All Chapters of My summer crush : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

I had almost reached the car when I heard her voice."Stop."I kept walking.The sound of footsteps came behind me."Christien, stop."I gripped the car key harder.If I got into the car, this conversation would end.If I turned around, it wouldn't.Unfortunately, Ava wasn't the type to give up.She grabbed my arm.Hard.I stopped.Slowly.Then I turned around.Her eyes were red.Not from crying.From anger."Look at me."I already was."Why did you do that?"I knew exactly what she meant.The kiss.I looked away first.Mistake.Ava laughed bitterly."Of course.""Ava.""No."She pointed at me."No, you don't get to say my name and pretend nothing happened."My jaw tightened."It shouldn't have happened."The words left my mouth before I could stop them.The moment they did, I saw the hurt on her face.Good.Maybe that would make this easier.Maybe she would hate me enough to stay away.Instead, she looked even angrier."Then why did it happen?"Silence."Why did you kiss me?"I didn'

One Week later.“I swear this box is heavier than it looks,” Stella said, dragging it further into the dorm room.She was just getting her luggage after resuming.I didn’t look up from the clothes I was folding. “It’s not heavy. You’re just tired.”“I’m not tired. I’m adapting.”“Adapting to what?”“To freedom. Obviously.”I shook my head and placed another folded shirt into the drawer. Stella’s things were already spreading across the room… open boxes, clothes on chairs, shoes near the wall like she had given up on organization halfway through unpacking.She flopped onto the bed and turned her head toward me. “You’re quiet today.”“I’m always quiet.”“No.” She pointed at me. “This one is different quiet. Thinking quiet.”I paused for half a second before continuing. “There’s no different quiet.”“There is. I’m studying you.”“Don’t.”“I already started.”I ignored her and kept folding.Stella rolled onto her side. “You’ve been like this since last week.”My hands slowed slightly.The

"Sorry about that," Mason said.I looked away from Christien."What?""The guy."I blinked."Oh."Mason smiled slightly. "You looked uncomfortable.""I could've handled it.""I know."His expression said he wasn't entirely convinced.Before either of us could say anything else, the music shifted.The soft song that had been playing faded into something livelier.The dance floor immediately became more crowded.More couples joined.More laughter.More movement.Mason looked toward the dance floor.Then back at me."Want to dance?"I almost said no.Not because of Mason.Because my attention kept drifting somewhere else.Unfortunately, that somewhere else was standing across the room in a dark suit pretending I didn't exist.Mason waited patiently.No pressure or expectation.I sighed."One dance."His smile widened slightly."One dance."He offered his hand.I took it.The dance floor wasn't packed yet, leaving enough room to move without bumping into people every two seconds.Mason wa

I didn't stop walking until I reached the hallway leading to the restrooms.The music from the ballroom became muffled behind me.Distant.My heels clicked against the polished floor as I slowed down.Then stopped.Then immediately regretted stopping because it gave me time to think.And thinking was exactly what had gotten me into this mess.I pushed open the restroom door and walked inside.The room was empty.Thank God.I stepped toward the mirror.For a moment, I just stared at my reflection.The black dress.The makeup Stella had insisted on.The hair that had taken entirely too long.I looked exactly the same as I had an hour ago.So why did I feel different?I exhaled sharply."You're ridiculous."The girl in the mirror looked unconvinced.A whole week.A whole stupid week.And somehow one dance had completely ruined my mood.Not because Christien had said something horrible.That would've been easier.Instead he'd done what he always did.Nothing.Just enough to make me questi

The drive home was quiet.No conversations…….i was expecting father’s call but he didn’t call.No unnecessary distractions.Just the city lights sliding past the tinted windows and the low hum of the engine beneath me.Normally, nights like this helped me think.Tonight they didn't.Because every time my thoughts settled, they returned to the same place.Ava.I looked out the window.Annoyed by the fact that I was still thinking about her.Annoyed by the fact that she had somehow managed to turn a simple business event into the only thing I could remember about the evening.The project with Richard Cole had gone well.The negotiations were progressing.The permits would be finalized next week.Everything had gone exactly as planned.Yet the only thing my mind insisted on replaying was a black dress and a stubborn girl refusing a ride home.Ridiculous.I loosened my tie slightly.The image returned anyway.Ava standing between Mason and me.Looking irritated.Refusing both of us.Order