Page 26 of Corrupt Obsession

Violet stiffened. “What do you mean?”

“Imean,” Georgia emphasized, showing off her pink braces. “He’s going through these girls like hotcakes because they aren’t who he really wants.”

“That’s crazy. Why pick them in the first place if he’s not interested?” Marie asked.

“I don’t know.” Georgia bumped Violet with her hip. “Why don’t you ask him who he’s really stuck on and go for her instead of breaking all these girls’ hearts?”

Violet made a face. “Can we not talk about my brother’s love life and speaking of, please don’t go up to Tobias and ask him if he’s in love with me.”

“But,” Georgia began, but the bell rang, saving Violet from having to hear any more of Georgia’s insane theories.

Violet decided notto go to the cafeteria for lunch. Her sleepless night was catching up to her. She wasn’t in the mood to run into Jesse or be harassed by Georgia. She detoured to the library, which she could always count on for peace and quiet. She nodded to the librarian and got a nod in return before she walked on the outskirts, looking for a cozy chair to curl up in for twenty minutes.

As she neared the back, she spotted Tobias in his normal spot. Her mood perked up a bit. Tobias may be a little eccentric, but he was kind and didn’t mind sitting in silence. She didn’t technically want to be alone, so finding him here was great. As she approached, she realized he was talking to someone out of her line of sight, and he looked upset. She slid into an aisle and peered over the books to see who he was talking to. Her mouth dropped when she spotted Jesse. What theheck? She didn’t think Jesse knew Tobias. What could they possibly be talking about?

Jesse must have asked Tobias a question because he nodded adamantly. Satisfied, Jesse turned on his heel and walked down the main aisle. Violet made sure to exit the row and hide at the end of the bookshelf so he wouldn’t see her. When the coast was clear, she hurried toward Tobias, who was on his feet and gathering his notebooks.

“Tobias.”

He visibly stiffened and didn’t turn to look at her as he tossed his bag over his shoulder.

“Tobias?”

He started for an exit door that led outside.

“Hey!”

She rushed after him, aware that several heads shot up from the cluster of work tables.

“Tobias, wait!”

She jogged to catch up to him. He didn’t look at her, but kept his gaze fixed straight ahead.

“What happened?” she demanded.

“I never meant to make you uncomfortable,” he said stiffly. “I apologize. It won’t happen again.”

“Uncomfortable?” she echoed. “What are you talking about?”

“Your brother said I was making you uncomfortable with my poems. I won’t bother you with them anymore.”

She was so taken aback, she stopped in her tracks. Tobias continued across the field, putting as much distance between them as possible. Why would Jesse lie about Tobias’ poems making her uncomfortable? How did he evenknow…? An image of him scrolling through her phone after he orgasmed flashed in her mind. The confirmation she hadn’t wanted smacked her in the face. This was proof positive that he’d read her messages with Georgia, which he would have been unaware of if he hadn’t come into her room last night.

She stood there, staring into space as her phone chimed. Mind awhirl, she reached for it and wasn’t pleased to see a message from the person who was responsible for her current distress.

Where are you? I bought you soup.

She pocketed her phone and made her way back to the library. She got several sidelong glances that she ignored them as she staggered to a one-person desk. She placed her backpackon top of it and used it like a pillow, burying her face against the cool nylon. What was happening to her life? Yesterday, everything was fine. Everything wasright,and now everything was going topsy-turvy. Her brother, who she thought she knew better than herself, had gone rogue.

The bell rang. Immediately, those around her began zipping up backpacks. She forced herself to get up and follow the crowd into the hallway. She made her way to her next class and took a seat at the back instead of the front where she usually sat. Her friends spotted her and made their way over with puzzled expressions.

“Why are we sitting back here?”

“I didn’t get much sleep last night. I’m worried I’m going to fall asleep in front of Mrs. Gindler,” Violet said in a monotone.

She frowned as she spotted Marissa weaving through the desks.

“You don’t have this class,” she said.

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