Twelve minutes.
Accepting his incoming video call, I smile as his grumpy face fills my screen. “You’re still in LA, right?”
“Tick tock, Hawkins. Your time is running out.”
He drags a hand through his hair and blows out a defeated sigh. “This is punishment, isn’t it? For playing late all week? You’re still angry, aren’t you?”
Standing from the bed, I stroll around the room, keeping my eyes on his face while holding the phone out from my body. “What do you think?”
“Of course, you’re still angry.” He sighs. “I know that.”
I walk around the room’s perimeter, watching the realization settle over his face. “You should know not to fuck with my ice time, Nathan.”
Nine minutes.
“You’re in my fucking bedroom,” he says flatly. “Why do you have me running all over Maple Hills when you’re in my bedroom?”
“Did nobody tell you there is a party happening at your house? That’s strange.”
“I’m going to kill them.”
“It’s a shame you’re so far away and won’t be back by midnight.” I sigh dramatically, enjoying every second of this. “I think I’ll go downstairs and find someone else to be bratty with. Safe travels, Hawkins.”
“Anastasia, wa—”
Convincing Nate’s friends to mess with him was easy.
JJ
STASSIE:I need a favor.
STASSIE:It’ll ruin Nathan’s night.
JJ: You have my attention.
STASSIE:Might have told him he can do some stuff to some parts of me
STASSIE:Parts he really wants to do stuff to
STASSIE:But only if he can find me on campus before midnight.
JJ: And where do I come into this?
STASSIE:How do you feel about throwing a party after he’s left?
STASSIE:One he doesn’t find out about until after midnight
JJ: You’re evil.
JJ: I’m in
JJ: He’s texting our group chat asking if anyone wants to go out tonight lmao
JJ and I have developed an unlikely partnership rooted in the mutual enjoyment of annoying Nathan. It started last week when there was nowhere to sit. Nate was looking over, practically undressing me with his eyes, so I decided to mess with him a little.
Jaiden let me sit on his knee, joking if Nate wasn’t beside me within ninety seconds, he would pick up the whole bar tab. It was twenty-seven seconds.
He was also the person who stopped me from leaving after jealousy-gate, putting me in Henry’s room to sleep it off. According to him, Nate wouldn’t stop to use his brain if he found me in his room, but he’d give the kid the chance to explain.