Page 55 of His Untoward Hate

“I don’t know what would’ve happened to me if you weren’t here with me,” he continued, and every word past his lips sent shivers down Sky’s spine and thunder erupting violently inside his chest.

Sky felt deeply touched because he had assumed Jude was too drunk to even recognize him, but he did. He did recognize Sky.

Sky knew he was slightly tipsy himself, but nowhere near drunk. Jude, on the other hand, was completely wasted.

The only reason Jude was acting this way—hugging him, smiling at him, not being afraid of him, even thanking him, forehead against his chest—was that alcohol had taken over every wall he usually kept up around Sky.

And Sky hated himself for realizing he was taking advantage of it.

Because once morning came, everything would go back to normal.

Jude would probably forget all of this. He would return to barely speaking to Sky. He would go back to fearing him like he was some predator waiting to devour him. He would avoid looking at him as if meeting Sky’s eyes would burn him alive. He would distance himself again, as if Sky carried some contagious disease. Everything would return to the way it was supposed to be between them.

So, while Jude was still here in his arms, while he still had the chance, Sky held him a little tighter.

“Please don’t hate me when the sun rises tomorrow, Sky…” he mumbled softly before eventually falling asleep in Sky’s arms, right there, perfectly in his cage, beneath the blaring music and crowded dance floor, as if the rest of the world had completely disappeared around them.

Just the two of them.

Sky’s breath hitched.

Every beat of his heart dominated his eardrums.

Even swallowing suddenly felt difficult as he stared at the sleeping boy resting under his embrace.

After a long moment, Sky finally spoke in a low voice meant only for him.

“I never hated you, Jude…”

23

“Saving…and we’re done!” Jasper announced cheerfully after finally finishing the research paper they had to submit that week.

“Working hard to beat Jude, huh?” Czyra teased as she walked into the room, hefting two seven-hundred-milliliter tubs of ice cream.

Jasper furrowed his brows in confusion when realization struck him.

“How did you know?”

She shrugged.

“Well, aside from the fact that I’m not blind, I also used to do the same thing you’re doing, Jas. The difference is, I had to compete against both you and Jude. But my brain just can’t keep up. Ugh, whatever.” She rolled her eyes before handing Jasper a tub of ice cream along with a spoon.

“But that was before, Czy. I already gave up the moment I realized I never really had a chance of taking his place,” Jasper admitted.

“Yeah, but that realization came pretty late, huh?” Czyra pointed out.

Jasper only gave a sheepish smile as he scratched his head.

“Anyway, same here. No one can surpass the gifted Jude Finn,” she said as she sat across from him. Holding the spoon beneath her chin, still stuck in the ice cream, she added, “I really like him, though. Not in a sexual way, but I admire how capable he is. You know…he’s just so kind.”

“Hell yeah. He’s always putting himself down, but he doesn’t realize how many people envy what he’s capable of,” Jasper stated a fact.

“Exactly…” she replied, scooping a spoonful of ice cream. “I’m just glad we became friends, though. At least when we graduate, I’ll have people I can actually call friends.” She crossed her legs and rested her elbow on her knee as she looked down at Jasper.

“So, you only became friends with us so you’d have people to call your friends?” Jasper teased, raising a brow.

“Exactly,” she said seriously.