Chapter 199

"Can you just stop following me?" On the busy street, the pair stood out like a sore thumb. Sophia marched forward, bag clutched tight, feeling like some poor animal on display at the zoo. And the culprit behind it all? The guy in camo trailing right behind her. Sam still looked a bit shy but had clearly gotten more chill than before. His grin lit up his whole face—he looked almost too sunny for his own good. "I'm not exactly following you, okay? The road's right here. You gonna say everyone taking this route is stalking you?" Sam's brain was basically playing a loop of Julian's advice: with girls like Sophia, you gotta lose your shame and stick to her like glue. He had always looked up to Julian, so naturally, he bought every word. Sophia forced a smile through gritted teeth, barely keeping her cool. "Fine. Suit yourself. Follow me all you want." "Don't be mad," Sam said quickly. He wasn't used to sweet-talking girls—years in the military had him mostly surrounded by dudes. Even when