Page 14 of Blurred Lines

Hadley’s words from yesterday play on repeat in my head and sit in my stomach like lead. I messaged Mason earlier and told him I had shit to do today, but honestly, I just needed time to myself to properly digest everything she said, everything she’s been through. I heard them all get up and leave early this morning, their laughter ringing through the apartment as they packed their things for the beach. It was nice to hear; their light, jovial tones, Hadley’s hearty laugh. It’s a sound that’s been missing for far too long.

I should be feeling the same weight lifted off my shoulders as they do, and yet, it’s nearly midday and I’m still lying in my bed, staring at the ceiling, my thoughts going round in a circle…furious at our parents. Devastated for Hadley. Determined to get us all out of this, then right back to being furious again.

I release a long, throaty groan, running my hand down my face. I can’t lie here and sulk all day. I should at least do something productive. Dragging myself out of bed, I throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and, grabbing my backpack, I decide to head to the library to get some studying in. I’ve done fuck all for these final exams, and if everything goes to plan with our parents, our futures are going to be our own to do with as we please. We haven’t had any official discussions yet, but the topic of college has come up a couple of times and, well, that involves at least passing grades, so I guess I should put in some effort.

Pushing open the library door, I weigh my options as my gaze swivels around the library. Every single table is full. How the hell did I forget how fucking busy the library got at the end of the year? I can feel people staring at me, so I can’t just turn and walk back out. Scowling, I search out a table of freshmen that I can kick out when I spot an empty table at the back of the room.

I start toward it, but falter as I approach and realize the table isn’t empty, like I first thought, but has a single occupant—Emilia. She looks up, signing my fate as her gaze meets mine, and I close the distance, dumping my stuff on the table.

“Why are you sitting alone?”

She shrugs, casting a quick glance at the other full tables around us before focusing back on the worksheet in front of her. “No one except Wilder and Hadley like to sit with me.”

She doesn’t exactly sound upset about it, but her words don’t sit right with me. Although, I can’t for the life of me work out why. Why do I even care? I don’t know why it hadn’t crossed my mind before. Of course no one will go near her. The other scholarship students want nothing to do with her—something that I’m at least partially responsible for—and because she’s a scholarship student, and everyone knows she’s friends with Hadley, the rest of the student body keep their distance.

I’m still standing awkwardly by the table, which is fucking hilarious, because I have never had an issue making myself at home in this school, yet, something within me has me asking, “Do you mind if I sit?”

That question has her pen skidding to a halt on the page, and she looks at me, surprise in her eyes—her striking jade irises that shine with more life than I’ve ever seen before and leave me momentarily speechless.

“You wanna sit…with me?”

“Isn’t that what I said?”

She rolls her eyes at my attitude, and I don’t know why her newfound defiance both riles me and strangely, draws me to her. No one other than Hadley has dared stand up to me in the last four years. When Hadley did it, it grated on my fucking nerves, but when Emilia throws that temper of hers my way, I have a much more…physical reaction. I’m absolutely putting it down to the fact I haven’t gotten laid in way too fucking long. I basically can’t fuck a single girl on campus now. Not without them assuming it’s much more than a one-time fuck. So to say I’m horny as hell is an understatement. It’s obviously the only reason Emilia gets any sort of rise out of me.

She shrugs in response, which somehow only irritates me further. I’m used to people bending over backwards to meet my needs, bowing to my whims. Not shrugging them off like they couldn’t care one way or the other.

“Thought you were all at the beach?” She doesn’t even glance up from her work, her pen flying across her notes as she talks…how the hell does she even do that?

“Hadley and the guys are. I thought I’d give them some time alone.” She doesn’t respond, and after a minute I realize it’s because she’s so focused on her school work, she’s not even paying attention to me. I sit and watch her for a moment, noting the wrinkle between her brows, and the way she chews on her lower lip when she concentrates.

Time ticks by, and I end up watching her more than doing any actual work. The longer I study her, the more conflicted I become. Emilia has always just been ‘Hadley’s friend’. I’ve done my due diligence, checking her out and making sure she’s trustworthy, and I can admit—to myself—that she’s proven herself to be worthy of Hadley’s friendship. But I’ve never looked at her as more than that before. I’ve never seen her for simply who she is, and now whoshe is to Hadley…but I think I might be starting to.

It’s hours later when she slams her textbook shut, tilting her head back, extenuating her neck as she lets out a long, slow exhale, letting the tension drop from her shoulders. She begins to pack her belongings, apparently done for the day.

“You heading out?”

“Yeah, I’m having a movie night.”

I give her a quizzical look. “With who?”

Her cheeks pinken, and I have a sudden urge to find out what shade of red they’d turn if I whispered dirty words in her ear…or got her naked…or pushed my dick between her pink pussy lips.

“Ummm, just me.”

Her words have me pulling back from the highly inappropriate train of thought I was rapidly tumbling down, and I have to clear my throat, shifting slightly in my seat to alleviate the sudden tightness in my crotch.

An awkward silence hangs in the air between us as she shoves the last of her belongings into her bag, deliberately avoiding eye contact with me. When she’s done, she stands upright, pausing as she chews on her lip in thought. The way her teeth drag her lip into her mouth holds me captivated.

“If you’re, uh, not doing anything, you can join me.”

My gaze snaps from her lips to her eyes. “You want me to watch a movie with you?”

She shrugs as though it’s not a big deal, but the fresh blush rising up her neck says otherwise. “If you’re free. I’ll be watching it either way…just figured, since the others are busy, you might want some company tonight.”

Well, damn, that makes me sound fucking pathetic.

“Fine,” I snap out harshly, suddenly feeling irrationally irritated. “But no girly shit.”

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