Ch.15
1523 Words
Jami
His mouth is still on mine when my brain finally remembers how to work.
I grip the front of his hoodie, completely forgetting about the laptop, the syllabus, Professor, and every single academic problem that had been driving me crazy ten minutes ago. The kiss is nothing like the sweet, careful kisses I expected from Reid. He’s rougher, hungrier, and way too confident, like some switch inside him suddenly flipped and he decided he was done pretending to be the quiet guy I knew.
I pull back first, gasping for air as my back hits the edge of the desk. My fingers are still curled into his hoodie, and I can feel my lips tingling from the kiss.
“Reid...” I whisper, staring up at him.
His chest rises and falls heavily as he looks down at me, his dark eyes carrying that same wicked amusement that has been showing up more and more lately.
“What?” he murmurs.
I stare at him for a few seconds, completely confused. “Why are you acting like this lately? The way you talk, the way you dress, the way you're always teasing me now, and then this...” I touch my lips, my face heating up all over again. “Honestly, this wasn't the Reid I expected to get.”
A slow smirk spreads across his face as he takes a step back and casually runs a hand through his messy hair.
“Maybe you just never knew me that well.”
I blink, trying to process that answer.
“What?”
He shrugs, reaching for my laptop and closing it before I can even stop him. “You met me at school. You saw the version of me who sits in class, gets good grades, keeps his mouth shut, and doesn't have time for anything else. Maybe this is the whole package you get as my girlfriend.”
My eyes widen slightly.
“So... you're saying this is actually you?”
He looks over his shoulder with a grin. “I'm saying you might have known a boring version of me this whole time.”
A tiny smile pulls at my lips.
Honestly, that explanation makes way more sense than it should.
Maybe he really is just changing. Maybe final exams are over and he's finally letting himself breathe. Maybe the quiet, nerdy Class Head I fell for was only one side of him.
And somehow, I like this side too.
Actually, I think I might like him even more.
“You're really different,” I admit, watching him toss my laptop onto the other side of the bed.
“Good different or bad different?” he asks, turning back toward me.
I glance at his silver lip ring, then his eyebrow piercing before meeting his eyes again. “Good different.”
His smirk grows immediately.
“That's what I thought.”
He leans against the desk, crossing his arms over his chest as he looks at me. “Now that we've established I'm not some boring robot, can we finally agree that your laptop needs to disappear for the rest of the day?”
My mouth falls open.
“Excuse me? I wasn't finished.”
“You're never finished.”
“Because I have responsibilities.”
“You're on holiday.”
“I still have a winter term.”
He stares at me for a few seconds before shaking his head like I'm completely hopeless. Then he picks up my laptop and moves it farther away.
“Your laptop is officially banned.”
I gasp, reaching for it. “You cannot ban my laptop!”
“I just did.”
“Reid!”
He laughs, completely entertained by my outrage, and I can't help glaring at him even though the corner of my mouth is already betraying me.
“You're still young, Sweetgirl. You're allowed to have fun without a textbook sitting in front of you.”
“I do have fun.”
“When?”
I open my mouth but nothing comes out.
His grin slowly fades into a curious expression as he watches me struggle to answer.
“When was the last time you did something just because you wanted to?”
I look away, suddenly uncomfortable.
“That isn't fair.”
“Why?”
“Because...” I rub my fingers together, trying to think of something that doesn't involve school, my family, or some responsibility I had to fulfill. “I don't know.”
He studies me for a few seconds, his expression becoming strangely thoughtful.
“You seriously don't know?”
I shake my head, and he lets out a quiet breath through his nose.
“Okay, then. Name one thing you want to do during this holiday that has absolutely nothing to do with school.”
I stare at him.
Nothing.
My brain goes through everything I've planned since the semester ended. Study. Read. Prepare notes. Maybe catch up on some assignments. Avoid going home as much as possible.
That's it.
I let out a frustrated sigh.
“See?” he says, pointing at me with a knowing look. “You don't know how to relax.”
“I do!”
“Prove it.”
I glare at him. “You're annoying.”
“That isn't an activity.”
I grab the pillow beside me and throw it straight at his chest.
He catches it easily, laughing as he tosses it back onto the bed.
“Okay, okay. I'll help you.”
He steps closer, his expression becoming more relaxed as he looks down at me.
“What would your perfect holiday look like if you could do absolutely anything?”
I think about it for a moment, surprised by how difficult the question actually is.
Then my answer comes out much quieter than I expect.
“Somewhere cold.”
His eyebrows lift.
“Cold?”
I nod, playing with the hem of my sweater. “Really cold. Somewhere quiet too. Somewhere nobody knows me.”
I glance down at my hands before continuing.
“No family. No school. No people telling me what I'm supposed to do. No one comparing me to Vanessa.”
His jaw tightens slightly at her name, but he doesn't interrupt.
“Just good food,” I continue, a small smile forming as I picture it. “Maybe a nice view. Somewhere I can wake up and not immediately feel like I have something to fix.”
He stays quiet, his eyes fixed on me.
“And maybe...” I hesitate, suddenly embarrassed by how stupid the next part sounds. “Someone I actually like.”
His gaze settles fully on mine.
“Someone you actually like?”
I nod, feeling my cheeks warm. “Yeah.”
A slow smile appears on his lips.
“I think I can arrange that.”
I laugh softly. “You make everything sound so easy.”
“That's because it is.”
He reaches over and brushes a loose strand of hair away from my face, his fingers lingering for a second against my cheek.
“You think too much.”
“Someone has to.”
“Not during the holiday.”
I smile, leaning into his touch before I can stop myself.
For the first time since the semester ended, I don't feel like I'm running from anything.
I just feel... happy.
We spend the rest of the evening doing absolutely nothing productive. Reid orders food because apparently cooking is beneath him tonight, and we end up sitting on the floor with takeout containers scattered between us. He makes fun of the way I eat when I'm nervous, and I threaten to throw a dumpling at his face.
He steals it anyway.
Later, we watch some ridiculous movie neither of us actually follows because we spend most of it arguing about the characters. At some point, I realize I've completely forgotten about the syllabus sitting untouched on my desk.
By the time he finally gets ready to leave, my room looks like a disaster, my laptop is still untouched, and somehow I don't even care.
At the door, he pauses and looks back at me, one hand resting against the frame.
“Wear something warm tomorrow.”
I blink. “Why?”
“Because we're going somewhere.”
“Where?”
He smiles, and that familiar wicked look returns to his eyes.
“It's a surprise.”
I narrow my eyes suspiciously. “You're not kidnapping me, are you?”
“Depends. Are you going to complain?”
“Yes.”
“Then probably.”
I laugh, shaking my head as he turns and walks away.
I have absolutely no idea what he's planning, but for some reason, I trust him.
The next morning, I wake up to my phone vibrating beneath my pillow.
Still half asleep, I reach for it and squint at the bright screen.
A message from Reid.
Pack a bag. Warm clothes. We’ll be away for three days. Don't ask questions.
I sit upright so fast my blanket falls straight to the floor.
Three days? With him?
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