The eyes of my informant widened at my warning before he nodded.

I was never going to get any prizes for being nice, that was for sure.

“Thanks for the payment, boss, and—Oh, wait. I didn’t know if I should mention this but…”

You couldn’t say that and not expect someone to want to know more.

My nerves were itching already. “Justsayit.”

I needed time to leave and agonize by myself.

“Well, he’s been hanging out a lot with this guy, Oliver. Thought I’d just say it.”

Oliver.

I’d heard about him before.

Not because he was famous or anything, but because of Antony.

Facts I had: they shared several classes. He was also a third year. They often studied together.

And he was a wild card.

Why?

Antony only had two best friends: Scott and Eliot. The Prince, and their little spitfire sidekick. I knew that because they’d been friends forever—as Antony had well told me—and he saw them as family.

This Oliver guy, though?

I clenched my jaw.

“Well, if you find out anything else about him, let me know.”

The guy nodded and with a little wave, left.

And because I’d already messed up a lot today and couldn’t think straight, I allowed myself to feed my addiction.

I went to the library.

With near-silent steps, I entered the place.

The great walls, the smell of books and the quiet ambience welcomed me, even if they weren’t the reason that I was here.

I ignored all of the empty spots at the tables and took the long way toward the edge of the room, by the window, where the source of my frustration sat surrounded by tidy piles of books, pens, and his notebook.

Antony.

The most boring guy in the world.

My secret obsession.

I watched him, hidden between rows of books, as he wrote down his notes on pen and paper, like he always did. His desk area was tidy, organized always in the same way, with his pens in front of him, a water bottle on his right, and closed books on his left.

I kept watching as he raised his head to look out the window beside him, faint late-summer breeze caressing his hair, before he reached into his backpack and took out a small pack of nuts, his favorite healthy snack, which he ate like a naughty thief in the library, where it was forbidden to munch.

A part of me thought it was ridiculous.

The other part reminded the first one that I was the guy spying on him to begin with.