I Heard His Thoughts While Chasing Him For A Year Chapter 06

I Heard His Thoughts While Chasing Him For A Year Chapter 06

I felt as if I had discovered the secret.

Everett wanted Zoe alone, so I would stay attached to her.

The next morning, Zoe and I walked to school holding hands. Everett waited at the entrance again.

He was full of contradictions. He pretended not to care while manufacturing every encounter.

When I was romance-obsessed, I called it fate. From outside the fantasy, I finally saw the planning.

Everett held out two breakfast wraps.

“One for each of you. No scallions or cilantro.”

Zoe accepted them.

“Thanks.”

She winked at me.

[Did she hear that I left out scallions and cilantro? Will she realize how thoughtful I am?]

[I remember every one of her preferences.]

[I’ll bring breakfast every day. Tomorrow I’ll get biscuits from Parker’s Bakery.]

I laughed bitterly to myself.

I had bought him breakfast for months, and he had never returned the

—

gesture. I only benefited because he wanted Zoe.

The wraps were made exactly the way I liked them, but I refused to consider what that meant. Jealousy had already supplied an explanation, and I clung to it.

His thoughts recited the entire breakfast plan while the wrap grew heavy in my hand.

Free food should have tasted better. I had no appetite.

I gave it to Milo Carter, the boy behind me. He returned the favor with a soda from the school store.

That was how appreciation was supposed to work.

For days, Everett brought different breakfasts for Zoe and me, and I gave mine to Milo.

Then Ms. Lawson called me into her office.

Milo had claimed I was pursuing him.

My luck was unbelievable.

Giving him breakfast every morning had apparently looked romantic from his side. I had tried to escape one love triangle and accidentally created another.

Ms. Lawson told me to focus on school and assigned one week of after-school athletic-field cleanup.

The field took more than an hour to clean.

Zoe helped every night, and where Zoe went, Everett followed. He

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even brought several friends.

[Poor thing. I hate seeing her punished.]

[Those hands are for writing and manicures, not pushing a broom.]

[I’ll get her hand-care salon gift cards this weekend. If I say they’re free, she’ll accept them.]

Hearing his thoughts had become its own punishment.

Every expression of concern for Zoe left something heavy and wet inside my chest until breathing felt difficult.

I finally told Zoe to go home early.

I wanted quiet, but Everett arrived anyway, alone.

His friends did not appear, and he never asked where Zoe was. That should have challenged my theory, but I was too busy protecting myself to notice.

He asked nothing. He picked up a push broom and began working as if he had already known Zoe would not come.

Guilt pricked me.

“I sent Zoe home. Her dad has been strict lately.”

“Okay.”

“You can leave too.”

“I don’t have plans.”

“Then thank you.”

—

“Sure.”

Without Zoe, he became cold again. I kept my distance, afraid of what his thoughts might say.

Two people worked more slowly than a group. By the time we finished, my stomach growled.

“A chicken-and-dumpling café opened near the gate,” Everett said. “I heard it’s good.”

He was clearly suggesting dinner.

After all his help, refusing felt rude. I would buy him a meal.