Chapter 84 (1/2)

“But why stay in it?”

“Because I don’t want to live with my father, Tessa. Besides, look at this house; it’s nice, and I did get the biggest room.” He smirks a little, and I’m glad to see his anger is dying down.

“I mean, why don’t you live off campus?” I ask him and he shrugs. Maybe he doesn’t want to have to get a job.

I follow him quietly up to his room and wait as he unlocks the door. What is it with him and his obsession over no one going into his room?

“Why won’t you let anyone in your room?” I ask and he rolls his eyes. He puts my bag down on the floor.

“Why do you always ask so many questions?” he groans and sits on the chair.

“I don’t know, why won’t you answer them?” I ask, but of course he ignores me. “Can I hang up my outfit for tomorrow? I don’t want it to get too wrinkled from being in my bag.”

He seems to think about it for a second before he nods and stands to retrieve a hanger from his closet. I grab the skirt and blouse out and put them on the hanger, ignoring his sour expression at my clothing.

“I have to get up earlier than usual tomorrow so I can be at the bus station by eight forty-five; the stop three streets over is on the route that gets me two blocks away from Vance,” I inform him.

“What? You’re going there tomorrow? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I did . . . you were too busy sulking to pay attention,” I fire back.

“I will drive you there; you don’t need to take, what’s it, like an hour-long bus ride.”

I want to decline his offer just to annoy him but I decide against it. Hardin’s car is a much better way to get there than a crowded bus.

“I am going to get a car soon; I can’t last any longer without one. If I get the internship, I would have to take the bus there three days a week.”

“I would drive you,” he says, his voice almost a whisper.

“I’ll just get my own car,” I tell him. “The last thing I need is for you to be mad at me and not pick me up.”