Page 49 of Hate Game

I play his hate game.

“So, me hiding my feelings is the reason you announced, without my agreement, that Trace is my boyfriend? Would you like me to let him in?” I goad. “Show him I’m capable of having feelings?”

“You plan on opening up to him?”

“Would you hate me more?”

“Yeah, I would.”

“You’re fine with him touching and kissing me?”

“To get that douchebag and other kids off your back? Sure.”

“Trace can come over?”

“I’m expecting it.”

Bullshit.

“He can spend the night with me?”

“You’re pushing your luck, Rue.”

“I’ll stop pushing if you take everything back tomorrow.”

“Not on your life.”

“Why not? You hate me.”

“Yeah, I do.”

Except what he does next is the opposite of hate. Malice pushes back his seat, pulls me onto his lap, and wraps me in his arms. I don’t put up a fight. Instead, I stare into his beautiful, expressive eyes. They are the window to his soul.

“Only I get your hate, Rue. No one else. Promise me?”

I say what is in my heart. “Only you. I’ve always hated just you.”

“Good. That’s good, Regret.”

Our hate will drive a deeper wedge between us, making it easier for me to return to my old life and Delridge High when I’m done with this job. I’ll go back to my bad rep and hopefully find a guy who will accept me for me. Enough to want to be my first boyfriend.

20

MALICE

Ilie in bed, unable to sleep. My mind replays over and over what happened in my car after school. Rue thinks if she succeeds in this job, people will leave her alone and stop talking behind her back.

Too bad small towns are feeding grounds for gossip. The only way Rue will get her happy ending is to leave Delridge. But she has no plans of leaving.

Why the hell not? What’s stopping her from leaving? Is it Isaac? I glance at my closed bedroom door. She is two steps away, also awake. I heard her shuffling in there.

Rue is a flight risk. Case in point: she did leave through the window. Rue could also be in danger. She did put in my head the idea of an arsonist on the loose. Without someone keeping a close eye on her, Rue could do something stupid and get herself into a situation she can’t get out of.

Yeah, it’s time someone saved her from herself.

I throw off the covers, open my door, and rap my knuckles on hers.

“Rue?”

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