The Way I Loved You

5. The Hating Game

Now a movie starring Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell, USA Today bestselling author Sally Thorne’s hilarious and sexy workplace comedy all about that thin, fine line between hate and love. [Source: Google Books]

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FFAEK: Emily wished someone would be so obsessed with her that they would paint their bedroom wall in her eye color, then she would remember that would look hideous.

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Chapters Five: The Hating Game

I swallowed dignity for the sake of education and asked, “Are you free after class?”

Nathan turned to me and smiled like I existed to entertain him.

“I talked to you for two days, and you’re asking me out on a date already?” Nathan said, leaning his face into his palm, “Aren’t you moving too fast, Kingsley?”

I wanted to roll my eyes but also wanted to flip the cards on him, “Is that what you think about? Why’d I ever do that?”

One corner of his lips turned up further, “What else do you need me for, Kingsley?”

“That’s such a weird thing to say,” I retorted. Nathan shrugged. So I continued.  “I need someone to study chemistry with me.”

Nathan stared.

I sighed, “Can we study together?”

I wanted to die after asking that.

Nathan cocked his head, “Why me, Kingsley?”

He was fishing for compliments so hard. I looked away, “Cause, you’re good, I guess,” I said in a low voice.

“Didn’t catch that. Can you repeat?”

I turned to him, “Whatever. It’s not like you’ll do me much favor. I’d just sit there and study with you.”

He raised his eyebrow, “Yeah, that’s why I asked: Why me?”

“Why you? ‘Cause you got an A and you sit beside me?”

I didn’t get what was so hard to get. It was a no-brainer.

“I am not the only one with an A,” Nathan smirked. “You are making me feel special.”

I gritted my teeth, “The last thing I wanna do is stroke your ego.”

He smiled at me sneakily.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he shook his head, still smiling.

I hated his smile. It was too bad because his eyes were shining, and I could think of a few reasons why he’d be smiling like that.

“Stop smiling,” I said, “Stop.”

He laughed, “You know, you could ask any one of these 30 students. But it had to be me, huh?”

“Narcissist, much?” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Obsessed, much?” Nathan replied.

“You’re delusional,” I said.

“You could ask one of your friends,” he countered.

I shook my head, “They wouldn’t do.”

Studying with my friends would be like blind leading the blind. And if we did study together, it would defeat the whole purpose. We’d do everything except for what we were supposed to be doing.