Page 6 of Little Do You Know

I glance at the door I saw Sebastian disappear behind last night, and my curiosity instantly heightens. He isn’t here, so how would he know if I quickly looked into his room? My conscience immediately tries to counter that thought because I know if he were to find out I went into his room, he would be mad. On the other hand, he’s mad anytime I do anything, so does it matter if I give him a reason to be angry or not?

I’m about to twist the door handle when the front door opens. I jump back immediately, ready to disappear into my room until it’s time to meet with my adviser, but it dawns on me that this is my apartment too. Yes, I fucked up majorly last night, but I can either be the child they think I am and hide, or I can face the music and own up to it.

My confidence wavers when I see Sebastian, instead of my brother, standing in the kitchen, sweaty and shirtless. He must have gone on a run. Sebastian has his back to me as he grabs something out of the fridge, and I wish it wasn’t this hard to look away from the muscles rippling down his back every time he moves. Fuck, they are some really nice muscles…the worst part is, I know exactly what they feel like underneath my touch. I force my eyes away before Bash can catch me staring, clearing my throat. “Good morning,” I greet, taking a seat at the island.

“Mornin’,” Bash says shortly, but at least he’s talking to me. Maybe he isn’t that mad after having time to cool off.

I pause for a beat, allowing him time to say something else, but I’ve always been impatient. “When did you get the car?” It wasn’t what he was driving before I left.

His shoulders tense. “Thalia, we don’t have to do the small talk. Just because we both live here, it doesn’t make us friends. You’ve made it clear how you feel.”

“I’m not saying we have to be friends, Sebastian. I just wanted to have a conversation like normal people who live together.”

“Maybe I don’t want to have a conversation. The world doesn’t revolve around you just because you came back. I’m giving you what you want, remember?” he snipes at me, and I don’t know what to think when Sebastian turns around to look at me. Even wearing a scowl, my heart skips a beat.

I stand up, needing to get ready for my meeting. “Glad to know you’re still an asshole even when I haven’t done anything. I understand you being pissed about last night, but acting like this will make this whole not being friends thing that much easier.” This wasn’t how I wanted our first conversation to go after our fight, but if this is how he wants it, then this is how it will be.

I tear my gaze away from his deep brown eyes. I walk back into the safety of my room, making sure to slam the door behind me.

~

“Thalia! I didn’t know you were back!” An unfortunately all too familiar voice calls out immediately after I exit the history building where my adviser’s office is.

I hold in my groan and force a smile. “Amelia. How nice to see you again.”

Her blonde hair is tied up so high on her head that it gives me a headache just looking at it. “Isn’t it so nice? Owen didn’t mention you were coming back the last time I talked to him.”

Probably because he hasn’t spoken to you in the past six months since you cheated on him?

“Just so nice.” I make sure to use the same high-pitched, ditsy tone she does. “How’s Miles?”

Her smile fades almost instantly, and I feel a sense of pride surge through me. Don’t fuck with my brother. “I haven’t seen him around.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that; Owen said you guys were…close.”

Amelia can’t be stupid enough to expect me to be nice to her after everything that happened between her and Owen. I might not have been here when it all went down, but that doesn’t mean I will let it go if she approaches me. I don’t even know what he saw in her to begin with.

“How is he doing?”

“Sorry, I have to get going. I don’t think it’s your place anymore to ask about Owen, so next time, don’t.”

I turn and leave her standing there, gaping at me. I hold my laughter in because I can’t believe she had the nerve to ask about him. Points to Amelia for attempting to talk to me. We were never friends, but I tolerated her because she was dating Owen.

Vera is going to be shocked when I tell her. I’m not going to mention it to Owen on the chance it’s still a sore spot for him. We never really talked about her when we did talk; all he had said was that she cheated on him with our friend Miles, and they were over.

I pull my phone out to text Vera and see what she’s doing for the day. She always has the worst hangovers the next morning after drinking. Only I’m so busy looking at my phone that I don’t see the person in front of me until I run into her, sending us both tumbling to the ground.

“Ouch,” the other girl mumbles, and I look at all the scattered items around us. Most of which belong to her.

“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” I ask, grabbing her stuff to hand it to her.

She brushes her auburn hair from her bewildered face, “I’m okay. What happened?”

I feel my cheeks grow red because it was all my fault. “I was looking at my phone and didn’t see you. I’m Thalia.”

“Blake. I just transferred here from Alamance. I didn’t see you either; I was too busy figuring out where I am on the campus map. I need to get back to the dorms.” Blake looks around as if to regain her bearings from our collision.

I look at the textbooks in my hand. “You know classes don’t start for a few days? You don’t need to get these yet.”

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