Chapter 30 Chapter: 30
SHEPHERD
Addison was right to reject my proposal; she thinks I'm dangerous and reckless. If only she knew the half of it. She'd probably never looked my way again.
Last night started up pretty well until everything went haywire. Seeing that fucker always messes up my mind, I fucking hate the bastard, and if the cops hadn't arrived at the time they did, I don't think the fight would have ended, regardless of Addison's badass intervention.
God's, I've never seen anything as hot and intriguing as watching her hold that gun and threaten that dumb fucker. And I'm not the only one; I could see the intrigue and respect in the guy's eyes.
Shrimp has some interesting things beneath that innocent-girl facade. Oh, I'm not saying she's a bad girl yet, but she sure has the potential.
Right now, she's still acting like the princess I knew her to be months ago. And something in me wants to peel off all her layers and see the girl inside.
With any other girl, my proposal of a fake relationship would have been gladly accepted, but with Addison, it was a flat-out rejection, and if that didn't make me want to push her more.
And it wasn't just my ego; I really do need her help. One reckless night of drunkenness should have ended as that, instead, I'd end up in bed with the last girl I ever wanted to date, and now she won't get off my case.
Angela was a mistake I never should have made; she was just a friend. But after that incident a year ago, we grew closer while mourning our loss.
It's said that misery loves company; we'd both gravitated towards each other because we were the only ones who understood each other at the time. We’d both lost our point of connection, my brother. One thing had led to another, and then we'd ended up in bed together.
It was never my intention; I'd sought connections with the only other person who understood what I was going through, so after several bottles of whiskey, when she kissed me, I couldn't say no.
The regret had come almost instantly, I felt like I had betrayed the one person I love most in this world. And that feeling gutted me. But we couldn’t stop; they say people handle grief differently.
Mine was getting dead ass drunk, and fucking the only connection I had to my brother, even if I regret it every single time. Angela and I were using each other as a coping mechanism, we hung out whenever we had the itch, for weeks until I put an end to it.
Even so, Angela refused to believe we’re done. Somehow, she convinced herself we were meant to be, and refused to move on. To show her that what we had was over, I slept with tons of girls her friends included.
I was an asshole, and I never made a secret of it, still, Angela wouldn’t let me the fuck alone; she became more clingy over time. It was like the worse I treated her, the worse her obsession became. Coming over to my place and scaring off and bullying any girl I'm interested in.
It didn't bother me at first, because girls in general were just a thing of the past, something to distract me from the guilt, the grief, and anger.
But now, it has to fucking stop, because not only is Angela getting on my fucking nerves, but now even our parents are starting to ship us together, and that will never happen.
That's why I can't let Addison go. And she was oh so wrong if she thought her rejection meant something to me. Because I know that little liar felt something for me, even if she's too stubborn to admit it.
I'm not one to believe in something like fate, but when I walked into Chem class the next morning and found Addison seated alone, I became a believer.
Anyone else might have stayed in the dorm, taken the day off, or something. At least some of the girls here had done that once or twice, hell even some of the guys have been known to take the day off, but not Addison.
Honestly, I didn't expect her to attend class after the day she had, yet she looked like she didn't care what anyone thought-though I knew that was her mask.
That kind of confidence is what makes her the perfect candidate. Although she'd rejected my proposal for fake dating, the truth is, she doesn't have much of a choice.
I know her secret, and I know what scares her the most is people finding out who she really is. That alone gives me the upper hand. I know she's going to come around eventually.
I've never set my mind on doing anything and not achieving it. I smirked as I approached her seat. Just as Noah walked towards her, I hurried and clamped his shoulder.
“That's my seat,” I gritted, sending him a cold glare. Hearing my voice, Addison glances up, her eyes wide as she looks around the now quiet class.
Noah swallowed, nodded, and scampered away. I grinned as I sat beside her, stretching my legs under the table. Addison moved her legs away without a single word.
For the entire morning, Addison had avoided me like the plague. And although I know the reason I didn't fucking like it.
Unfortunately for her, I also happen to have chem class, otherwise I would have missed her. Clearly, the universe is on my side, and Shrimp is shit out of luck.
I wasn’t fazed just because she ignored me. Addison kept her eyes glued to the whiteboard where Mr. Harris scribbled equations like a man possessed.
“Alright, class,” Mr. Harris said, clapping his hands together. “For today's lab, you’ll be working in pairs.”
