CHAPTER 7 Sienna's POV I'm at the back of the abandoned library. I know Jason will be here any moment now, so I'm not surprised when I see him come in. We're probably the only ones who have a key to this place apart from the school administration—after we stole it back when we were freshmen. I'm working on my advanced calculus assignment when he drops his bag next to me. "Hey," I say, fighting off a blush. But he still sees it and smirks at me. I know we're fine after the small interaction we had during literature class, so I decide to stop avoiding him and confront this head-on. "I'm sorry I jumped you and basically mauled you," I say in one breath. Best to just say it and be done with it. Silence. Then Jason lets out a soft chuckle. "Well, I'm not. I like kissing you—though I think I prefer being mauled by you." The blush staining my cheeks probably makes me look like a tomato. "But really," he sighs, cupping my jaw. "It's fine. If you ever want to get off, I'll help you. I know you're not ready for a relationship, but I want everything with you, and I'm willing to wait. We'll go at your pace." The way he looks at me makes me feel both elated and uncomfortable. I don't know what to do with his affection—but I also don't know what to do without it. "Thank you," I whisper, nuzzling my face into his palm. ---Class ended at three, and now it's almost six. It'll be time for dinner soon. I've finished my calculus assignment and am currently studying economics when Jason suddenly gets up. "You're leaving?" I ask, slightly panicked. It's not like we were doing anything—I just like having him around. His presence is soothing. "No, I just have to take a call," he says before stepping out. We're technically not allowed to have phones on campus, but everyone sneaks theirs in. The school provides us with tablets and allows laptops, but phones are strictly forbidden. I wonder who's calling him. It's weird that he left to take it, but I shrug it off. If it was important, he'd tell me. I go back to studying. When Jason comes back, he looks frustrated. I don't say anything, but after a moment, I reach across and grab his hand. He glances at me but doesn't speak. At least he looks relieved, I think. And just like that, we hold hands until it's time for dinner. ---It's Friday evening. Cheer practice ended an hour ago, and I took a quick shower before flopping down on my bed. I heard there's going to be a party tonight at one of the dorms, but I'm too exhausted to go. That's the excuse I use when Naseera eventually barges into my room, trying to convince me to come. After a lot of begging and threats, she finally gives up and leaves to help set up for the party. She's the social prefect for a reason—she's the life of the party and can breathe fun into any situation. When I hear a knock, I assume it's her again, either coming back for something or just refusing to let me skip the party. So I don't even think before saying, "Come in." But it's Jason. And I hate how delighted I feel that he's here. I gave him a spare key to my cottage yesterday in the library—for emergencies. "You're abusing your power with that key," I say. "It's an emergency." A spike of fear shoots through me. "What happened?" "I miss you." He actually pouts. Jason—the school's head prefect—is pouting. He can be so cute sometimes. "You're so dramatic," I laugh. "You just saw me yesterday." But deep down, I understand. We're so attached, so dependent on each other—it has to be unhealthy. Jason takes off his shoes, carefully placing them by the door, then climbs into bed with me. I'm not wearing much—just a sports bra and shorts—but I don't feel the need to change. I like skin-to-skin contact. Though we've never been naked together before, the thought of it sends a hot flash of desire through me and settles low. Jason shifts, positioning himself on top of me. "What are you thinking about?" he asks, somehow sensing my thoughts. "Nothing," I murmur, but I can't meet his gaze. "Tell me," he insists. And I can tell he's not going to drop it. So, before I can second-guess myself, I blurt out, "Sex… with you." His eyebrow arches. I blush so deeply, it probably spreads all the way to my chest. You'd think by now, I'd have learned how to control myself and not make a total fool of myself every time I'm around him. "And what would sex with me be like?" His voice lowers. "Good," I squeak. "Just good?" My mind blanks. Because we both know—it would be more than just good. Jason suddenly rolls us over so that I'm on top now. I sit up, straddling him, and place my hands on his chest. I hate that he's so fit—his body hard with lean muscle. It makes fighting this insane attraction so difficult. I lean down and whisper in his ear, "Probably better than my imagination." He groans. I can feel him beneath me, but he doesn't touch me. I'm the one in control here, and the thought sends a heady rush through me. I let out a shaky breath and hide my face in his neck. I don't know how to play this game. My inexperience puts me at a constant disadvantage. His arms come around me, his hands drawing soft patterns on my bare waist. I wish we could stay like this forever. When I look up, I find him already watching me. "You're not going to the party?" I ask. "No. I'd rather be here." And my traitorous heart skips a beat at that. "I'm glad you're here," I say at last. "Me too, love." Jason sometimes calls me that—love. We've never exchanged I love you's, but I've always known that he loves me. I just hope he knows I love him, too. "Will you stay the night?" I ask. It's not a school night, and almost everyone's at the party. "Yeah," he murmurs. "I think I will." I get up to lock the door—just in case my roommate comes back—while Jason strips out of his clothes. I grab a pair of sweatpants I once stole from him and toss them over. He snorts when he sees they're his, but he doesn't comment. And I'm grateful for that. Once he's dressed, he drags me back to bed with him. I laugh when we hit the mattress together, tangled in each other. And just before I fall asleep, I think— This will be a good year.