Page 26 of Stay Toxic

“Why?”

I wrinkle my nose. “I have a lot to do.”

“We’re three weeks into the semester and you’re about a month ahead on all assignments, according to Ari.” He bumps my foot with his leather loafer. “Come on. Live a little.”

“Sebastian?” I say, noticing the shoe for the first time. “Get your damn shoes off my duvet.”

“You want me to undress, huh? I called it. Pervert,” he mouths.

But he bends to comply, chucking the expensive, likely custom-made pieces on the floor.

“Done. Will you come tomorrow?”

“No,” I repeat.

“Why?”

“Why do you care so much?”

“Maybe I wanna see you in a bikini,” he teases. “I mean, it’s hard to see with the button-down and cardigan, but you seem to be hiding a hell of a rack down there.”

I gasp, glancing towards Ari, who’s oblivious, stuffing her head with popcorn. “You can’t flirt with me!”

“Can’t I?” the asshole asks, his smirk showing that he knows full well what he’s doing to my mind right now.

He’s Ari’s boyfriend. He’s Ari’sboyfriend. And sure, he doesn’t mind sharing her, but that doesn’t mean I’m the kind of person who can be the third party in a trio. It’s not my speed. I don’t do sharing.

“What would Ari think?” I hiss. “She’s my roommate.”

Sebastian tilts his head, and then he smirks.

“You should ask her what she thinks, one day.” Then he smiles, getting to his feet. “I gotta go. Try to come tomorrow, yeah? It’ll be fun. And I promise to keep the…flirting to a minimum, if it bothers you.”

It doesn’t bother me at all. That’s the problem.

12

You should ask her what she thinks, one day. You should ask her what she thinks, one day.You should ask her what she thinks, one day.

I open my mouth to do just that and chicken out at least twice Saturday morning.

Logically, I’m guessing I know what he meant. They have an open relationship. She wouldn’t mind if I got together with him. Given what I’ve seen, I wouldn’t be surprised either. But I tell myself it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter whether she’s okay with it or not, I don’t want to be the other woman in any relationship.

I groan in frustration, unable to focus on my work all day.

I’m normally never too bothered about missing parties, because I know I won’t fit in, and standing awkwardly in my corner, watching other people having fun until I’ve stayed long enough to be polite doesn’t appeal to me. But today, I find myself thinking about the pool party at the Shark House.

Seriously though, I only own four one pieces. Not even sexy ones. They would be perfectly appropriate on a twelve-year-old. And something tells me button-downs and A-line high-waisted pleated skirts isn’t exactly what people throw on top of their sexy bikinis.

Thankfully, my Dear Stranger distracts me a fair bit.

Yesterday, it amused me when he advised me to fuck my mother, but in the light of day, with the prospect of missing another fun gathering because of her stupid rules, I’m annoyed and frustrated, so I shoot back:

Dear Dick,

Right. And when she cuts me off, stops paying for my tuition, who’s going to take care of my expenses? You?

As we have a question again for next week: no, I’m not stressed out about the upcoming tests. I’m looking forward to seeing where I stand, actually.