Addison's head whipped to my side, her eyes comically wide at that news, her face scrunched with displeasure when I winked at her.
“That's your sign to be my girlfriend if you ever needed one, because clearly the universe is on my side.”
She scoffed. “Dream on, because that's never going to happen.”
My lips twitch as I stretch my hands up and place one behind her, barely half an inch away from her shoulder. I lean forward to avoid touching me.
I chuckled “Never say never.”
“Conrad and Campbell, pay attention, I take it you're pairing up with each other?”
“Yes, Mr. Harris.”
“No!” She snapped, glaring at me before turning to Mr. Harris, who was watching us with pure boredom.
“Sir, I already have a lab partner.”
Mr. Harris arched his brow as Addison’s head turned towards a bubbly girl who was now paired with another boy, Phil, I think his name was. The girl mouths, "Sorry," to Addison. Who sighed loudly.
“Campbell, you were saying?” Mr. Harris asked.
“Nothing, sir,” she replied, clearly dejected.
I leaned back in my chair beside her as I’d just been handed front-row tickets to a comedy show.
A slow, dangerous grin curved my mouth.
“Well,” I murmured. “Isn’t this fate?” Addison turned to me, gave me the coldest glare, and spat.
“You wish.”
The lab stations filled quickly with the scrape of stools and the clink of glassware.
Addison stood stiffly at our assigned table while I lazily rolled up the sleeves of my black hoodie.
Her eyes flick to the tattoos there before she glances up and meets my eyes. She quickly looked away and grabbed the instruction sheet.
“We’re titrating hydrochloric acid with sodium hydroxide,” she said briskly.
My lips twitched as she fired up instructions, moving with the confidence of someone who knows what she's doing.
“Did you even hear a word I just said?” she asked, exasperated. I'd been staring at her, watching all her facial expressions, so I've missed most of what she said.
“You have the prettiest eyes, Shrimp,” I replied. Her face instantly bloomed with color. For a while, she just stared at me, eyes wide. A giggle from somewhere behind us broke the spell.
“Just pay attention,” she snapped. “And stop staring.”
“Why? I love watching you,” I whispered casually, “and it's obvious you like what you see, cause you keep watching me too.”
She immediately turned back to the beaker. “I don't know what you're talking about. I’m looking at the equipment.”
“Sure you are.” I snickered.
She grabbed the graduated cylinder a little harder than necessary.
“Hold the cylinder.” I grab the cylinder.
“You’re a bossy little thing, aren't you? This is my first time being bossed around.”
“I just don't want to be scolded by Mr. Harris.” She carefully poured the sodium hydroxide solution into the burette.
I watched her, impressed, “Are you always this focused?” She rolled her eyes and sighed.
“Yes, Shepherd. It’s called doing the assignment. You should pay attention too.”
“I am,” he said, “paying attention, just not on the experiment. You have a cute nose,” I trace the tip of her nose with my thumb.
Addison's hand shakes slightly. A drop of solution splashed onto the counter. She whipped her head toward me, glaring.
“Quit it, just how long are you going to keep at it?” she hissed.
I leaned closer, and she went to move back and almost stumbled. I grab her around the waist, dragging her back. She raised her head, eyes wide, mouth parted, as I tightened my hold around her waist a few seconds longer before I let go.
“Until you say yes?” I whispered to her alone.
“What?” she asked, confused. I smirked.
“The answer to your question. I’m going to keep bugging you until you say yes.”
She scoffed. “You're going to wait forever, because that's not going to happen.”
“We’ll see,” I replied, grinning.
Her eyes narrowed as she went back to the task at hand. “Alright, would you like me to try?”
Addison handed me the burette. “Just don’t mess it up.”
I smirked. “You don’t trust me?”
“Not even a little.”
“Harsh.” I carefully released the solution drop by drop into the acid.
Addison leaned closer to watch; her shoulder brushed mine. She quickly moved back, and I pretended I didn't notice, so she leaned close again, while still trying to keep her distance.
For the rest of the experiment, we work in tandem while Mr. Harris walks around the stations, although I take every opportunity to tease her.
When he finally arrived at our station, he nodded at the experiment with satisfaction.
“Excellent work, you two.”
Addison smiled, and I couldn't look away from the joy on her face.
“See, we work well together,” I whispered. She scoffed, turned around, and started to wipe the counter. Just as I was about to say something else, the bell rang.
And before I say anything, Addison bolted, joining the throng of students going out for break.