005: The Pairing From Hell

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:SLOANE ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ

✦ ✧ ✦

Some people say the universe has a plan.

Those people have clearly never been stuck in Lexter Gray's arms while simultaneously wanting to both murder him and crawl inside his skin.

I kept twisting. Fighting. Clawing at his stupid perfect arms.

"You stood there and watched your girlfriend push me into the pool and now you want to ask me questions like some fucking savior."

"I don't have a girlfriend."

"I don't care. Let me go."

"No." He rasped. "You're hypothermic. If you don't warm up properly your heart could stop. So no. I'm not letting you go."

My hypothermia? I only joked about it once when he asked about my sweaters.

And he... remembered?

Stop it, Sloane. It was all part of the bet.

"Stay still or you could fucking die." His arms pinched my body in.

"I'd rather die than spend another second in your arms."

"Well you're not dying on my watch."

I shoved at his chest. "You repulse me."

He laughed. "Oh, you liar." His grip tightened. "You were writhing in my arms thirty minutes ago. Moaning my name. Begging me not to stop." His eyes dropped to my mouth. "I have the scratch marks to prove it. Want me to show you?"

My face burned. "It was a mistake."

"No, it wasn't." His voice changed and his face too. For a brief second, it was like seeing someone else."Everything that happened in that pool? You wanted it. You wanted me, Sloane."

God.

I hated how right he was.

I hated that even now... even furious, even humiliated... my body responded to his voice like it was hardwired to self-destruct for him.

Heat pooled low in my stomach.

I hated it. Hated him. Hated myself more.

"I was stupid. So fucking stupid. And I'm never going to be that stupid again."

I twisted harder. Pushed and fought until his grip loosened and I wrenched myself free

The second I lost contact, my body screamed in protest.

I stood anyway. Too fast. The room tilted. I stumbled, catching myself on the couch.

"Careful—"

"Don't." I held up a hand, stopping him from coming closer. "Don't touch me."

"You can barely stand."

"Don't pretend you give a shit if I fall."

I managed to reach for the door handle. Pulled.

Wouldn't open.

"It's locked."

I turned, glaring at him. "Unlock it."

"I can't." He dragged a hand through his forever drooping dark hair. "Emergency thermal lock. When the room temperature drops below a certain point it engages automatically. Resets in fifteen minutes."

"This is kidnapping."

"This is a hypothermia protocol." He sat up casually. Like I wasn't shaking so hard my teeth rattled.

"And were you seriously trying to storm off in your underwear," He eyed me up to down. That smirk on his lips.

My eyes fell.

Shit:

My beige sports bra and that stupid pink underwear with the little bows. Nothing I'd ever want him to see.

My arms snaked around each other.

"Your body temperature is dangerously low. You need sustained warmth. Skin to skin contact. That's basic first aid."

Another wave of dizziness hit.

I grabbed the wall.

"Stop… fighting this."

"No."

"Sloane."

"Don't say my name!"

"Just let me help you."

"I don't want your help."

"I don't care what you want. I care about you not going into cardiac arrest in my bedroom."

My legs gave out. He caught me. Carried me back to bed.

"Let me go."

"No." He climbed beside me. Pulled the covers over us. "Stop talking. Stop fighting. Just breathe."

His arms came around me. The cold was still in my bones. And he was so warm.

I hated how good it felt. Hated that my body pressed closer. Seeking heat. Seeking him.

His hand moved up and down my spine slowly,"Your breathing is better. Heart rate is coming down."

"Gee thanks, Doctor Gray."

"I can feel your pulse." His thumb pressed my wrist. "Right here. It was erratic. Now it's steadying."

I hated how good he was at this.

The shaking started to ease. I could feel my fingers again. My toes. Everything, coming back online. And with feeling came thought. Too much thought.

I was in Lexter Gray's bed. In my underwear. His arms around me.

Two weeks ago, he was just THAT guy. The cocky jerk everyone obsessed over. The Hockey God who didn't know I existed.

Now I know why he suddenly got nice.

