Page 46 of Penalized Love

“We can just go to one of the dining halls.”

She glares at me, but I can see she doesn’t mean it. “I already said I was treating you, and I don’t want to leave my room, so…” Her voice trails off as she looks down at her phone again.

I can’t help but grin at her. “You always know how to cheer me up.”

“It’s a gift,” she says with a wink. “Now, what are you in the mood for? Chinese? Pizza? Thai?”

I pretend to think about the options. “Hmm, I could go for some greasy, cheesy goodness right about now.”

“Pizza it is!” Selene says and hands me her phone. You pick the toppings, and I’ll place the order.”

“Okay, I’m thinking pepperoni, sausage, and extra cheese,” I say, handing the phone back to Selene. “With a side of garlic bread, because why not?”

Selene taps the screen to finalize our order. She then walks over to her desk and grabs her laptop. “Now, while we wait, why don’t we watch a movie?The Princess Brideor10 Things I Hate About You?”

“You know me so well. Let’s go with10 Things I Hate About You. I could use a good dose of ’90s rom-com magic right about now.”

“Excellent. Let me hook this up so we can watch it on the bigger screen.”

As the opening credits of10 Things I Hate About Youstart to roll, I lean back against Selene’s pillows. There are a million things I should be doing right now related to school, but I’m not. This is what I needed after the emotional rollercoaster of a week—some quality time with my best friend, getting ready to eat some comfort food, and watching a movie.

About thirty-five minutes into the movie, our food order arrives, and after Selene walks back into her room with it, my stomach growls at the sight.

The aroma of melted cheese and garlic fills the room as Selene sets the pizza box down on the bed between us. She hands me a paper plate and a can of soda before settling back into her spot. I let her grab a slice first since she bought it, but once she’s done, I dig in and almost moan when I take my first bite. The combination of cheese, pepperoni, and sausage is heavenly. While I might regret it later, depending on how my body reacts, it’s the least of my concerns right now.

“Mmm, this is exactly what I needed,” I mumble with a mouthful of pizza. My manners have flown out the window, apparently.

Selene laughs at my lack of decorum. “Same, and I didn’t realize it until it got here. I’m glad you went through emotional turmoil for us to get this.”

I swallow my bite and stick my tongue out at her playfully. “You’re an asshole.”

“Clearly,” she says with a smirk.

As we watch the movie and continue enjoying our food, we fall into a most comfortable silence. The only noises that can be heard are our eating, drinking, or the sounds of the movie we’re watching.

Once the ending credits roll, I stretch my arms above my head, the movement almost causing what’s left of my soda to fall over. I snatch the can from its resting place on the bed and make Selene laugh in the process.

“Nice save,” Selene comments, still chuckling at my fumbling attempt to prevent a spill. “Can’t have you ruining my precious quilt now, can we?”

I roll my eyes. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Well, I appreciate you looking out for my stuff.” Selene stretches her body too, then hops off the bed to clean up our empty plates and napkins.

As Selene tidies up, I find myself lost in thought, drifting back to my meeting with Asher. Ending the day with Selene sort of cancels out those feelings, leaving me feeling drained yet content.

“Earth to Isla,” Selene says, waving a hand in front of my face.

I blink, snapping out of wherever my mind traveled to. “Yeah, sorry. Just... thinking.”

Selene nods, understanding in her eyes. “It’s been a hell of a day for you. I get it.”

“That’s an understatement,” I mutter, flipping my ponytail over my shoulder. “But thanks for being here for me. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

She grins, plopping back down on the bed beside me. “I stand by what I said earlier. You’ll probably be a hot mess. But seriously, I’ve got your back. Always.”

I lean my head on her shoulder. “I know. And I’ve got yours.”

We sit like that for a moment before Selene breaks the silence. “So what’s your game plan for dealing with Asher? Sure, the conversation was a good start, and you lit the house on fire by letting him eat you out, but what now?”

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