Page 129 of Ruthless Court

I bring the Twizzler to my mouth and bite off the end.

“You’re insufferable.”

I chew slowly. “Not bad.”

“They were better before you touched them.”

I reach for another.

She slaps my hand before I make it to the bag.

The sound cracks through the reading room.

Three students look over.

Hannah freezes.

I smile.

She lowers her voice. “Try that again and I’ll stab you with a pencil.”

I inspect the supplies lined beside her laptop. “You brought plastic ones.”

“I’ll adapt.”

I keep the stolen Twizzler beside my computer.

“Shared resources.”

“Theft isn’t resource sharing.”

“Partner.”

“Temporary academic burden.”

“Bookworm.”

“Man whore.”

I open the document.

“Your thesis is too broad.”

Her eyes sharpen. “You’ve been here thirty seconds.”

“I read it last night.”

“All twelve pages?”

“Twice.”

That silences her for nearly three seconds.

“What’s wrong with it?”

“You claim concentrated influence inevitably becomes coercive.”

“Because it does.”