Page 121 of Running Winter

"Marianna. Great," I groaned, lifting my arm over my eyes protectively. "I might just go and drown myself. It would be more fun."

Chase laughed as he tore open a bag of spicy chips.

LA suits him.

He was all tanned already despite only having spent two weeks here.

"How do you eat shit and stay ripped? You don't even go to the gym,” I pointed out, nodding at his six-pack.

"I fuck my girl regularly. She's...demanding," Chase chuckled before offering me the chips.

"I fuck girls," I argued as a couple walked past us, frowning with disapproval. "Not every day but—"

"Well, mine is at least once a day." Chase shrugged, making me grimace.

"You better be using condoms. I'm not losing you to a kid."

"I've got enough with you," Chase remarked dryly before wrapping the chip bag up. "Come on, Romeo. We need to get back."

"I'm tired," I whined, wishing I could just sleep for another couple of hours. "Unlike you, I was up until four am."

"Well, it's not my fault there was a fucking orgy going on next door. I'm surprised you didn't join in."

As we got up, we continued to bicker like an old married couple.

I was so glad I'd come to LA with Chase, but I also missed the time we spent together.

The odd thing was, Rayna was in most of my classes, so if I wasn't with him, I was with her, so either way, I was in the Chana sandwich.

I'd tried to nickname our little trio Chafna, but it repulsed Rayna.

Go figure.

We made our way back to the dorm, and I told Chase point blank that I was having a nap. I was exhausted.

"I'm coming back here in two hours. If you're not ready—”

"I'll be ready, bitch, Jeez."

Chase nagged when he wanted to, and it drove me crazy.

I sank into my bed, my eyes closing without even considering setting my alarm.

Just over an hour later, the sound of music blaring in the room above mine woke me up, and I groaned.

Dad had offered to set us up in a little apartment, but we had wanted to experience the student life.

Now all I wanted was some fucking rest.

I dragged my tired ass to the shower before getting dressed.

As usual, I doused myself in cologne before gelling my hair. I looked fine—I just needed some sleep.

I felt edgy like I was ready to knock someone out if they so much as spoke to me.

What a barrel of laughs I was going to be.

Chase and Rayna turned up shortly after, and I did a double-take at Rayna’s stupidly short dress.

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