All Chapters of Hating You is Exhausting : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

He bumps into me like he owns the place. I feel the shock in my shoulder before I hear his words. Sharp. Cold. Familiar in a way that irritates something deep inside my chest. “Watch it,” he mutters. I turn. And there he is. Liam Carrington. His face hasn’t changed muchstill sharp edges, still those stormy eyes, still that arrogant calm that makes people either want him or want to hit him. Three years of quiet, and he still looks at me like I’m the reason the world annoys him. I force a flat tone. “You walked into me.” He stares. The stare that always meant fight me or kiss me, and I still can’t tell the difference. “You’re blocking the walkway,” he says. “And you’re still rude,” I shot back. His jaw tightens. “Some things don’t change.” I hate that my pulse responds before my brain does. He’s in a fitting black suit, shirt unbuttoned at the top like he didn’t even try. His hair is slicked back in that careless way that makes him look expensive. And I wish I didn

Skylar emerges from the stairs, Liam’s younger sister, messy hair, oversized jacket, soft smile. She looks between us and smirks. “You both look like someone told you to share a room.” I groan. “Your parents are leaving for a year.” She gasps. “Together?” “Yes.” “And you two are staying here alone?” “Yes.” She bites her lip, trying not to laugh. “This is priceless.” “It’s not funny,” Liam snaps. “It’s hilarious.” She pats his shoulder. “Try not to kill each other.” I shake my head. “I can’t do this. I can’t pretend everything is normal.” Skylar looks at me. Longer than necessary. Like she knows something. “Maybe pretending isn’t the problem,” she says softly. “Maybe it’s what you’re pretending not to feel.” My breath catches. Liam stiffens. Skylar smiles and walks upstairs like she didn’t just drop a bomb between us. I say, “She knows.” “She doesn’t,” Liam says quickly. “She does.” “She doesn’t.” “She absolutely does.” He rakes his hand through his hai

I hear him before I see him. At first, I thought I’m dreaming. The voice is low, rough, almost broken. Too close. Too familiar. My eyes snap open when I hear it again. “Nico…” My heart stutters. He’s saying my name. Softly. Like a confession. Like a secret slipping out of a place he keeps locked. I sit up, breath stuck in my throat. The wall between our rooms feels thinner than paper. Every sound passes through it. His breaths. His restless movement. His quiet, nervous anger. Then another word. “Don’t… leave.” The air leaves my lungs. He’s sleep-talking. And he’s thinking about me. And he sounds scared. My fingers curl tight around the blanket as heat fills my chest something painful, confused, almost unbearable. I press my palm to the cool wall, as if I can reach him through it. “Liam,” I say, even though I know he can’t hear. “Why are you dreaming about me? ” He mutters again, voice cracking this time. “Stay…” I stop breathing entirely. He’s not just t

You remember enough to argue,” I shoot back.That gets his attention.He spins to face me, and there’s something in his eyes, something wild, conflicted, desperate.“You think this is easy for me?” he asks. “You think I don’t… fight myself every time you speak to me like that?”“Like what?”“Like you expect me to admit something I’m not allowed to feel.”My beating stops. Actually stops.“Not allowed by who?” I whisper.He hesitates. “By myself.”There it is another truth. One he didn’t mean to spill.I move a little closer. “Liam… you’re hiding something.”“And you keep pushing,” he fires back, stepping toward me too, “like you’re 9 afraid of anything.”“Maybe I’m tired of pretending that night didn’t mean something.”That stops him again. His chest lifts. Falls. Sharp. Suddenly. Like he’s the one who just got hit.“You think it meant something?” he asks softly.“You think it didn’t?”His quiet is louder than words.My voice drops. “Liam… tell me what you remember.”He closes his eye

“He doesn’t answer me.”He doesn’t answer me.Not a word. Not a breath. Not even a look.My question still hangs between us like smoke.Do you regret me?His eyes slid away first.That hurts more than any answer.I swallow.“Say something,” I whisper.Nothing.His jaw tightens. His hands curl into fists. He looks like a man trying to hold back a storm.But storms don’t stay trapped forever.They break things.And I think I am about to break.We stand too close.Close enough to feel heat.Close enough to hear each other breathe.But far enough to feel lonely.I hate this distance.“Liam,” I try again, softer now, “please.”He finally speaks.But not to me.“I’m late.”That’s it.Two cold words.Like I’m nothing.Like last night never happened.Like the almost-kiss meant nothing.Like I meant nothing.He walks past me.His shoulder brushes mine.My chest aches from that small touch.He doesn’t slow down.Don't look back.Just leave.And I stand there feeling stupid.Stupid for hoping.S