Your Hoodie still smells like me - You Don't Get to Decide That

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Episode 13 — Your Hoodie Still Smells Like Me

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“You Don’t Get to Decide That”

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The second Kai said "Stay away from him," the entire courtyard fell silent.

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Not literally.

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Students were still walking around. People were still talking.

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But for Eli?

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Everything stopped.

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Because Kai sounded less like an ex.

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And more like someone who forgot they didn't have the right anymore.

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Asher slowly looked between them.

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Then smiled.

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"Oh."

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Eli immediately disliked that smile.

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"Oh what?" he asked.

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Asher looked amused. "Now I get it."

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Kai crossed his arms.

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"Get what?"

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Asher ignored him completely.

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Dangerous choice.

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Very dangerous.

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Eli rubbed his forehead. "Please don't."

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Too late.

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Asher stepped slightly closer to Eli.

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"You're still in love with him."

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Noah nearly dropped his coffee.

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Rowan whispered dramatically, "HE SAID IT."

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Kai looked ready to commit a crime.

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Eli wanted to disappear.

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Again.

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Unfortunately, Asher wasn't finished.

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"And he's still in love with you."

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Absolute silence.

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Kai's jaw tightened.

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His eyes immediately shifted away from Eli.

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Which honestly confirmed everything.

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Asher laughed softly.

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"Yeah. Thought so."

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Then he finally released Eli's wrist.

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"Anyway, lunch?"

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Eli stared at him.

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"You just caused emotional destruction."

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"And?"

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"And that's your response?"

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"Yep."

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Before Eli could answer, Kai turned and walked away.

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Again.

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Coward.

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The second he disappeared around the corner, Eli groaned loudly.

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"I hate all of you."

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Rowan looked delighted.

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"No you don't."

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—

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Lunch with Asher was somehow worse.

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Because Asher noticed everything.

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Absolutely everything.

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The way Eli checked his phone.

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The way he stared toward the campus entrance whenever someone walked by.

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The way his mood visibly dropped after Kai left.

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Asher leaned back in his chair.

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"You should go after him."

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Eli looked offended.

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"Why?"

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"Because he's miserable."

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"He's always miserable."

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"True."

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Eli sighed.

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The cafeteria around Westbridge University buzzed with conversation, but Eli barely heard any of it.

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His mind kept replaying Kai's expression.

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Not angry.

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Not jealous.

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Something worse.

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Fear.

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Asher noticed his silence.

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Then asked quietly,

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"Do you know why I never seriously pursued you?"

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Eli blinked.

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"Because I rejected you?"

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"Besides that."

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Asher smiled faintly.

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"Because every time you talked about him, you sounded different."

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Eli looked away immediately.

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Asher continued.

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"You loved him even when you were angry."

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That hurt.

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Mostly because it was true.

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—

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By evening, the sky above campus had turned gray.

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Cold wind pushed leaves across the sidewalks while students hurried back to their dorms.

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Eli found Kai sitting alone behind the architecture building.

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Sketchbook open.

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Headphones on.

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Avoiding humanity.

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Classic Kai behavior.

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For a moment, Eli just stood there watching.

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Kai looked tired.

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More tired than usual.

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Eventually Kai noticed him.

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Of course he did.

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He always noticed him.

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Slowly, Kai removed one earbud.

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"What?"

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Eli crossed his arms.

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"You don't get to decide who I spend time with."

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Kai looked away immediately.

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There it was.

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Guilt.

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Good.

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Because Eli was annoyed too.

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Kai shut his sketchbook quietly.

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"I know."

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"No, seriously."

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Eli stepped closer.

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"You don't get to tell me to stay away from people."

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"I know."

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"Then why did you say it?"

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Kai stayed silent.

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Long enough that Eli almost gave up.

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Then Kai laughed softly.

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Not because anything was funny.

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Because he was frustrated.

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At himself.

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At everything.

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Finally he answered.

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"Because I hated seeing him touch you."

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The honesty caught Eli off guard.

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Again.

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Kai looked down at the bracelet around his wrist.

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The same bracelet.

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Still there.

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Always there.

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"I know I don't have the right to be jealous."

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His voice lowered.

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"But I am."

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Eli's heartbeat sped up immediately.

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Kai stood from the bench slowly.

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Now they were standing face-to-face.

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Close.

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Too close.

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The evening wind moved through Kai's hair.

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For a second neither spoke.

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Then Kai asked quietly,

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"Did he ever make you happy?"

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Eli blinked.

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"What?"

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"Asher."

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The question sounded careful.

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Like Kai wasn't sure he wanted the answer.

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Eli stared at him for a moment.

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Then shook his head.

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"No."

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Kai looked surprised.

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"Why not?"

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Eli laughed softly.

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Because the answer was obvious.

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Painfully obvious.

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"Because he wasn't you."

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The silence afterward felt enormous.

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Kai froze completely.

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For once in his life—

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Kai Arden had absolutely nothing to say.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaTM6aLJEl

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