Alle Kapitel von Hating You is Exhausting : Kapitel 11 – Kapitel 20

“Harper corners me with a smirk.”I almost walked straight into her.She steps into my path like she planned it.Like she has been waiting.My heart is still racing from what happened minutes ago.From Peter.From the kiss.From the way Liam shoved me away like I was both fire and salvation.I haven’t even had time to breathe.And now this.Harper crosses her arms and blocks me.“You look guilty,” she says lightly.I force a smile. “Move.”“No.”“I’m not in the mood, Harper.”“That’s exactly why I’m here.”My stomach drops.Something about her tone feels wrong.Too calm.Too knowing.“Let me pass,” I say.She tilts her head.“Did you two finally do it?”My brain blanks.“…What?”She raises one brow.“Kiss. Fight. Confess. Cry. Something dramatic. You two always look like a storm about to explode.”My pulse spikes.I try to sound bored.“You’re imagining things.”She laughs softly.“You’re a terrible liar, Nico.”I hate how easily she reads me.I look away.Big mistake.She notices.Sh

She smiles like a weapon.Soft lips.Sweet eyes.Perfect teeth.But nothing about that smile feels warm.It feels sharp.Like it could cut skin.Like it could cut me.“Liam!”Her voice is light.Bright.Too bright.Before I can move, before I can breathe, she rushes forward and throws herself into his arms.Not a normal hug.Not polite.Not distant.Her arms wrap tight around his neck.Too tight.Her body presses close.Too close.Like she belongs there.Like that place is hers.“I missed you,” she says against his chest.My chest hurts.The words feel wrong.Intimate.Possessive.Private.Like something I’m not supposed to hear.Liam stiffens.Not hugging back.Not touching her.Just frozen.“Tessa,” he says slowly. “You didn’t say you were coming today.”“I wanted to surprise you,” she laughs softly. “You like surprises, right?”No.He doesn’t.I know that.She doesn’t.Something ugly grows inside me.Hot.Jealous.Angry.I hate it.I hate myself for feeling it.Because what right d

We don’t pull away.The knock is still echoing in my head.Peter’s voice is still crawling under my skin.But Liam’s hand is still gripping my shirt.And my mouth is still inches from his.Breath mixing.Heat rising.Fear everywhere.And stillNeither of us moves.“Say something,” I whisper.My voice shakes.Not from the cold.From him.From us.From what we almost did.From what we still want to do.His forehead rests against mine.His breathing is rough.“I should open the door,” he says.“You’re not moving.”“I know.”The silence stretches.Thick.Dangerous.He laughs softly, but it sounds broken.“This is bad,” he mutters.“Yeah.”“We shouldn’t.”“Yeah.”“But I can’t stop.”My chest tightens.“Then don’t,” I say.His eyes lift to mine.Slow.Careful.Like he’s asking permission without words.Like he’s scared I might run.Like he’s scared he might.“You’re going to ruin me,” he whispers.I swallow.“You already ruined me.”Something changes in his face.Control snaps.Just snaps.

The test is negative.”The doctor says it like it’s normal.Like it’s small.Like those three words don’t just flip my whole world upside down.Negative.Not pregnant.Safe.Free.I should feel light.I should laugh.I should cry with relief.But I don’t.My chest feels strange.Empty.Too empty.Like something I didn’t know I was holding just disappeared.Beside me, Liam exhales hard.A long breath.The kind you hold for days.His shoulders drop.His head tilts back.Eyes closed.“Thank God,” he mutters.I nod.“Yeah… Thank God.”But my voice sounds wrong.Flat.Not happy.Not relieved.Just… quiet.The doctor keeps talking.Something about stress.Something about late cycles.Something about being careful.I don’t really hear it.Because I’m staring at Liam.He looks relieved.But there’s something else.Something small.Something like disappointment.That scares me.Because I think I feel it too.When we step out into the hallway, neither of us speaks.Our footsteps sound too loud.

The house is filled with noise and lies.Voices overlap. Laughter is too loud. Doors slam. Forks clink.I slide into the chair across from Liam, trying to keep my hands still.Keep my face calm.Act like nothing matters.Like we’re just brothers.I hate it already.Liam’s hand brushes mine under the table.He doesn’t look at me, but the touch is deliberate. Slow. Quiet.I swallow. My heart picks up.Stop it.Stop noticing.Stop noticing him.Aunt Marcy leans over. “Nico, you’ve grown taller! Liam, still broody?”I smile tightly. Liam grunts.“Don’t start,” he mutters under his breath.I hear it. And it makes my chest hurt.Dinner starts. Forks scrape. Plates pass. The conversation is forced, fake, full of smiles that don’t reach your eyes.Peter sits across from us. His grin was too sharp. He watches us like a hawk.I glance at Liam. He notices me noticing.Our eyes meet. Quick flash. Then he looks away.“Remember last Christmas?” Peter asks casually. “When Nico tried to cook?”I am t