20 Days In His Bedroom

Chapter Thirteen

After I recover, I pull myself away from his hug.

We stare at each other for a moment.

"You okay?" he asks softly.

"I think so," I reply, looking away. I still can't believe he hugged me—or that I hugged him back.

"Do you wanna eat?" he asks.

"Not really." I shake my head.

"I'm going to have dinner. The hotel restaurant is good."

"Have you eaten there before?" I ask, surprised. I hadn't noticed him leaving for food.

"Uh, no. The girls told me about it."

"Oh." I bite my lip. For some reason, the image of him with those girls in the pool unsettles me.

"I might come," I say.

"Okay, let's go." He puts his shoes on.

"Wait," I say, slipping into the bathroom to check my face. It's pale, and I wish I had my strawberry lip gloss to brighten it. But I don't have makeup. I barely have anything.

"You ready?" he calls from outside.

I hurry out and follow him. We take the elevator down. He leads me into a beautiful restaurant—definitely the kind that serves expensive food. I make a mental note to pay him back for everything. I won't let him spend money on me without reason. After all, we hardly know each other.

"Do you have friends?" he asks once we sit down.

"Sure... I mean, definitely."

"I can't imagine them. Are they as fresh or naive as you?"

"Fresh?" I frown. "I don't know what you mean, but no, they're not naive like me." I smile, though his words sting. I'm not naive... am I?

"You don't act like you're eighteen. Honestly, I still don't believe you are."

"I am eighteen. I don't have an ID to prove it, but you could just believe me."

He chuckles.

"Okay. I'll try," he says, winking, just as the waiter places menus in front of us.

"What would you like to eat?" he asks, scanning his menu.

"Nothing." The prices are insane. Really insane. If the food's this expensive, I can't even imagine what the room costs.

"What?"

"It's really expensive," I admit.

"You don't have to worry. I have enough money. Not enough to live here forever, but a good amount."

Us? Live here forever? Even if he could buy the whole hotel, I wouldn't stay here with him forever. He's just helping me until I find my parents.

"Still, you should spend your money on yourself. Not me."

"I am spending it on me. If you hadn't come, I'd have taken one of those girls instead," he smirks.

I glare. "I'm not jealous of those girls," I blurt out before I can stop myself.

"Who said you were?" he raises an eyebrow, but I know he's enjoying this.

"You," I say, crossing my arms. "You're trying to make me look jealous... anyway, it's not important. You're nothing to me. Not even a friend. Just a stranger."

"Yeah? A stranger whose room you sleep in and have dinner with?"

"What do you mean by that?" I narrow my eyes, but before he can reply, the waiter returns.

"Have you decided what you'd like to eat?" he asks.

"I'll have the scallop," Nial says.

"Uh... I'll have the grilled chicken," I say awkwardly.

"Good choice," Nial says mockingly, and I frown.

"Were you in high school?" he asks, breaking the silence.

"You're trying to get to know me?"

He laughs. "Maybe. You're interesting. Different from any girl I've met before."

"Of course I am." I smile, proud. No tattoos. I care about my family. And I'm not rude like he is.

"Sure you are," he says, smiling too.

"I'm going to college," I finally answer.

"Oh." His voice softens.

"And you?" I ask.

"Me what? I'm in college too."

"What?" I blink. He's a college student?

"How old are you?"

"Why?"

"I'm hoping you'll answer something without being secretive for once. Don't worry, I'm not trying to rob you." I huff.

He laughs. "I'm twenty."

Twenty? I would've guessed twenty-five.

"What?" he asks, noticing my expression.

"I thought you were older," I admit.

"Because I have money?"

"No, I just... I don't know. I didn't expect twenty. You're only two years older than me."

"Yeah."

"So how do you make money?"

"Ah, and now comes your endless list of questions."

"I do have a ton of questions I want to ask. But I know you won't answer most of them," I confess.

"I work alongside studying. Satisfied?"

"I was actually looking forward to doing that too. Working and studying."

"You can," he shrugs, like it's the easiest thing in the world.

Our food arrives. I dig in—I was hungrier than I realized. When we finish, he pays.

"How do you have money now?" I ask again as we leave the restaurant.

"I already told you."

"No, I mean now. After the crash."

"I had a bank card. I called the bank. They sent me another one after they heard what happened."

"Oh." I bite my bottom lip. I don't even have a bank account.

"I had a nice time with you," he says as we step into the elevator. His words surprise me.

"Uh... me too. At least I finally know something about my roommate." I smile.

As we reach our floor, the elevator doors slide open—and Jace is standing right there.

"Twi?" he grins and reaches to shake my hand.