Your Hoodie still smells like me - Tell Me To Stop

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Episode 10 — Your Hoodie Still Smells Like Me

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“Tell Me to Stop”

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Eli hated rain now.

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Because somehow the worst moments of his life always happened in it.

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By the time he pushed out of the diner doors, cold rain had already soaked the streets around Westbridge University in silver reflections and blurred lights.

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Kai was halfway down the sidewalk.

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Walking fast.

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Too fast.

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“Kai!” Eli shouted.

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No response.

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Eli ran after him anyway.

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“Kai, wait!”

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Finally Kai stopped near the empty bus stop across the street.

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Rain dripped from the edge of his dark hair as he turned around slowly.

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And God—

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he looked hurt.

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Not angry. Not cold.

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Just hurt.

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Eli’s chest tightened painfully.

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“Kai, it wasn’t like that.”

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Kai laughed quietly under his breath.

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“Really?”

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“Yes.”

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“He kissed you.”

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“I didn’t kiss him back.”

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Kai looked away immediately.

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Like hearing that only made things worse somehow.

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Cars passed nearby through the rain while tension crackled heavily between them.

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Eli stepped closer carefully.

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“Kai.”

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“You should go back inside.”

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“No.”

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Kai finally looked at him directly.

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Then asked softly,

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“Why are you chasing me?”

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The question hit harder than expected.

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Because Eli didn’t have a simple answer anymore.

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Not when Kai still wore his bracelet. Not when he still kept the hoodie. Not when Eli’s feelings never really disappeared either.

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Rainwater slid down Kai’s jaw slowly as he stood there waiting.

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Waiting for something.

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Eli swallowed hard.

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“Because I hate when you look at me like that.”

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“What way?”

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“Like you already gave up.”

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Kai’s expression cracked slightly.

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Finally.

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Real emotion.

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“You think this is easy for me?” Kai asked quietly. “Watching you move on with other people while I’m still stuck on you?”

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Eli’s heartbeat stumbled.

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“Kai—”

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“No, seriously.” Kai ran a hand through wet hair roughly. “You have any idea how hard I tried to get over you?”

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The honesty in his voice felt dangerous.

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Raw.

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Eli stared at him silently.

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Kai laughed again, softer this time.

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“I dated nobody after you.”

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Eli’s breath caught.

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“I kept your stupid hoodie.” His voice lowered. “I still remember your coffee order.” Another step closer. “And every time someone touches you, I feel sick.”

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The distance between them disappeared slowly.

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Painfully.

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Eli could smell rain and Kai’s cologne again.

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Familiar. Terrible. Home.

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Kai looked exhausted from holding everything in.

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And suddenly Eli was angry too.

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Angry at the breakup. At the silence. At two years wasted pretending they didn’t still want each other.

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“You don’t get to say all that now,” Eli whispered.

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Kai’s eyes darkened slightly. “Why not?”

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“Because you were the one who let me go.”

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That hit.

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Kai looked genuinely hurt for the first time all night.

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“I let you go because you looked unhappy with me.”

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Eli blinked.

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“What?”

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Kai’s jaw tightened.

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“After we started university, everything became difficult. You stopped talking to me about things. We argued constantly.” His voice turned quieter. “And every time I asked if you still wanted this relationship, you stayed silent.”

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Because Eli had been scared.

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Scared Kai would leave first. Scared distance already ruined them. Scared loving someone that much would eventually destroy him.

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But he never explained any of that.

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Kai looked down briefly before continuing.

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“So yeah. I let you go.” His voice cracked slightly. “Because I thought that’s what you wanted.”

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The rain suddenly felt colder.

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Eli stared at him in disbelief.

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Two years.

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Two years apart because both of them thought the other stopped loving first.

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“That’s so stupid,” Eli whispered weakly.

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Kai laughed once. “I know.”

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Silence again.

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But softer now.

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The kind built from truth instead of anger.

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Eli looked at Kai’s face carefully.

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The wet hair. The tired eyes. The familiar expression he used to memorize during late-night calls.

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And suddenly the distance between them felt unbearable.

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Kai noticed him staring.

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His voice lowered carefully.

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“Eli.”

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Dangerous tone.

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Eli stepped closer anyway.

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Close enough that their shoulders almost touched.

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Kai’s breathing changed slightly.

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“So what now?” Eli asked quietly.

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Kai looked at him for a long moment before answering.

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“I don’t know.”

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Honest.

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Always honest when it mattered.

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Eli glanced briefly at Kai’s lips before realizing what he was doing.

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Too late.

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Kai noticed immediately.

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The air shifted.

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Heavy. Sharp.

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Kai’s voice came softer now.

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“Tell me to stop looking at you like this.”

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Eli’s heart nearly stopped.

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Because he couldn’t.

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He absolutely couldn’t.

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And maybe Kai realized that from the silence alone.

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Because suddenly Kai moved.

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One hand gripping lightly at Eli’s soaked hoodie sleeve before pulling him forward—

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—and kissing him.

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Fast. Messy. Years of unresolved feelings crashing together at once.

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Eli froze for half a second before kissing him back immediately.

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Like instinct.

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Like relief.

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Rain soaked through both of them while Kai’s hand tightened carefully against Eli’s waist, pulling him impossibly closer.

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The kiss wasn’t soft.

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It felt frustrated. Emotional. A little angry.

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Like all the things they never said finally breaking apart between them.

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Eli grabbed the front of Kai’s hoodie instinctively, and Kai made a quiet sound against his mouth that nearly ruined him completely.

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Then reality hit all at once.

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They pulled apart suddenly, both breathing unevenly.

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Rain still pouring. Hearts racing.

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Kai stared at him like he couldn’t believe what just happened.

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Honestly?

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Eli couldn’t either.

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Neither spoke for a few seconds.

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Then Eli whispered breathlessly,

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“…Well.”

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Kai laughed quietly despite himself.

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And for the first time in two years—

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it didn’t sound sad anymore.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeBaNRZBUy

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