Page 21 of Ladybirds

“I am not!”

A smug smile touches the left corner of his mouth. “Not the strongest argument, Princess.”

Her lips part, ready to argue, but there’s a goading glint in his eyes that makes her pause. He expects her to argue—wants it even. She huffs, slouching in her chair with a glower. “Fine,” she snips. “I guess you would know, right?”

Smile widening, his cheeks dimple. “Wrong again, I’m afraid. I think you’ll find that I’m far too greedy to be proud.”

Sara’s nose wrinkles skeptically. “How does that work?”

He shrugs, gaze sliding to the window. Outside, a full moon rises over the city skyline. “A greedy man wants everything; a proud man already thinks he has it all.” His eyes meet hers pointedly, smile gone. “I assure you, I want much more than what I have.”

Goosebumps dot her skin, but she manages to still the shiver threatening to race up her spine.

Sara never forgets what he is—she won’t let herself—but she’s definitely guilty of overlooking the power hiding behind his childish taunting. Sometimes there’s a weight to his stare, though… an intensity that strips her nerves raw. She catches it when his smile slips; when his gaze looks too old to be set in a face so young.

Every now and then, she itches to know how many years those eyes have seen, but she refuses to give into the temptation to ask. She doesn’t want him to twist her curiosity into interest. Or worse, friendliness.

Seth raises his eyebrows, voice smooth. “You’re thinking awfully hard about something. Penny for your thoughts?”

With a jolt, Sara realizes she’s been blatantly staring at him and swiftly turns back to her paper. “You don’t even have a penny.”

“Well, aren’t you just the bearer of obvious news?” he hums. The mask he wears—the one of jovial smiles and teasing—is back. Sara wonders if slipping into it is as second nature to him as breathing is to her. “Very well then, I’ll happily leave it to my imagination.”

He’s clearly baiting her (he’s always baiting her) but Sara stubbornly refuses to play along. “Go for it.”

“With pleasure.”

She frowns, closing her notebook. “Know what? I’ll do it later.”

“Moving onto the reading assignment, are you?” he hums, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. “I suppose that is a touch easier than self-reflection.”

Stilling, her eyes narrow. She hadn’t mentioned anything about tonight’s assigned reading. “You’ve been spying on my classes, again!”

“It’s hardly spying if I’m not hiding. It’s not my fault you never look behind you.”

The glare she gives him is venomous. She’s lost count of how many times she’s insisted he leave her campus life alone. “I told you to stay out of my classes!”

“I don’t recall agreeing to your petty demands.”

A frustrated sound pulls from her throat. “Why would you even want to?!”

“I get bored,” he says, primly.

“Then why don’t you go watch a movie or something?!”

His lips thin. “I do.”

“Well, go watch another one!” she snaps.

There’s a retort ready to be fired—she can practically see the way he chews on it. Sara wonders what holds him back. “I fail to see why this bothers you so much.”

“Because it’s the only place I can seem to get away from you!” She throws her hands in the air.

“Careful, now.” His expression darkens mockingly, bringing an elegant hand to rest over his heart. “You’ll hurt my feelings.”

“Like I care?” she sneers.

“Well, if you’d ever like my assistance with your classes—and trust me, you need an ungodly amount of help—you should.”

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