He Didn’t Kidnap Me. Not Exactly novel Chapter 144

Chapter 144

“Daisy!”

That one sounded aggressively real.

I stopped walking immediately and looked up.

A black car sat parked beside the road and the driver’s window was lowered.

From which Archer was staring at me with visible concern and visible amusement fighting for dominance on his face.

Oh.

Oh no.

He lifted a brow slowly.

“Are we good?”

I stared at him.

Then at the pole directly in front of me.

Then back at him.

“…Yeah,” I said weakly. “We are. Hi.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “Because it looked like you were arguing with that pole.”

I looked at the pole again.

Wow.

This was genuinely becoming one of the most awkward mornings of my life.

“There’s this thing that happens sometimes-”

“Nah,” he cut in immediately, laughing softly. “Get in. I’m joking. You don’t have to explain.”

Thank God.

“Besides,” he added, “I already knew you were funny from the start.”

I blinked.

“Should I take that as a compliment?”

“Yes,” he said easily. “Sorry. I meant it as one.”

Okay. Thank-you

I walked around the car and got in.

The inside smelled clean.

Archer glanced toward me once after I shut the door.

*Comfortable?”

The question caught me slightly off guard.

“Yeah,” I answered. “I am.”

He nodded once before starting the car. Then after a moment, he broke the silence.

“You pick the music.”

I looked at him immediately.

“I don’t think that’s advisable.”

He laughed quietly. “Why?”

“Because I have horrible music taste.”

“It can’t be that bad.”

“It is,” I assured him seriously. “Like genuinely concerning.”

“Now I’m curious,” he replied. “Pick anyway. I promise I won’t laugh.”

Something about that made my chest loosen slightly.

Just slightly.

“Okay.” I said finally, reaching toward the screen.

And for the first time in days, something inside me felt calm.

“You’re delaying.”

“I’m pacing things.”

“You’re delaying strategically.”

*I’m surviving strategically.”

Azia stared at me suspiciously as we stepped out of class together.

“You promised you would help me.”

“I am helping you.”

“You are helping me very slowly.”

Because my life was already collapsing beautifully enough without escorting you directly into another disaster, I thought.

Instead, I sighed.

“Aria, just give it a little time.”

“But why?” she complained. “Mabel is already practically glued to him.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify