Alexander leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "Kim... if you don't want me around, just say it."
I swallowed. My pulse ticked at the base of my throat.
“I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to."
My eyes flicked away from his. "I thought you liked how I made you work for my attention."
"Yes," he muttered. "But there's a difference between playing hard to get and not being interested at all. I don't even think you want me around you."
I was still reeling from that text Adrian sent earlier. The memory of it had lingered like a brand against my skin, and now, sitting here across from someone as sincere as Alexander, it felt almost cruel. Like I was split in two. The girl I wanted to be, and the girl Adrian kept pulling me back into.
"I'm just... tired," I said, voice
