Page 18 of Divine Obsession

I hurried down the rest of the stairs. Pushing through the lecture-hall door, I followed behind in the busy hallway, untilI was close enough to push her back against the lockers – not giving a fuck who saw us.

She gasped, surprise and shock all over her face, before she recognized me and it all turned into anger.

Hot, messyanger that matched mine.

Resting my hands on the lockers, by each side of her head, I leaned in, frustration and annoyance oozing off me in waves.

“Thought I told you to stay away from me.”

“You did.”

I cocked my head, exerting more emotion than my usual self. “And yet, here you are. Missed me?”

“As if! You’re the one pushing me up against the wall.” When she forced me off, I let her.

She stormed off.

I followed right after.

People in the hallway moved out of my way, the way they always did, and consequently Natalia’s way. The top of her head barely reached my collarbone.

Leaning down to her level, I spoke harshly in her ear from behind. “Not sure if you noticed, but NYU’s campus is pretty far away from here.”

“I’m aware.”

As we turned the corner, I stepped in front of her. “Then what are you doing here?”

“Oh, isn’t it obvious?” She smiled so sweet, my teeth hurt. “I go here now.”

After she stormed into the women’s restroom, I walked away.

Her condescending giggle echoed through my mind, bouncing off the walls of my cranium until it was all I could hear.

I go here now.

Four words I never knew would unsettle me.

It didn’t make sense. She didn’t have the grades, or connections to get in – least of all transfer.

At least I wouldn’t have to see her for the next three hours. My next class was about to begin – advanced coding, with only four other attendees. I was the youngest and best-scoring student in the rank.

Coding and hacking were all I did. At school. Outside of basketball. At my parents’ company and underground empire.

Checking the time, I noticed there was less than a minute until the beginning of the lecture, and everyone was already here. The professor was getting the projector started and the other four students were teamed up in two pairs.

I was the only one without a partner – just the way I liked it. I worked better alone. And not having to share the desk was also a no-brainer.

I leaned back after typing in my student ID and password, and waited for the screen to load.

Just as it did, and the professor rose from her chair to begin the lecture, the classroom door opened.

And none other than Little Miss Perfect herself stepped inside.

Again.

This shit had to be some kind of joke.

But the professor’s face only beamed with recognition as Natalia made her way towards them, wearing a similar –sweeter– smile of her own.

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