Only With You (Knights #2)

45

LANDON

I always dread parties at our house because it gets too loud, there’s too much alcohol, and the smell remains the next day. Let me not get started on the vomit or drunk person I’ll randomly stumble upon.

I never look forward to them, but tonight, despite the triggers, I feel good. I wish I could say it was because of tonight’s win and to some degree it is, but it’s all mainly due to seeing Julianna. I’m still annoyed that she wore Malik’s number, but she came to a game. I didn’t even know she was going to come. She didn’t tell me nor did the girls, but it doesn’t matter because the surprise was worth it.

I’ve never cared about who does or doesn’t come. Sure, John likes to occasionally show up, but he’s like any other person in the crowd, very much unlike Julianna. I really liked that she was there.

I wonder if she asked Polly questions like she had asked me the other nights. I wonder if she enjoyed it, if she had a good time, if she’ll come again. God, I really hope so.

Checking my phone again—for the twenty-sixth time now, to be exact—I swallow back the disappointment at still not seeing a message from her. I texted her a while ago, but I still haven’t heard anything.

She’s probably getting ready. That always takes her a little longer. I’ve watched her do her makeup and know how focused she gets when doing it. So, that’s probably why she’s not answering and it’s what I keep telling myself.

And I believe it until I spot Polly weaving through the crowd that’s taking up space in the living room by herself.

I immediately stalk toward her and pull her to the side when we walk into the kitchen.

“Hey, congrats! Showing off for a certain somebody?” She wiggles her brows.

What can I say, Julianna is a great motivator. I always do my best, but I really wanted to impress her, or how else will I get her to come again?

“I’m just that good.” I shrug.

“Just as cocky as TJ.” She tsks, laughing.

I disagree, but not out loud. She’ll keep talking if I don’t ask. “Where’s Julianna?”

Polly flashes me a lopsided grin. “You guys are so cute. You might as well make it official. But to answer your question, she’s home.” Her smile drops. “After the second half, she started complaining about her stomach and said her period was coming. I was going to stay with her, but she said she needed to sleep it off and preferred to be alone.”

That’s a little strange considering she’s not supposed to get her period for another two weeks. But who am I to think what she should and shouldn’t be feeling, because what do I know about a woman’s body?

I wonder if she’s still stocked on peppermint tea. Or if she still has those mini marshmallows she loves to eat so much. I’ve come to realise she won’t go out of her way to ask for help, because she feels like a burden. I also know she doesn’t like to be alone, but maybe she’s in that much pain, she really didn’t want to be around anyone.

“You should go see her,” Polly announces, gaze roaming over everyone in the kitchen. “Seriously, go. You have a key to our apartment, and don’t worry about Gabby or me showing up. The apartment’s all yours tonight.”

“Only you, Polly. She’s on her period and in pain.”

She shrugs. “That never stopped anyone before. Just saying. And before you go, have you seen Gabby? I texted her thirty minutes ago, but she hasn’t answered.” She looks at her phone and again around the kitchen.

“No, but I’m sure she’s here somewhere.”

“Yeah, maybe she’s with Jagger,” she distractedly replies.

To think of it, I haven’t seen him either, but knowing Jagger, he’s probably in his room with two girls right now. I saw him talking to them earlier. That’s nothing unusual for him.

“I advise you to stay away from his room, unless you want to hear or see something you’ll never be able to undo.”

Her face pinches in disgust. “Right, I don’t want to make that mistake again. Anyway, I’m going to go look for Gabby. You go see your future girlfriend.”

My heart skips a beat.

I’ve no idea if I’m doing too much by randomly showing up.

I texted Julianna after I left the party to see if she’s all right, but she still didn’t respond. It’s only ten, but for all I know, she’s probably sleeping.

So with that in mind, I decide to go inside, set the bags in front of her door, and sleep in the living room because I’ve lost the motivation to be at the party if she’s not going to be there.

But the plans change when I step inside and find Julianna in the living room, listening to music on her record player.

She’s lying on the couch but quickly sits up when she sees me come in and shut the door behind me. She looks utterly confused and more so when her gaze slides down to the bags in my hand.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, her voice sharp and cold.

I’m taken aback because she’s not spoken to me like that in a while or looked at me like she wishes I’d disappear. But it’s kind of nice. I missed those disdainful looks and her snide tone.

“Polly told me you weren’t feeling well,” I reply, unbothered by her attitude, and hold the three bags up. “So I brought you some stuff.”

“Thanks, but you didn’t have to do that. Did Polly not tell you I wanted to be alone?”

Toeing my shoes off, I step further inside and set the bags on the coffee table. “I wanted to and she did, but I know you don’t like being alone and you probably needed more peppermint tea.”

She stares remorsefully. “Thanks.”

“What’s wrong?” I straightforwardly ask, because I don’t like tiptoeing around people.

