All Chapters of Boys Like Him: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The box dug into my palms, its corners biting through cheap cardboard as I hauled it up the narrow flight of stairs. My arms trembled with the effort, but it wasn't just the weight, it was the exhaustion of the whole day, the whole move, and the whole new beginning I wasn't sure I was ready for."Almost there," Mariah puffed behind me, her voice was half encouraging, half mocking. She was balancing a stack of kitchen pans like a circus act. Her braids stuck to her forehead with sweat, and her T-shirt was darkened with damp patches.I laughed under my breath, more out of habit than humor. My own T-shirt was clinging to me like a second skin, the August heat squeezing the last ounce of energy from my body.The hallway smelled faintly of paint and stale pizza, the kind of mix that clung to student housing like an unshakable curse. My new apartment, tiny, overpriced, off-campus, sat at the very end. It wasn't much, but it was mine. No more dorms with girls crying through walls at three in

Monday morning slipped in before I even felt the night settle. I surfaced from sleep slowly, only to stop short the moment awareness fully hit me.There was heat between my thighs, a soft, unmistakable dampness that made my breath catch. For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, feeling my pulse throb in places I didn't want to think about. I shifted my legs slightly under the sheets, the slickness gathering, reminding me exactly of the dream I hadn't meant to have... and the man who had been at the center of it.A slow flush crawled up my chest and throat. God. I squeezed my eyes shut, mortified at myself, at how little time I'd been in this new place and yet how deeply the thought of him had settled into me.I threw the blanket back like it was contaminated, scrambled to my feet, and stood in the center of the room as if distance might dissolve the evidence. But nothing dissolved. The sheets were damp, and my underwear clung to me in a way that made me want to peel of

I balanced my tote on my hip as I fished for my keys, pretending not to notice the light spilling faintly from his balcony.The lock clicked open with a soft thud, and I slipped inside, exhaling like I'd been holding my breath the whole bus ride home.I dropped my bag, changed into shorts and an oversized shirt, and started dinner. Nothing fancy, leftover rice, an egg, soy sauce, and sesame oil. The steam fogged my glasses as I leaned over the stove. Somewhere above, faint footsteps crossed the ceiling. Someone laughed, and it made me pause with the spatula midair.Lloyd.The realization hit like static against my skin.I tried to shake it off and focus on plating my food, but the sound had already settled under my ribs. I sat down, scrolled through my phone to distract myself, messages from Mariah, a meme she said "looked like me on caffeine withdrawal." I smiled weakly and sent a quick reply, pretending my hands weren't trembling.But when another burst of laughter echoed through t

The cafeteria smelled like hot oil, burnt bread, and the faint tang of cheap sanitizer. I slid into the booth with Mariah and her boyfriend Nate, careful not to let my tray wobble. Mariah was already halfway through her salad, laughing at something Nate said.I nibbled at a piece of sandwich, pretending not to notice the dozens of eyes that occasionally flicked our way. Cafeterias had a way of turning the mundane into theater."So," Mariah broke the silence, leaning back, "how were your classes today, kitchen witch?"I snorted, careful not to choke. "Barely scaled through."Mariah laughed, and Nate shook his head. "She's humble, isn't she?""Yeah, right," I muttered, rolling my eyes.Nate grinned. "That's Nyelle-speak for 'aced everything.'"I kicked him lightly under the table. "Shut up."I picked at my sandwich, trying not to notice the way other students seemed to drift closer to the center of the room, voices tilting upward."Mind if I join?" I froze mid-bite, fork paused halfway

My back hit the seat with a small thud. His thumb stroked the hinge of my jaw, tilting my chin enough for him to deepen the kiss, coaxing my lips to part. A low sound...his, not mine, vibrated against my mouth when I responded.His fingers threaded into my hair. The shock detonated in my chest... heat, fear, confusion all tangled. My other fingers clamped around my backpack straps, heart exploding against my ribs as if trying to escape. His hand slid to the back of my neck, sending sparks down my spine in ways I was absolutely not prepared for.I fisted the front of his shirt. The kiss slowed, then lifted, then returned with more certainty. His mouth brushed the corner of mine, gently at first, then with a teasing pull that made my breath break against him. That tiny, broken breath snapped everything.I jerked back so hard the seatbelt cut into my collarbone. "Open. Open the car!"His head snapped back, eyes wide. "Hey... hey, okay... okay, relax...""No!" I scrambled at the door, fi