He Deleted My Number After 972 Messages of Love Chapter 21

He Deleted My Number After 972 Messages of Love Chapter 21

Ezra had been in a strange, unreadable mood for days on end, though he still seemed pretty much the same on the surface.

The atmosphere for seniors at our school was never that intense. Afraid academic stress would wear us down too hard, the administration even organized a senior fall outdoor wellness hike up a nearby mountain.

The higher I hiked up the trail, the more exhausted my legs grew, but Ezra’s breathing stayed completely steady. He picked up a sturdy stick and handed it to me. For most of the second half, he practically half-supported, half-dragged me all the way to the summit.

I spread out a blanket, sat down, and patted the spot next to me. “Aren’t you tired?”

He sat down and passed me a water bottle.

The breeze at the top was nice—but before I could enjoy it, his words almost killed my entire good mood for the day.

“Jesse asked me to help him get a second chance with you.”

He and Chloe had broken up for good not long before. After that, I kept running into him everywhere—at the coffee cart, at the study pavilion. The second I spotted him, I’d turn and bolt. He was clearly obsessing over me again.

Ezra continued, “I turned him down.”

I breathed an immediate sigh of relief, opened my container, and held out a slice of homemade apple pie. “Solid move.”

“Because I told him I’m the one chasing you.”

I froze solid mid-gesture, still holding out the pie. Ezra didn’t seem to notice—he just took it casually and muttered, “Thanks.”

Back at the lounge that night, Jesse’s words hadn’t gotten under his skin at all. He’d brushed the whole conversation off like it was nothing.

Why would she like me when I’ve barely even put in any effort?

Jesse had set his glass down hard. Ezra had stood up, and they’d locked eyes, neither backing down.

“Quit wasting your breath,” Ezra told him flatly. “I’m not playing nice for you. Figure it out on your own. Because I’m chasing her too.”

By the time Ezra finished the pie, I’d regained control of my limbs. I stared down at the remaining slices in the container, my mind a mess.

Ezra spoke up. “Remember what you said on my first day, when you tried to switch seats?”

“I’m naturally not interested in Ezra.”

I hummed quietly in acknowledgment.

“It’s the opposite for me. I took a liking to you the very first time I saw you on the city bus. I guess that’s what it means to have someone be exactly your type.”

My fingers tightened against the edge of the container, my thoughts spiraling. The wind made the zipper of Ezra’s hiking jacket rustle softly—soft, but endlessly distracting.

Then a voice cut through.

“Sadie, did you bring apple pie? Want to trade a small piece for some Basque cheesecake I made?”

I snapped back. “Huh? Oh—sure, sounds good.”

I ducked my head, gathered up my container in a rush, and hurried off.