It doesn’t make me uncomfortable, but it reminds me of when I had to do it with Mum. I never knew if she was going to be in a good mood, which rarely happened, or if the tiniest thing I did would set her off. The safest bet was to stay away from her as much as I could. Sure, sometimes I’d starve, because the kitchen was her favourite place to be, but it wasn’t like it was ever stocked up with much. The little money John would send, she’d buy alcohol.

“Nothing. I’m—” I cut her off with a pointed look, and with a resigned breath, she slumps against the couch. “I know you’re only tutoring me because of John, and I really can’t say I blame you. I’m glad it ended up working out for both of us.”

I’m not sure how she knows, but I figure Polly told her. Which is fine. It’s not some big secret, but that must’ve upset her because she looks mildly frustrated.

“But?”

She fiddles with the long sleeves of her pyjamas. She usually wears my jumper to bed and I want to ask why she’s not wearing it, but this isn’t the time for that.

“You don’t have to sleep or spend time with me just to stay away from him. We get along now. I don’t care that you’re at the apartment. Honestly, you can stay as long as you want, but don’t use me to stay away from him.”

Now I take a seat next to her. I can see why she’d assume that because that was the idea at first, but somewhere along the way, I realised how much I liked being around her.

“This is going to make me sound self-centred because it always does to everyone else, but my time is very important to me. I don’t like to waste my energy on people who don’t matter or who do nothing for me. Because if I’m being honest with you, I already struggle for energy myself. Sometimes, I feel like I have so little of it, so I don’t want to use it on someone who will take it for granted. So, it makes me selective of who I choose to be around.”

I shrug unapologetically, because after giving my all to Mum, I’ve not been able to bring myself to give it to someone else. Well, that’s how I felt until Julianna. I’ve never so willingly, so easily, so quickly given it up for someone until her. She also doesn’t drain me of my energy, but she gives me more of it. I don’t know how she does it, but I always feel alive because of her.

“If I’m around you, it’s not because I have to be, or because you’re an excuse to stay away from John, or because I want to fuck you.” I grab her hand and those electric eyes lock with mine and for a second, I forget it all. “I choose to be around you because I like to be with you. Sure, you’re a pain my arse sometimes, you roll your eyes too much, and you talk back for no reason.” That gets her lips to quirk up a bit. “But there’s no one else I’d rather do that to me than you.”

Her lips purse, but I know it’s to stop the smile she’s trying to mask.

“Did I make myself clear or do I need to elaborate?” Letting go of her hand, I grab her hips and pull her toward me. Easily, she lets me bring her closer and she lifts a leg over mine and straddles me. “Am I clear?”

“Crystal.” She coyly smiles, but still, I can sense there’s something else bothering her. “I need to know something. Why do you call me Hollywood?”

I blow out a stiff breath, drifting my gaze downward, because I know she’s not going to like what I’m going to say. It’s not an excuse, but in retrospect, we didn’t get along and I thought she was entitled and spoiled. But I was wrong and I regret ever assuming shit about her.

Meeting her stare, I sigh. “Do you really want to know?”

“It’s bad then? Nikki wasn’t lying.”

I withdraw back. “What did she say to you?”

I didn’t say anything to Nikki, but she probably overheard me.

She seems upset but shakes it off. “Not much, but we talked things out and I think we’re okay. Definitely not friends, but there are no more misunderstandings between us.”

“Are you sure? I know she likes to talk shit, and I will?—”

Amusement glimmers in her eyes. “Chill out, you don’t need to do anything. We talked it out. We’re good. So, tell me why you call me Hollywood.”

I should be honest because I always am, but I don’t want to hurt her, so I give her the watered-down version of it.

“I saw your California licence plate and overheard you telling someone you’re from Beverly Hills. The name stuck because Hollywood is around there and it reminds me of all the fake things. All of the things people pretend to be, but aren’t.”

I keep it at that because the longer version is a much shittier one. There’s no point in further elaborating because I was wrong, and I regret it so much.

“I’m sorry I made assumptions about you.” I tuck a wisp of her hair behind her ear and squeeze her hip because she doesn’t say anything or look at me. “I’m really sorry. If I could, I’d take it back. Please say something.”

She gives me a half shrug, staring at my chain, and loops her finger around it. “I don’t know what to say. I’m upset, but I’m not? It’s not like I gave you the best impression the first time I met you. I literally hit your car and pinned the blame on you. It was such a shitty thing to do, so I guess Hollywood is fair. I also did call you a piece of shit, Spawn of Satan, the Devil incarnate, and an asshole throughout the years…”

She shocks me when she sputters a laugh.

“Stop looking at me like that, but I hit your car, you spilled a drink on me, I called you names, you called me names. We’re really petty and stupid. All these years, we’ve hated each other. And now look at us, I’m sitting on you, and I really…” Her laugh subdues and the haze in her eyes becomes fervid, the tips of her fingers searing the skin around my chain.

“You really what?”

“And I really want to kiss you.”