Living With The Bad Boy [COMPLETE][VERSION ONE]

Chapter 5

"Well, Red, something you'll learn about me soon enough is that I really don't care about you."

I snicker. "Oh, trust me, I already had that figured out. I know it's hard to understand, but some of us have functioning brain cells."

Jase rolls his eyes, ignoring my dig. "Are we gonna argue, or are you gonna enjoy the pleasure of my company and let me show you around?"

"Well, it certainly won't be pleasurable, but let's go," I say, attempting to move post him down the stairwell, but he puts a hand on my shoulder, holding me back. "Not so fast, Red," he says, a smirk on his face. He reaches out his hand. "Phone?"

"Why should I give it to you?"

He shrugs. "No phone, no tour."

"Fine." I put on my most impressive glare, slapping his grey cell phone into his outstretched palm as hard as I can. Maybe a little too hard, I think, as he winces. "Careful." He says it casually enough, but my skin prickles at the words, the way, hidden underneath the nonchalance, it sounds like he just made a threat. My heart clenches in my throat as I bite back any response. No matter how much he irritates me, no matter how much of a jerk he is, I have to remember one thing. Jase Turner will always be my superior. He will always have the power to kick me out, the power to ruin my life forever. And he will never hesitate to use it.

With that cheery feeling, I'm starting to regret this whole tour idea. "Maybe you should just tell me what part of the..um... house I'm staying in. We don't have to do this whole stupid tour thing," I say, biting my lower lip. 

Jase gives me a puzzled look. "Wait- hold up. First you practically beg me to show you around, and now you're getting shy?" 

I roll my eyes. "I'm not-" he reaches a hand out, silencing me. "No. You're coming with me."

I feel a pit in my stomach as he winks at me, a strange rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. It must be fear, I think to myself. What else could it be?

Jase doesn't seem to notice, though, as he steps down the curved stone stairs, looking back up at me. "You coming, Red?" he holds a hand out, large and tan and slightly calloused, and for one, strange, glimmering second, I almost take it.

And then I remember who it is. And immediately snatch my hand back, face flaming as I turn around. My god. What is wrong with me? Am I this antisocial and awkward that I can't even talk to someone remotely popular without turning into a bumbling mess?

I guess this tour might not be the worst idea after all.

Turning around, I give him my best, most cold, collected, confident glare, ignoring the small quirk of his mouth as he smirks. "Let's go."

His triumphant smile sends fuzzy waves of what must be annoyance over me as he steps down the stairs backwards, still looking at me. I almost tell him to be careful, but then realize that I don't really care if he's careful. Because I don't really care about him.

15 minutes later and I want to kick Jase in the face. Instead of showing me around the looming grounds, he's paid more attention to his cell phone, calling me Little Red every time I try to say anything. Shaking my head as we pass a large marble statue of a naked man and Jase doesn't even look up, I finally say, "Can you stop looking at your phone for a second?"

Jase looks up at me, sliding his cell phone into his back pocket. "What?" he monotones, rolling his eyes like he couldn't possibly care less. I clench my jaw with annoyance. "Maybe we should just go back. Clearly neither of us are particularly enjoying this." He shrugs. "It's not like I care. This was all your idea, anyways." He runs his fingers through his hair, confidently tousling the dark, cropped waves. "I thought you were at least a little bit interesting, Red," he says, turning around and walking away from me. 

Anger spikes in my chest. "Excuse me?" He continues walking away and I try to catch up, but my legs are too short for his long, confident strides and I have to run to keep up. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He shrugs. "You know, most girls would be thrilled to be talking to me right now. My time is very valuable, you know." He turns his head to wink at me and I feel a flood of anger ripple through me. "You're such a dick, you know that?"

"Interesting observation."

I glare at him. "Am I just a joke to you?"

"Of course not! More like getting a root canal."

"15 minutes ago you were all 'you coming, Red?' and now I rival getting a root canal? What is your problem?"

"You can still improve your status, you know."

He flashes me a charming smile. Or at least, he flashes my boobs a smile. "Oh my god, Jase! I am not having sex with you! Why would you-"

He smirks. "I never said that. It's funny that you did though. I mean, it's never going to happen, obviously, but I'm certainly flattered. You-"

"Oh my god. Shut. Up."

What the hell is going on? Why is Jase suddenly acting like even more of a douchebag than usual? Like, to be fair, him being a douchebag is nothing new, but somehow the way he's treating me right now feels... different. "Just tell me the direction of the house," I say. "I don't want to talk to you anymore."

"Fine by me, Red" he says, pointing in the direction of a bunch of pink rose bushes. "Follow that path, then take a left." Without another word, he picks his phone back up from his pocket and turns in the opposite direction.