Page 27 of Darkest Obsession

“What? Why not?”

“Let’s be honest, you’re a little selfish.”

“Selfish?”

Clover shrugs. How can she call me selfish?

“We should get to work,” I grumble.

“That’s a great idea. We’ll probably kill each other if we have to talk for a second longer…”

We walk to our study room together and I feel grateful there are glass walls. Entering a quiet, dark room with Clover… Something horrible would definitely happen. Judging by the look on her face every time she looks at me, she might be the one to strike first.

Once we’re alone, I take her knickers out of her pocket and resist the urge to press them to my nostrils. Instead, I toss them on the table.

“Thomas!”

“Your knickers.”

She snatches them and stuffs them into her bag.

“You are so annoying.”

“Cheers.”

I slump into a chair and roll my sleeves up. Clover glances at my forearms and then pulls her chair out, clearing her throat. Why is she acting so strangely and why does she keep staring at my forearms?

Before I can ask her, she blurts out exactly what’s on her mind.

“You don’t have to be an asshole, Thomas. I know Sylvia could turn a pet rock into her best friend, but if she keeps talking to you, you can’t be that bad. You choose to be an asshole and that’s what I don’t like about you.”

She doesn’t hold back and her harshness doesn’t even repel me the way it ought to. She’s so blunt. Is that an American thing? Unfortunately, I can’t hang around to find out. I’ve got to take a piss. I announce this to Clover who makes a disgusted face and shoos me out of the room. I can’t help glancing back at her as I leave. She’s all hunched over, twirling her dreadlocks around her fingers and… I dunno… She makes me smile. It’s weird for a girl to have that effect, isn’t it?

I can’t even wipe the smile off my face when I try. It’s weird. When I return, she’s scowling furiously and I know I’ve somehow done something wrong.

“Everything okay?”

“Yes. You were gone for like an hour.”

“Takes a while.”

“Ew. Can we focus?”

Whatever banter there was between us vanishes and I hate that I miss it even a little. When I say goodbye to her, she mutters “whatever” under her breath and complains that because of the rowing team her dance practice has to happen close to midnight. I reply like a dick, obviously, and I know there’s never a chance of us being friends.

I can still smell her perfume on my sweater when I get back to my room. Fuck, I’m doing a horrible job of staying away from her, aren’t I? I just know I’m going to fuck this up.

When I get back to the room, Kit’s lying on the bed, smoking as usual.

“Do you ever do anything besides smoke?”

“Shut up, Thomas. I’m heartbroken.”

He doesn’t look bloody heartbroken. He looks high and he also looks like he’s wearing his dirty sneakers in his bed. Completely unhygienic.

“What’s broken your heart?” I do a horrible job of not sounding bored.

“College. I have to spend tonight with no girl. No touch of a woman…”