STRAY KIDS.

XXV. ASSHOLE

( STRAY KIDS! )
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE.
❛ asshole ❜

❝ I DIDN'T LOOK. I PROMISE ❞

    she hands him back his phone. they're sitting together on the railing in the parking lot. the other kids have already left. a custodian is throwing them suspicious looks, but he can't make them leave.

    "i mean," she adds, "if you have a folder full of nudes, it's still safe and sound."

   her joke falls flat. peter is still reasonably pissed.

   eli knocks into him, but he doesn't knock back. there's a panicked look on her face. this is their game, after all.

   "look. i know i'm an asshole, but i can't help it sometimes. maybe i do it to drive people away, i don't know."

   "you like it," he mutters. "being an asshole that is."

eli buries her head in her hands. "i also like you."

peter tries to ignore the damned butterflies in his stomach. bunch of traitors. "you like the suit more. and you want that stark internship."

she peeks at him through her fingers. "well yeah. but i also like you."

"i don't know if i believe you. i mean, in the last few weeks, you gave me a black-eye, kicked me out of my own bed and stole my phone."

    eli smiles sadly. "dummy. that's what people do when they like each other."

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