Page 4 of I Hate You More

The gym doors flew open, and I quickly turned, coming face to face with Chase. He was the last person I wanted to see right now, and I had no idea why he’d bothered to follow me.

“What is wrong with you?” I seethed as he stepped toward me. He didn’t stop until he was standing only inches away. His eyes were swirling with emotion, but I couldn’t tell if it was anger I sensed in them or remorse.

“Why would you do that?” I continued. “Why would you say those horrible things? Why would you ruin my chances with Declan?”

Chase barely moved as he stared me down, and it felt like I was hurling my questions at something as hard and heartless as a statue. He didn’t so much as flinch as I threw them at him.

“He’s not the right guy for someone like you,” he said bluntly. “You’re both too different, and it wouldn’t have lasted anyway.”

I shook my head, unable to understand why Chase thought that was an acceptable explanation for what he had done. And what did he mean by someone like me? Someone who wasn’t as popular as Jenna Fox?

“Well, now, I won’t even get a chance to find out. You just took that from me!”

Chase shrugged. “If he actually liked you, anything I said to him wouldn’t have mattered.”

His simple statement made my heart clench in pain, because I knew he was right. But that didn’t let Chase off the hook. If anything, his words only made me feel worse and riled up the anger within me. “That doesn’t explain why you went out of your way to sabotage my night. Why would you do something so cruel?”

Chase’s gaze grew hard as he returned my stare. His body was so rigid that I doubted he was breathing. “Why do you think?”

I let out a sad laugh and shook my head as tears welled in my eyes once again. “There’s only one reason you would do something so hurtful. You hate me.”

Chase stayed frozen to the spot and continued staring at me. He didn’t rebut my accusation, and I realized it had to be because it was true. I wasn’t sure what I had done to make him dislike me so much, but whatever it was, the damage was clearly already done.

I hurried to continue before Chase could explain the reasons why he couldn’t stand me. I didn’t need to be insulted any more tonight, and I’d already heard enough of what Chase thought about me to last a lifetime. “You may hate me,” I said, my voice quiet and detached as I stared at him with loathing. “But I can guarantee you this:I hate you more.”

I turned and walked away from him without a backward glance. Chase Williams had always been a thorn in my side, but he’d just made himself my enemy. I despised him with everything I had, and there was no way I would ever forgive him for what he’d just done.

1

Ally

Three years later

I gavea nervous glance around the group as I placed my book down on my lap. It wasn’t much of a book club. There was only my grandma and two of her friends, but they were some of my favorite people. I never knew how they would react to the books I picked though, and these ladies weren’t afraid to give me their honest opinion.

Grandma clapped and gave me an encouraging smile. Her blue eyes always crinkled at the corners when she looked happy. My mom’s had looked exactly the same when she smiled, and my heart skipped a small beat at the similarity between them.

“That book sounds like quite an adventure,” Grandma said, and I finally let out a breath of relief. They liked it. “Though I do wonder why you’re sitting here on your last day of summer vacation when you should be out having your own adventure.”

Cora and Connie nodded in agreement. “You should be out with your friends, not hanging out in a place that smells like old people,” Connie added, wrinkling up her nose.

“Weareold people,” Cora said with a roll of her eyes.

“I may have wrinkles, but I do not smell of mothballs and regrets,” Connie replied. “Unlike some of the residents in here.”

Cora scoffed. “You can’t smell regrets.”

“I can, and they stink.” Connie folded her arms over her chest as though her words were final and couldn’t be argued with.

Like always, our book club had descended into a conversation about anything but books. It wasn’t really surprising because no one ever bothered to read them. Our book club had only started because Grandma and I would talk about what I was reading whenever I came to visit. Her friends began to join in, and before too long, they were calling it a club. Connie and Cora were far more concerned with gossiping than reading though. Not that I minded as they always had interesting stories of their own.

“Connie’s right, you should be out with your friends,” Grandma said.

“But you are my friends.” It was true. I loved hanging out with Clara, Connie and Cora. I’d affectionately named the trio The Three C’s.

“I’m talking about your school friends, Ally. What’s that firecracker, Tessa, doing today?”

“Her mom forces her to have a ‘family fun day’ on the last day of vacation.” The words were barely out of my mouth when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I wasn’t surprised to see it was a text from Tessa.

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