Chasing you | ✓

Chapter 22 - I'm a nerd?

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FIVE MONTHS AGO

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I don't remember why I went home to Cade's that day. But there wasn't anything weird about that. I was there all the time.

"Hey, babe," I said as I entered his bedroom and dropped my backpack on the floor. "Broken any hearts today?"

Cade was lounging on the bed, leaning back against the headboard. His head snapped up from the thick textbook in his lap, startled at my sudden arrival. His face broke into a smile.

"Hey, you."

I plopped down next to him on the bed, trying to snatch the book from his hands. He saw the movement coming—he quickly raised the book over his head and gave me a poignant glare.

"Don't you dare."

"But why are you studying? We literally just left study hall."

He let out a nervous laugh. "I'm a nerd?"

"Cade," I said slowly. "Are you struggling with Calc?"

"Maybe..."

"I told you not to take AP, you hate math!"

He groaned and shot his eyes back to the textbook.

"You're not gonna learn how to calculate numbers by reading a book," I said, trying to yank it from his grip.

"Cut it out," he said with a chuckle, gripping the book tighter. "Was there a reason you came by or was it just to annoy me?"

I pretended to think about it.

"Hmm, to annoy you, I think."

His face broke into a grin.

"You're impossible."

Yet he kept looking into my eyes, as if searching for something there.

The sudden intimacy of his gaze took me by surprise.

I cleared my throat and rested my head against his shoulder. It was surprisingly firm under my touch. I glanced at his T-shirt, the way it tightened over his body.

"You can't be struggling that much if you still have time to hit the gym. How many times a week are you going now? I mean, look at you."

"Not more than usual," he said. "Some of us actually have to make an effort to lead a healthy lifestyle."

"Dancing does make it a package deal," I agreed. "I've told you, if you at any time decide to change your mind, it's not too late to learn."

He eyed me over the edge of his textbook.

"You know why I don't dance."

"I know, I know. Two left feet. I'm just saying, I'm not one to discriminate lefties."

Cade made a wheezing sound with his nose trying to hold in a giggle. The accomplishment made me grin—it was always him making me laugh. Now we were finally turning the tables.

The afternoon trudged on, until I could no longer keep in the question that weighed on my mind every single day.

"Have you given any more thought to college?"