Now I also know what he tastes like. What he feels like. What he sounds like when he comes undone.

And I hated all of it.

Hated how safe I felt wrapped in his stupid arms.

Hated that part of me wanted to stay here.

I was so fucked.

Click.

The door unlocked.

"Finally. The longest fifteen minutes of my life."

I wriggled out of his arms.

I grabbed my dress from the floor. Still wet but I pulled it on anyway.

"Look away."

He leaned back against the headboard. Arms crossed. That insufferable smirk on his full rude lips.

"Really?"

"Yes. Really."

He chuckled, shook his head, and turned, still smirking.

I dressed quickly.

He glanced back, and I caught his stupid forest-green eyes.

"I never. Ever. Want to see you again, Lexter Gray."

He rose—tall glass of arrogance and Tattoos—gliding toward me. "Oh, no..." He clutched his chest dramatically. "Whatever will I do? I'll definitely perish if I don't see your face again, Sloane Carter."

"Fuck you."

"You already tried. Remember?"

I didn't even realize my hand was moving until it was halfway to his face.

But Lexter was faster.

He snatched my wrist, yanked me forward so hard I slammed into his chest. His other arm locked around my waist.

"You can't seem to keep your hands off me, Sloane Carter." His mouth was right there. So close I could feel every word against my lips. "Can you?"

I was shaking. From rage. From humiliation. From the fact that even now... he had my weak button.

I wanted to kill him.

Then our phones blared at the same time.

ScorchWire.

Passion University's most notorious social media platform.

*SCORCHWIRE EXCLUSIVE: ALEXANDER PROJECT PAIRINGS DROPPED*

[The wait is over besties. The most prestigious academic project of the year has announced its pairs. Check your emails for your partner assignment. May the odds be ever in your favor. You're gonna need them.]

Side note: Someone explain why half the library just screamed simultaneously? 👀

Yeah the library group chat was shooting off scream emojis...

My heart paused as I searched.

The Alexander Project. My one way ticket out of the shit hole that was my life. I would have killed to do it solo. But Professor Steinberg said the Alexander team didn't allow that. So I'd been praying for someone competent. Someone who understood how important this was.

I opened my email with shaking hands.

Please. Please. Please.

Alexander Project Partner Assignment:

Sloane Carter & Lexter Gray.

No.

This had to be wrong.

I read it again.

Sloane Carter & Lexter Gray.

"This has got to be a fucking joke right?"

Lexter was staring at his phone. That expression of horror probably mirrored on my face.

"Well I'm not laughing." He looked up, meeting my eyes.

Wait…

"Did you do this? Is this another sick joke of yours?"

He scoffed. "You think I want to be stuck with you for the rest of the year?"

He gave me a look that made me feel so stupid.

"Get over yourself, Sloane Carter."

After everything he did... not one single remorseful bone in his body.

My heart didn't just break.

It shattered.

The lump of tears lodged in my throat was crushing me. Suffocating me.

Damn it, Sloane. Don't cry.

"You know what, Lexter Gray?" My voice cracked but I kept my chin high."You're such a jerk. And the last few weeks? I thought... God, I'm so stupid... I actually thought I got you wrong. That you weren't just that guy. That you had a heart buried under all that arrogance."

One tear slipped. I hated myself for it.

"But I was so, so wrong." I croaked. "You're exactly who I thought you were. A jerk with ice where a heart should be. And I hope one day that ice breaks you like you break everyone else!"

I stormed out before he could answer.

I never want to see him again. Not for the rest of college. Not for the rest of my existence.

God. How am I stuck with him for the entire year… on the one project that could change my life?

I'm such an idiot. Such a stupid, naive idiot.

I swiped at my tears, but they kept spilling over.

"I hate you, Lexter Gray!"

He gave me the best night of my life, made me believe… for one stupid moment… that maybe he saw me. And then ripped it all away.

How do I sit across from him day after day, pretending my heart isn't bleeding? How do I work with the boy who made me feel everything... and then made me feel like I was nothing?