Chapter 4 Does It Bother You?
[KADE]
Dismissal
“Off-limits?”
Stacy stopped dead in her tracks and whipped around so fast I nearly crashed right into her. The parking lot buzzed like a hive, clusters of students cracking up as they peeled out, tires screeching on the asphalt.
“Who the hell is Yuki?” She demanded, you can tell by the tone of her voice, she was pissed.
I let out a slow breath, hands itching to ball into fists. Last thing I needed right now was this drama. School had just let out, and all I wanted was to get the hell away from here.
“She’s no one,” I muttered, jamming my hands deep into my pockets. “Just this orphan girl who moved into my house.”
“Moved into your house?” Stacy’s eyes narrowed to slits, her glossy lips twisting like she’d tasted something sour.
“It’s not what you think,” I shot back quick. “My mom took her in out of nowhere. That’s it. And since she’s crashing there now, yeah, it’s kinda my job to keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn’t screw everything up.”
The silence was suffocating.
“It better be,” Stacy said at last, her tone laced with ice.
She closed the gap between us in one smooth step, her heels clicking sharp against the pavement. Then her arms snaked around my neck, pulling me in tight like she was staking her claim right there in front of God and everybody.
“I’m not tolerating you being with another girl besides me,” she hissed right in my ear. “I’m your girlfriend, Kade. You’re mine. Mine alone.”
Her words echoed in my skull. Seriously? Possessive much? I stood there stiff, my body on autopilot while my brain short-circuited.
My mind drifted, unwanted, straight to Yuki. Her face when I said she was off limits earlier. The way she looked confused, and tense with the sudden attention on her.
Why did I say she was off-limits?
Did I even mean it?
The truth was uncomfortable. As interested as I was in her, nothing had been established. What happened between us was just a kiss and I knew she didn’t belong to me.
And yet… something twisted in my gut, hot and insistent, screaming otherwise.
“Kade!”
Jin’s voice cut through my thoughts.
I blinked and snapped back to reality. Jin was standing a few cars away with Ramir, keys dangling from his fingers, watching me with raised brows.
“You good, man?” Jin called out.
I nodded automatically, though my chest felt tight.
“Yeah,” I said.
“Where’s Stacy?” I asked, glancing around the parking lot.
“She already left,” Jin said.
Ramir snorted, leaning against his beat-up truck. “I still don’t get why you even made her your girlfriend. You two only fucked one time, and you straight-up said she’s trash in bed. Wide as a goddamn tunnel, bro.”
“You’ve said it yourself, she’s not even your type,” He piled on, smirking like he’d won some point.
“Bro…” Jin chuckled low, shaking his head, but his eyes stayed sharp on me.
“It’s for personal reasons,” I said, dragging a hand through my hair, messing it up more.
Personal reasons that weren’t their business. Not yet.
“Personal reasons?” Ramir echoed, not letting up. “You let her talk to you like that just now? Like you’re her property?”
“Just drop Stacy,” I muttered, ruffling my hair again, harder this time. “She’s not worth the headache.”
Jin tilted his head, studying me like I was a puzzle he couldn’t crack. “Does she have something on you? Like, real dirt?”
I froze, ice shooting down my spine. For a split second, my mask slipped. Then I barked a laugh, too loud, too fake. “Cut the conspiracy crap. I’ll dump her ass soon enough. You guys gossip worse than the cheer squad.”
But they nailed it. Spot on. I wasn’t with Stacy because her clingy ass turned me on. Nah, the real story was dirtier, a ticking bomb she held over my head.
One wrong move, one whisper in the right ear, and it’d blow up my life....mine, my mom’s, the whole damn family’s. Ruin us all.
“Oh look,” Ramir said out of nowhere, elbowing my ribs. “Little Miss Yuki’s incoming.”
I glanced up, and there she was—walking our way with those careful steps, hands clasped tight in front of her like she was holding herself together.
Next to her bounced Ella, the school’s ultimate social butterfly and certified rumor factory, chattering nonstop.
My gaze locked on Yuki. Didn’t mean to, but it did. Every damn time I saw her, something yanked inside me, it was inevitable, like a hook in my ribs I couldn’t shake.
What the hell was it? Curiosity? Guilt? Something stupider?
“Hi there, Elly,” Jin said, flashing his signature grin, all teeth and charm.
“It’s Ella,” she fired back instantly, hands on hips. “I’ve told you a million times, Jin. Stop with the Elly bullshit. Call me by my full name if you’re gonna be a pain: Isabella. Gosh, you’re impossible.”
She rolled her eyes so hard I thought they’d stick.
Classic Jin and Ella. He’d been half in love with her since junior high, chasing that fire. She acted like his mere existence pissed her off. Their “talks” were straight-up verbal sparring matches, entertaining as hell if you weren’t in the splash zone.
“Wanna head home now?” I asked Yuki, ignoring the circus.
She nodded quick, a tiny smile tugging her lips, her pink hair bouncing soft with the motion. Simple shit, but it hit me square.
“Alright, guys,” I said, clapping Ramir on the shoulder. “I’m out.”
“Aren’t we grabbing drinks?” Ramir whined.
“Rain check,” I tossed over my shoulder, already steering Yuki toward my car.
The drive was quiet. We haven't said a word to each other since I drove out of the school.
I wanted to start a conversation with her, the problem was that I didn't know what to ask. I don't know when I became this cautious of picking my words. I just, didn't want to offend her by saying something she wouldn't like.
I caught her stealing glances at me from the corner of my eye. Every time I looked over, she snapped her gaze back to the window like she’d been caught doing something wrong.
“Wanna say something?” I asked, breaking the silence.
She shifted in her seat.
“Um… you won’t get mad if I ask?” she said, lips pouting slightly.
Fuck. That face.
“Go on,” I said.
She hesitated, fingers twisting together on her lap. “Is it true… that the lady earlier is your fourth girlfriend this month?”
I glanced at her.
She didn’t look angry. She looked… disappointed.
And for some reason, that hit me really hard.
So she already knew about my reputation. About the kind of guy everyone thought I was. Maybe the kind of guy I really was.
Why did it bother me so much that she knew?
“Yeah,” I said quietly.
“Oh…” she murmured, eyes dropping to her hands.
The traffic light ahead turned red. I slowed to a stop, my hands still tight on the steering wheel. I turned my head and looked at her properly this time.
“Does it bother you?” I asked.
She blinked. “Huh?”
“I asked,” I repeated, my voice lower now. “Does it bother you if I’m with another girl?”
Her breath hitched. I watched her bite her lower lip slowly, nerves written all over her face.
Her eyes lifted to mine, unsure and exposed.
“What if…” She started, then stopped.
I waited.
“What if I say… yes, it does?”
Her face flushed instantly, red spreading from her cheeks down her neck like she’d just confessed something she wasn’t supposed to.
Seriously? It... bothers her?
