Hate You Always

HATE YOU ALWAYS JENNIFER SUCEVIC Hate You Always Copyright© 2023 by Jennifer Sucevic All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, palaces, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Cover Design by Mary Ruth Baloy at MR Creations Editing by Evelyn Summers at Pinpoint Editing Proofreading by Autumn Sexton at Wordsmith Publicity Home | Jennifer Sucevic or www.jennifersucevic.com CONTENTS Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Epilogue Second Epilogue Hate to Love You Campus God More Books by Jennifer Sucevic About the Author CHAPTER 1 JULIETTE “I had a really good time tonight,” Aaron says, gaze pinned to mine with an intensity that has me wanting to take a quick step in retreat. Instead, I force a smile. “Yeah. Me, too.” It’s not a total lie. I did have a good time. But that’s all it was—good. Kind of like when we study together at the library or grab coffee at the Roasted Bean before class. He glances away and shoves both hands into the pockets of his perfectly pressed khakis. “I hope we can do this again.” There's a pause before he tacks on, “Soon.” I’m treated to a long, soulful stare that leaves me feeling borderline uncomfortable. Yeah…I’m pretty sure that’s not in the cards for us. Aaron is nice. Really nice. Super-duper nice. There’s just no spark between us. I’m searching for that elusive little tingle you get at the bottom of your tummy whenever you're near that person or even catch a glimpse of them from across a crowded room. It’s the kind of irrepressible energy that sizzles in the air, charging it until drawing a full breath into your lungs feels impossible. No matter how much I might wish otherwise, Aaron and I just don’t generate that kind of chemistry. There's only one person— No. I take a deep breath, slamming the door closed on those thoughts. What I feel for that guy isn’t attraction. It's irritation. Annoyance. Aggravation. Trust me, if you gave me enough time, I could come up with a laundry list of descriptive words that start with a vowel. I blink back to awareness, only to realize that Aaron is patiently awaiting a response. Oh, right. He wants to do this again. As I open my mouth to let him down gently, the words stick in my throat. The last thing I want to do is lead him on, but at the same time, I don't want to hurt him either. What I need to do is strike the perfect balance. We have several pre-med classes together this semester. If I’m sick and can’t attend class, Aaron is the one who catches me up to speed and makes sure I have all the notes. They’re usually color coded and placed in order of importance. If there’s been one lesson learned this evening, it’s that I should avoid dating guys I see on a daily basis. As Carina, my roommate, would say—don’t shit where you eat. She’s right about that. He inches closer. “If you’re in agreement, I’d like to move this relationship forward. I like you, Juliette.” He glances away briefly before his muddy-colored eyes refocus on me with a mixture of heat and intensity. “I’m probably getting a little ahead of myself here, but I think we could be a real power couple. We share similar aspirations—both of us have set our sights on furthering our studies in medicine and becoming physicians. I've never found someone who fits so perfectly into my five- and ten-year plan. It’s almost like we were made for one another." My eyes widen as a garbled sound escapes from me. A little ahead of himself? Five- and ten-year plan? We’ve been out precisely three times, and the chances of there being a fourth have dwindled to the single digits. I need to tell him that this—whatever he thinks this is—isn't going to happen. “Aaron...” He perks up and sways closer. “Yeah?” There’s so much hope and expectation packed into that one word. Argh. Why does this have to be so difficult? The problem is that he really is a nice guy. And what he said is absolutely true, we do have a lot in common. It’s the reason I talked myself into giving him another chance. And then a third. There are a lot of douchey guys at this school who are only interested in sleeping with a chick before moving onto the next warm body. Sometimes within the span of the same evening. They don't have five- or ten-year plans that involve one specific girl. They don't even have twenty-four-hour plans that involve the same female. So, when you happen to find a guy who has the opposite mindset, you need to take the time to delve deep and really get to know him before tossing him back into the wild for someone else to snap up. “I had a nice time, too,” I say carefully. “Good.” The tension filling his narrow shoulders drains as he beams in relief. Aaron has a wiry build. His limbs are long and lean, much like a runner. Unlike some of the football or hockey players that strut around campus with