Page 9 of Little Do You Know

She’s looking at me curiously before angling her head silently at Sebastian. I shake my head quickly, and Blake nods in understanding.

“Do you know what I’d be doing right now if you hadn’t bumped into me earlier?” Blake asks, pulling her legs up on the couch to sit criss-cross. I’m sure I know her answer already.

“What?”

“Sitting in my dorm room alone with my textbooks. Well, probably not alone; my roommate just went through rush and is obnoxiously decorating the room in all of her new sorority swag.” She confirms the textbook part because she told me precisely that earlier.

Bash lets out a dry laugh, opting to chime into our conversation. “I’m sure your roommate was here last night for the rager little Lia threw. What are you studying?”

I frown at how he subtly mentions the accidental party and nickname he called me throughout our childhood, but I’m glad he can at least be cordial with my friends. It’s more than I can ask him to do with me. Actually, I did ask him that, and he flat out refused. Lovely.

“I bet she was here last night since I know she didn’t get home until late. I’m studying biomedical engineering. Thalia here saved me from a Sunday night of boredom with my biotechnology textbook,” Blake answers, and I reach for my wine glass.

I wish Bash and Owen had stayed at practice longer. Correction: not Owen. I actually like him. Sebastian is the one I wish would go away and never come back. Is that too dramatic?

“When Owen gets out of the shower, you two should compare schedules. He’s a civil engineering major. I don’t know if the classes would overlap, but it’s worth a shot.” He suggests, his full lips tugging upward into a smile.

“What’s your major?” Blake asks him, and I don’t know the answer.

“Psychology. I want to know what makes people who they are,” Sebastian admits.

“Really?” I ask, unable to stop the words from coming out of my mouth. He was undeclared before I left for France, and I never asked Owen. I never asked Owen about Sebastian in general.

He looks at me, all traces of cordialness gone. “Really. I guess I’m not the dumb jock you think I am. I’d hate for you to have to lower your standards to live here.”

My jaw falls open, and I try to carefully pick my words. Blake is looking back and forth between us, quickly realizing that this isn’t a situation she wants to witness. Or I don’t know, maybe she does. I’m sure it’s entertaining, at the very least.

“Then please enlighten me as to what has made you the pompous connard que tu es?”

His eyes narrow, and I consider the idea that maybe I should have clarified I don’t think he’s a dumb jock instead of calling him an asshole again. He might not know what I’m calling him, but again, it’s not something positive. I’ve never thought he was a dumb jock; I was angry and hurt when I called him that. I didn’t know it would bother him as much as it clearly does.

His sharp jaw clenches, and he stands up abruptly from his stool. “If you’re going to insult me, at least do it in English, Thalia,” Bash says roughly, and my grip on the wine glass tightens. “Blake, it was nice to meet you. I hope to see you again, but I’m tired from practice. Being a dumb jock is hard work.”

He stalks off without another word, slamming his door behind him. It’s only fair, considering I did the same thing to him earlier. I rub my temples tiredly. How does every encounter with him go so wrong?

“Do you want to explain what happened there…?” Blake asks slowly.

“I don’t know what there is even to explain. We got into an argument before I went to France last year. I never apologized for it, but he hasn’t either. It didn’t help that I accidentally threw a party last night, essentially confirming his idea that I’m the same party girl I was when I left.”

She looks at me in surprise. “How do you accidentally throw a party?”

“No idea. It just kinda happened.” I down the last of my wine.

“Did anything ever happen between you two?”

I freeze immediately, shaking my head. “No.”

Nothing real, so it’s not a lie.

“It just kinda seems like—” Her voice drops off at the sound of footsteps catching our attention. My brother returns still shirtless, but to my dismay, his beard is still fully intact. Gross. “Blake, don’t you agree that Owen would look so much better without that stupid squirrel on his face?”

He ignores my comment, and Blake only laughs instead of responding. “Where’d Bash go? We were supposed to go over the playbook.”

“His room,” I grumble, playing with my empty glass. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out where he went. The apartment is big, but not that big, and Bash isn’t exactly small. I thought the deduction would be faster for how smart Owen is supposed to be.

Owen looks like he wants to ask more questions, but Blake interferes. “So you’re a civil engineer? What classes are you in this semester?” Blake asks so Owen can’t ask more questions. She’s perfect.

Owen looks at me with a knowing look. He’s not wrong. I am the reason Sebastian disappeared to his room. Thankfully, he lets it go. I’ll probably be questioned the second Blake leaves, but maybe Owen will forget. “I’m in mostly electives, so unfortunately, I doubt our classes overlap, but if you ever need help studying, just say the word.”

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