After bidding Sid good bye I unlocked my room and entered, I wasn't at all prepared for what I saw.
There he was.
Xavier Cage.
Sprawled on my beanbag chair like he owned the place. Boots still on. One arm draped over the back. He was holding an apple he definitely didn't buy from the school cafeteria and spinning it lazily between his fingers.
I blinked. "What the hell—how did you even get in here?"
He didn't look at me. "Window."
My eyes narrowed. "This room is on the third floor, Xavier and it's still bright outside how come no one saw."
A slow shrug. "Not a problem."
How is that not a problem?!
I dropped my bag on the floor, resisting the very strong urge to throw it at him. "Do you just… break into girls' rooms for fun? Or am I just so special?"
That got me a glance. Brief, cold, and sharp. "Don't flatter yourself."
Ouch.
I rolled my eyes and pulled out my books. "what are you even doing here."
No response.
Obviously he had no idea of something called personal space. Or privacy.
I didn't need his mood poisoning my focus.
I sat at my desk, cracked my knuckles, and opened Mr. Pierce's nightmarish assignment. Ten minutes passed. The scratching of my pen filled the room.
But then I felt it—him.
That annoying, distracting weight of his gaze. He wasn't even trying to be subtle. It was like sitting in front of a black hole. And it was messing with my flow.
I spun in my chair. "Can I help you?"
He stared at me for a beat, then bit into the apple. Loudly.
I glared. "Seriously?"
Crunch.
I shoved my chair back and stood. "Okay, what is this? You ignore me all day, act like I'm a ghost in the hallway, and now you're squatting in my room like it's your personal man cave?"
"You're the one who dragged me in here last night," he said evenly.
My face flamed. "That was to avoid being expelled, you—you idiot!"
His brow twitched.
Success.
I jabbed a finger at him. "You come here, uninvited, eat my fruit, mess with my head—"
"You're the one yelling," he said calmly.
"Oh my god." I turned away, muttering. "I am going to lose my mind."
He didn't respond.
Of course he didn't.
I sat back down, determined to ignore him.
But it didn't last long.
"what where you doing with Nathan Lawson," he said after a minute.
My head snapped up. "What?"
"Flirting."
I gaped at him. "I wasn't flirting. He's my friend."
"He wants more than friendship."
I scoffed. "Not that it's any of your business, but Nate knows I'm not interested. And even if I were—"
"You're not," he said sharply.
I blinked. "What is your problem?. We are not a real couple you have no right to do this, any of these!"
His jaw clenched.
"I don't." He says.
"Well, good."
I turned back to my screen, heart thudding too fast.
God, he was infuriating.
---
"You're solving that wrong," he says behind me.
"Mind your business."
"Let me help."
"No, thank you."
"You are so stubborn." He says walking over to my desk.
"Well you're not very easy going yourself."
He leaned in, his scent clouding my senses.
How the hell am I supposed to focus now?
"I...I've got it, Xavier." I said, surprised I was able to form a coherent sentence.
"There. You just have to cancel these out instead of multiplying." He says, his eyes focused on my book, hair falling down casually over his face I had to fight the urge to brush them away with my fingers.
Pull yourself together, Coco.
"You got the rest right, mostly." He stood straight then sat on my bed.
I tucked my hair behind my ear, trying to calm my raging heart.
" Come with me to the ball." He says.
"I have this assignment to finish, it's due tonight," I added. "And besides... I don't even know if I want to go. It's not really my thing."
That wasn't a total lie. But it wasn't the truth either.
Because the real reason was Sid.
She hadn't said anything directly, but I'd noticed how quiet she got when Tyler brought it up. How she looked away.
I wasn't stupid.
Something was wrong. Sid normally loves things like this.
"Suit yourself," Xavier said finally, voice unreadable.
"Gladly."
I turned back to my desk, expecting him to leave.
He didn't.
I felt his eyes on me, heavy and silent. Waiting.
"What?" I asked.
He shrugged one shoulder, completely unfazed, and started scanning my desk. His fingers brushed the edge of my notes like he was actually planning to stay. Stay and breathe the same air as me. Stare. Loom. Smolder.
And stare he did.
Just sat there and watched me like I was some kind of puzzle he couldn't solve.
"Why are you still here?" I finally burst out.
He tilted his head, almost amused. "I usually teleport out. You're awake."
"What does that even mean?" I snapped.
He didn't answer.
Just kept watching.
With that face. That stupid, perfect face. Like a carved statue brought to life by dark magic and sarcasm. I could feel my cheeks heating, but I kept my eyes glued to my notebook.
Then—just as I opened my mouth to tell him off again—my door creaked open.
"Hey, Coco—oh."
Sid froze mid-step, arms full of books, mouth halfway to a grin that froze when she caught sight of the six-foot-tall shadow lingering behind me.
"Oh," she said again, eyes darting between us like she'd just walked in on a live soap opera. "Am I... interrupting something?"
"Yes."
" No."
Xavier and I spoke at the same time
I whipped around so fast my chair nearly tipped. "No. Absolutely not." I glared at him.
Xavier, the walking nightmare, just offered Sid a nod. "Hey."
Sid blinked. "Hi. Wow. Okay. You're just... here."
"He was just leaving," I said pointedly.
"No, I wasn't," he replied smoothly.
I whipped around to glare at him again. "Yes. You were."
He just leaned back against the wall like he had all the time in the world. Like he was enjoying watching my blood pressure rise.
Sid edged in slowly, her eyes wide. "Sooo... should I come back?"
"Sid," I groaned, dragging a hand down my face.
"No no, it's fine," she said quickly, clearly thrilled. "Please continue. I'll just stand here and absorb the tension."
I groaned louder.
Xavier smirked.
I was going to combust.
Or stab someone.
Or maybe both.