The second he’s done with you, kiss your orgasm goodbye.
"Do you even know what fucking is?" Elijah asks, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
"Of course she does," Megan replies, swatting Elijah’s arm with a grin. "Not everyone is an encyclopedia on who has the best dick on campus."
I point at Megan, nodding in agreement. "What that lovely woman over there said."
Elijah laughs and grins, wrapping his arms around both of us as we make our way toward the art wing. "Don’t be mad because I get more than both of you."
We bump into each other as we laugh, a rare moment of lightness in the middle of all the chaos.
"Are we doing movies at your dorm tonight?" Elijah asks, grinning like a kid with a secret.
Every Friday night, without fail, Elijah shows up at mine and Megan's dorm with an armful of old movies, ready to "educate" us on what real cinema looks like. Last week, he made us sit throughMean Girls, insisting that Regina George was basically Erica, as if comparing the two would somehow make me feel better about her and Cole.
Unlike Regina, running Erica over with a bus would not be considered a socially acceptable solution to my problems.
I almost wonder if Erica somehow makes Regina look like a decent human being.
"It is Friday," I sigh, reluctantly conceding. "But I swear to God, if you try to make me sit through another one of those bitchy teen comedies-"
Suddenly, someone collides with my shoulder, cutting me off mid-sentence. The jolt makes Megan and Elijah stumble, and Elijah spins around, ready to snap at the person who just crashed into us.
"Hey, you dipshit-"
But then I see who it is.
Cole.
Elijah’s words die in his throat, his mouth snapping shut as Cole’s gaze sweeps over me. He smirks, clearly amused by how flustered I am. He looks down at me with that all-too-familiar air of authority. I rub my arm, instinctively keeping a safe distance from him.
"Anastasia," he says, his voice dripping with acknowledgment.
I tense up. Fuck, Ihatewhen he calls me by my full name.
Maybe that’s why I’m so adamant about people calling me Ana.
"Cole," I mutter, avoiding his gaze as I look around for Erica. He catches my distraction and smirks knowingly.
"She’s already in class. I just walked her there," he says, his tone almost accusing. "I think you have a class with her this semester. But I’m sure you already knew that."
"Is there something you want, Cole?" Elijah asks, his voice laced with sass. "Or can you move on and learn how to walk without bumping into people?" He stands with his hand propped on his hip, exuding an air of challenge.
Cole smirks at the nasty glances Megan and Elijah throw his way, then leans in, his lips brushing against my ear. The proximity sends chills down my spine, and I can't stop myself from trembling as he lingers too close.
"You think they’d still be defending you if they knew your secrets like I do, Anastasia?" His voice is a low taunt, and my heart stutters in my chest.
Now I know he’s seen the article.
Fighting every urge to walk away, my body betrays me the second his lips touch my ear. I feel the burn of his presence, the weight of his words. I want to scream at him… maybe even push him away, but instead, I act on instinct.
With a sharp motion, I slap my hand across his face.
Cole stumbles back, clutching his reddened cheek, his eyes wide with a mix of surprise and anger.
"I told you to stay the hell away from me," I hiss, my voice cold. "Let that be a warning."
I grab Megan and Elijah, pulling them with me as we continue walking, leaving Cole to stew in his own self-pity.