he could be smug and an all-around ass, but…I still wanted him. Bad. In a way I’d never experienced before.
And I hated myself for it. Since when was I a slave to lust? I had to stay far, far away from Thomas. He would be my undoing, I was certain of it.
I pulled my hand back, giving him a sad smile. I brushed past him, and didn’t stop or turn around when he called after me.
Chapter Sixteen
THOMAS
I took my usual seat in the back of Mr. Maynard’s World Civilization class and rested my head on my desk. It was especially ironic that I had to take a history class, considering I’d actually lived through most of what the textbook contained. Needless to say, I didn’t have to try very hard in this class.
“You smooth things over with her?”
I lifted my head to see Matt sitting next to me, with an impish grin on his face.
I scowled and took my history book out of my messenger bag. After all, I still had to make it look like I was trying. “Why am I not surprised to see you?”
He ignored my comment. “Did you?”