WANT (Complete ✔️)

Chapter Twenty Two

"Do you always race at The Creek?" I break the silence.

"Yeah," Xavier answers indifferently, "Viini calls the bets and chooses the racers he wants."

"Bets?" my eyes widen, "Like money?"

Xavier hums.

Wow.

I bet it's exciting for him, with people supporting him and winning money. From what I saw, Xavier has a popular reputation at The Creek. But despite the fun, watching him race did make me worry and nervous for him.

"Hmm, it was fun watching you race but I was a little nervous if I'm being honest." I softly confess, eyes down, my fingers playing with the end of my dress.

From my peripheral, I see Xavier glance at me.

"Why?"

"You were going so fast." I express with an incredulous tone.

Xavier laughs, his dimple blessing my vision.

"That's how races work, Lia."

"I know that," I grumble, pouting, keeping my voice low, "But I was scared for you."

I was so scared that he'd crash or that his car would stop working—I'm a weakling when it comes to scary things. Xavier was racing so fast that the thoughts of scary situations were bound to invade my mind.

"You were scared I was going to get hurt?" Xavier looks at me as if I'm the cutest puppy in the world.

A blush rises to my cheeks.

"Yeah."

Xavier doesn't say anything but then he cradles the back of my head and effortlessly kisses my cheek. My breath is taken away because the gesture is heart-melting and my blush is fiercer than ever.

It's one thing for him to kiss me on the lips but a kiss on the cheek is a whole other story. It's more special, more intimate in my eyes. The simple gesture is so simple that Xavier doing it contradicts its entire concept.

Xavier smiles to himself as he goes back to driving, a smile of my own creeps onto my face.

"Do Zack and Hudson race too?" I wander my eyes out the window, admiring the blue of the night. It's beautiful.

"Zack does, not Hudson."

"How did you guys become friends?" I ask as my thoughts take me to his friendship with the two boys.

In an odd concept, the three boys feel right together. Zack is the intelligent quarterback, Hudson is the flirtatious skater and Xavier is the dominant basketball player. In a way, their personalities complement their sports.

"Freshman year," Xavier says, "We shared an off-campus house and some classes."

"You're close to them?"

From what I've noticed, the boys seem like good friends. They're together around campus, they sit together in class and they talk to each other like brothers do.

"Yeah," Xavier runs his fingers through his hair, "They're the only guys I can trust."

"What about those guys? Hyde and Viini." I ask about the boys.

Xavier's grip tightens on the wheel, his knuckles turning white. An angry expression switches his relaxed, boyish demeanor.

"Viini is a friend," Xavier says with a clenched jaw, "Hyde is not."

What made him angry all of a sudden? Who is Hyde? If he doesn't like him, why was he with him that night? And why was Krystal with them?

My thoughts flashback to Hyde and how he and Xavier created this toxic atmosphere together.