Jillian Dodd - Hate Me

“Open it quick!” Annie and Katie yell. “We want to see what it is!”

I tear open the paper to find a G-string made out of candy.

As we’re rushing to get to our classes, Annie says, “I like your present.”

“Yeah, it’s cute.”

“Does Aiden like candy?” Katie teases.

“Doesn’t everyone like candy?” I reply.

Aiden is waiting for me outside my history class and greets me with a kiss.

“Do you even remember me sleeping with you last night?” he whispers.

“I remember you getting in bed with me but that’s about it. I was tired.”

“You kissed my neck and told me it was your favorite place. The rest of my body is jealous.”

I laugh. “You’re silly. Did you get a naughty Santa gift this morning?”

“I did. What about you?”

“I did too. What did you get?”

He pulls dice out of his pocket and lays them in my palm, flipping them and reading. “Lick, suck, blow, kiss, nibble, tease. You roll this dice first. Then you roll for the body part you have to do it to.” He puts the other die in my hand. “Neck, lips, ear, toes, chest, and player’s choice. Wanna test them out tonight? Or should we save them for this weekend?”

“Tonight. After we get our homework done.”

“What'd you get?” he asks.

“Remember those candy necklaces you used to get when you were a kid?”

“Yeah.”

“I got a G-sting made out of it.”

He raises his eyebrows. “So I can eat the candy off you?”

“I think that's the idea.”

“You win.”

“Win what?”

“We’ll use yours tonight. Stockton’s? Riley's used that place almost every night. I think he should share.” He places his palm on the wall above my shoulder and leans his chest against mine. “I can just picture it. Candy thong and a pair of boots. Nothing else.”

“Mr. Arrington,” my history teacher says, “you need to get to class.”

Aiden gives me a quick kiss on the lips and keeps ahold of my hand. He holds it until he has moved too far away from me to keep holding it, looking reluctant to let go.

He’s so adorable.

As soon as I sit down in class, my phone buzzes. I cross my legs and hide it under the desk.

Hottie God: Remember the pool playing we did this weekend?

Me: Yes. You cheated.

Hottie God: I won fair and square.

Me: Yes, you did, but the rules were that the loser had to do something, um, nice for the winner.

Hottie God: The rules were made before someone was dancing half naked on the pool table.

Me: The halftime entertainment was your idea.

Hottie God: And a fucking brilliant one at that.

Me: Riley just told me Logan and Maggie have dibs on Stockton's tonight, but we can have it tomorrow.

Hottie God: Logan got six condom lollipops this morning.

Me: I thought they were waiting until after Winter Formal.

Hottie God: Maggie told him she wants to use all the lollipops tonight.

Me: Wow. That's a lot for one night.

Hottie God: We’ll need more.

The second I read his text warmth spreads through my body. Thoughts of what he did to me on the pool table are quickly overshadowed by thoughts of what else he wants to do to me.

Riley drops a note over my shoulder and into my lap.

I glance at the teacher before opening it.

#1. I don't know who my naughty Santa is, but I'm in love with her already. I got pink furry handcuffs. Do you think the house elves will know and install an appropriate headboard?

#2. Did you and Aiden do it this weekend?

a.) he seemed very chipper today.

b.) he wants Stockton’s for the two of you.

c.) is playing pool your secret code word for sex?

#1. I think house elves know everything.

#2. We didn't, but we had fun. We played pool. Strip pool. He won.

What'd he get?

Not telling.

Tell me!

Let's just say he has a talented tongue.

Ha! I knew it was something!

Hottie God: You haven't replied.

Me: I've never done it . . . like that many times.

Hottie God: Me either, but I know once we do, we won't want to stop. I've wanted you since the first day I saw you. I seriously had never seen someone so beautifully perfect until that moment.

Me: I have to admit, I'm nervous.

Hottie God: Why?

Me: What if it sucks?

Hottie God: No fucking way. What you should be prepared for is the fact that you're never going to want to be with anyone else ever again.

Me: That scares me too.

Hottie God: It does me too.

Me: You make me feel like no one else ever has.

Hottie God: And you're waiting for something bad to happen?

Me: I'm afraid it's too perfect.

Hottie God: Has anything about us been easy?

Me: Not really.

Hottie God: In six and a half minutes, I'm going to kiss the hell out of you. Just saying.

Me: Aiden?

Hottie God: What, baby?

Me: I think it's going to be amazing with you, just like everything else is.

Hottie God: Me too <3

I send a quick text to Camden.

Me: Any chance the house elves can install something your brother could attach furry handcuffs to?

Cam: House elves?

Me: We decided that house elves were responsible for forecasting our every whim.

Cam: LOL. They are :) I hear my brother is giving the place a proper workout. What about you?

Me: Winter Formal is coming up :)

Cam: Will Aiden be “coming up" there?

Me: I think so.

Cam: Bout time. How's P? Something’s up with her.

Me: She met a guy.

Cam: Where?

Me: Beach over break.

Cam: Hmm. What about Whitney?

Me: She's dating Shark.

Cam: That is a match I bet even Shark wouldn't have bet on.

Me: They seem really happy. She seems happy.

Cam: And Dawson?

Me: One word: Brooke. Hardly ever get to see him.

I’m walking down the hall toward English when Aiden struts up to me, puts his hands around my neck, and kisses me, exactly as promised.

Straight out of a movie.

Drama

I get a text from Cooper.

Cooper: You need to get a really bad cramp now. Go to the nurse. Make her call me out of class.

I do as he says, make my way in fake pain to the nurse’s office, and talk her into calling Mr. Steele.

I know by the look on his face when he walks into the nurse’s office that something is wrong.

Is Vincent on his way here? Is he already here?

No. If that were the case, he wouldn’t care about pretending to be a teacher anymore.

Which means he has news.

Bad news.

“Is my family okay?” I ask him as I pretend limp down to the Field House.

“Yes,” is all he says.

Once we’re safely in the training room, he says, “The guy who talked to Vincent’s assistant is a cop friend of mine. He just sent me something.”

“Did he talk to her again? Get something good on Vincent?”

“No, he’s a detective. A homicide detective.”

“Is Vincent dead?!”

“No.”

“Is his assistant dead?”

“No, um . . .”

“Just say it, Cooper.”

“One of the dancers from the club is dead. She was reported missing by her roommates when she didn't come home from work Thursday night. They found her body on the beach in Malibu.” Cooper glances back at his phone. “In front of a restaurant called Moon Beams.”