I Swear I Still Hate Him (Atlas Lawson) novel Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Atlas’s POV

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“For the love of God, would you please cover your junk, Ford?” Omar groaned, tugging a towel tighter around his waist and turning his back like that would save his eyes.

Ford grinned, strutting through the locker room like a runway model. “Oh come on, Ommy boy, don’t act like you aren’t enjoying the view.”

“Fuck you.”

“I know, baby. A lot of people want that.”

The guys

guys cracked up around us, the kind of laughter only fueled by post-practice exhaustion and too much testosterone. I rolled my eyes as I shoved my sweaty gear into my duffel. Ford being Ford. Dude had no shame. He strolled over, towel barely holding on, that shit-eating grin already stretched across his face.

“You free Friday?” he asked, elbowing me like he already knew the answer.

I raised a brow. “Why do you ask?”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “Got a date for us. Hot twin sisters. Identical. One for me, one for you. A fantasy foursome, if you will.” He motioned at his hips like he was already practicing.

I chuckled, shaking my head as I pulled on my shirt. “Sorry, bro. Not gonna happen.”

Ford’s grin froze. “I know I’m the better-looking one, but wait… what?!”

“I won’t be able to make it. I’ve got a lot on my plate.”

Ford blinked, arms crossing, his expression dead serious for once. “This is the second time you’ve rejected our bros’ hook-up mission.”

“Dude, don’t say it like that,” I muttered, slipping my sneakers on.

He narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, well, like I said, I’ve got a lot on my plate. Practice, school, you know… life.”

Ford leaned in like we were sharing government secrets. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Is there anything you’re not telling me? You know, something about… coming out of a certain wardrobe?”

My jaw dropped. “What-no, man!”

He held up his hands. “Hey, no judgment. Just saying, you haven’t hooked up with a single girl in… forever. The last time I saw you with Kay was, what, the Stone Age?”

Then his eyes lit up like he’d cracked the code to the universe. “Wait. Oh my God. Is something wrong with your dick?!”

I scoffed, grabbing my bag. “My dick is healthy as ever, asshole.”

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Chapter 26

“Prove it,” he shot back instantly.

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I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly sprained something. “Absolutely not. Unlike you, I’m trying to keep up with my grades. Not everything’s about sex.”

Ford gasped, slapping a hand to his chest. “Who are you and what have you done with my Atlas boy?”

I swung my bag over my shoulder, smirking. “See you later, pal.”

He pointed dramatically like a detective in a bad cop show. “I swear, you’re hiding something. And I’m gonna find out.”

“Good luck with that, buddy,” I called over my shoulder, not bothering to look back.

Behind me, Ford yelled, “Don’t you dare ghost me Friday! These twins are once in a lifetime!”

I laughed under my breath. Honestly, Ford was a lost cause when it came to school. He’d been skating by, literally, waiting for the NHL to draft him so he could ditch academics for good. And hey, more power to him. But I wasn’t built like that. I wanted my degree. I’d worked too hard to slack now.

Extra study. Practice. Games. That’s what was on my plate.

Nothing else.

No distractions…Emery.

Yeah, okay. So maybe there was one distraction. My grin spread when she walked into class, messy bun, crop jeans jacket, eyes scanning the room. Another elective we both took. No Jazz in sight. Only one empty seat left.

Next to me.

Her lips twitched like she was deciding whether to walk out or throw herself out the window, but she came anyway. Dropped her bag. Sat right beside me.

Oh, this was gonna be fun.

I leaned in, whispering just loud enough for her to hear, “Well, well. Look who’s sitting beside me now.”

She didn’t even look at me. “Don’t get your hopes up, Lawson. The only reason I’m here is because it’s the only empty seat.”

I smirked, eyes flicking to her crossed arms and the way she kept her gaze fixed straight ahead. “So, since you broke your little seating rule… does that mean I get to sit beside you more often?”

“Absolutely not.” She turned her head slightly, glaring. “In fact, you’re not even supposed to be talking to me.” She looked around the room like someone might report her to the Olympic swim board for socializing with me. “Now stop talking and pay attention.”

I grinned wider. “Yes, ma’am.”

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Chapter 26

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She rolled her eyes, but I didn’t miss the corner of her lip twitching.

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What neither of us saw coming, though, was when Professor Beckett walked in, carrying a stack of folders and a too-chipper smile.

“Good morning, everyone,” she said. “New semester, new energy! Let’s try something different this time. You’ll be working with assigned seat partners for this course. Presentations, group discussions, everything. Same partner all semester.”

I blinked. Emery stiffened beside me.

Please say it. Please say it.

Professor Beckett looked down at the sheet and called it out like fate itself had handed her the script.

“Atlas Lawson… and Emery Collins.”

I turned to her slowly, lips already curving into a smug grin.

She was staring straight ahead, jaw tight.

“Well, well,” I whispered. “Looks like I do get to sit beside you.”

She exhaled sharply through her nose.

“This semester’s gonna be fun.”

****

After more back-to-back classes and way too much brain activity, I found myself dealing with Gina again, who, for the record, was trying really, really hard to show me her cleavage.

Not subtle. Not accidental. Like, full-on leaning over the desk like she dropped something, when we both knew she didn’t.

To be fair, it was a nice view. But also? It was exhausting.

“You okay there?” I asked, eyebrows raised.

She grinned, propping her elbow on the desk and cocking her head. “Just stretching.”

Sure.

You’d think I’d be used to this kind of attention by now. My mom always said I had that “pretty boy face” since I was a baby. Claimed modeling agencies would practically beg her to let me do campaigns. At first, I thought she was just being a mom. You know, every mom thinks her kid’s the most gorgeous creature to ever exist. But then I remembered the time I was ten, in line at a grocery store, and a woman in heels and too much perfume asked if I ever dreamed of being on a billboard.

I told her no.

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Chapter 26

Still say no every time an agency emails.

Hockey’s my thing. Not the runway.

My phone buzzed, and I answered without looking, already knowing who it was.

“Hey, Mom.”

Her voice was warm as ever. “Hey, honey. Remember Mr. Jones from ABD?”

I rubbed the back of my neck, settling onto the bench outside class. “The fashion house guy?”

&

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“Mm-hmm. Rory and I bumped into him last night when we were out to dinner. He’s still asking if you’ve changed your mind,” she said, laughing softly. “The man is nothing if not persistent.”

I smiled, but it wasn’t about Mr. Jones.

It was Rory.

They’d been going strong for a while now. Ever since Thomas walked out on us, Mom had been single for years. She tried dating again, and it never stuck, until Rory. And now? It was weirdly domestic between them. Dinners, trips, matching robes. Gross. But also… kinda sweet. And of course, my brain, in its infinite stupidity, reminded me that Rory’s daughter just so happened to be my roommate.

A.K.A. Emery.

A.K.A. The girl who’s been driving me insane in all the wrong ways.

“How’s Emmy?” my mom asked, like she read my mind.

“Good,” I said, leaning back against the wall. “Still stubborn as ever.”

She laughed. “Hey, you be nice to her.”

“Mom, you raised a gentleman. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“I did, didn’t I?” I could hear the pride in her voice. “Best son in the world.”

I smiled. “Love you, Mom.”

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