18. Cin
Cin
The next morning I’m mortified, how can I face Gemma and Toby now?
How will Cody react if… no, when , he finds out?
I’m so stupid. I know Cody and I haven’t really said that we’re exclusive to each other, but I feel like that went unsaid for a reason.
It was expected.
Hiding in my room won't solve anything, so I get dressed for breakfast and send up a silent prayer that I can get to Cody before Talon does.
The hallway is silent, presumably everyone is still in bed, after crawling in after curfew. But Gemma’s door opens and out steps Toby.
He smiles and waves, like he does anytime we run into each other on campus. I start to speak and he holds up his finger in front of his lips, signaling for me to keep quiet.
We step into the elevator and he turns to me, “please don’t tell me you regret last night.”
That's not what I expected from him, “not exactly,” I surprise myself by being honest.
He chuckles and swipes a hand down the back of his neck, “Gemma would be disappointed, she really likes you, Cin.”
I smile despite the awkward topic, “I have to tell Cody.”
He nods and smiles softly at me, “we figured. You seem like the type to be honest.”
I eye him, “thanks?”
He laughs, a boisterous sound and says, “it’s not a bad thing, just promise not to throw Gemma under the proverbial bus, she was only trying to help.”
I nod, because I know they were, I didn’t think they would have done that for me last night had Talon not been watching. And I have to admit, it felt good seeing him squirm for a change.
The orgasm was nice too, and I’d be a dirty liar if I didn’t admit to touching myself while thinking about it when I woke up.
“Well, good luck,” he tells me, stepping out of the elevator backward and smiling.
I don’t bother thanking him, instead I focus on heading to the cafe. After last night I’m craving carbs and sugar.
Henry’s smiling face greets me at the door, just as he’s unlocking it.
“Good morning,” he says, turning off the alarm and flipping on the light switches. He moves fluidly over the room and I watch in awe at his efficiency.
“You look like you’ve done this a time or two.”
He looks up at me with the cutest blush and nods, “my… friend Fern, her best friend owns our local bakery. I’ve learned from the best, I have to admit.”
“Where are you from?” I ask, I don’t know anything about Henry, but I know he rooms with Talon and Toby.
“Gravity Hill,” he says, eyes assessing me for my reaction, as if I should know something about it.
“Never heard of it,” I admit.
“It’s a small town about three hours from here.”
I nod, knowing even if I were from around here, I doubt I’d know how to get there. He makes me my regular hot chocolate and reheats a few chocolate chip cookies from yesterday. Refusing to let me pay, he tells me to watch out for Talon today. Apparently he was in a strange mood this morning.
“I can handle Talon,” I tell him with a wink, shoving the door open and heading toward the boys dorm.
I texted Cody that I would be there in five, and to meet me out front. I know a cookie won’t absolve me of last night, but I’m hoping it will at least help. Cody steps out of the double doors and smiles at me, planting a kiss on my cheek in greeting.
“Good morning, Cinny-Mae.”
He nuzzles into my neck and I push him away so I can see his face.
“What’s wrong?” He asks, cupping my cheek with one hand.
More students fill the courtyard, going to eat or enduring the walk of shame, “can we go somewhere?” I’d rather not have this conversation anywhere within earshot of someone who will run and tattle to the king of campus.
“Perfect! So glad I didn’t miss the show,” Talon’s voice pulls me from Cody’s warmth.
Of course, why wouldn’t he already be here? This fucking guy needs a life.
Cody’s brows dip and he looks between the two of us, “the show?”
I grip his hand and try pulling him toward the academic building, since it’s Sunday I doubt anyone will be there.
“No, no, Spice, I want to see his face when you tell your boyfriend here you fucked Gemma’s face last night while my brother filled your cunt with his fingers,” he laughs, “did I mention we’re twins, doesn’t seem like a coincidence to me, friend .”
Cody looks from me to Talon and around at the audience Talon’s drawn with his words.
“So much for the rules,” I growl at Talon, and he just crosses his arms and shrugs.
“What is he talking about?” Cody says, his voice stern and eyes blazing on mine.
“Can we please go somewhere so I can explain?”
“You fucked someone while I was visiting my family?” His face falls and I vow I’m going to kill Talon Rossi.
“I didn’t fuck anyone, Cody,” I start, my own voice taking on an edge, “I fooled around with a couple, but it wasn’t what you’re thinking.”
“I thought you loved me, Cin,” he licks his bottom lip and tilts his head.
“I’ve never—I’ve never said that, Cody,” I stutter out, because whoa, that's… heavy.
“But you do, don’t you? You love me, just like I love you,” he says, stepping toward me with his hands out. But I don’t want to touch him. The way his mood flipped when I didn’t jump on the love train with him has the hair on the back of my neck standing at attention. I try never to ignore my instincts.
“I-I-,” the words won't come, it’s like my voice is frozen in shock.
“Okay,” he says, throwing the cookie down on the grass. He looks around and nods, “alright.”
He walks back into the building with his head down muttering about how it’s fine as long as she loves me . That wasn’t how I expected that to go, and I feel blindsided.
Talon whispers in my ear, “I guess you were right, maybe he doesn’t care if you whore around, as long as you love him .”
That snaps me back to life. I don’t think, I react. Spinning around and slapping Talon’s arrogant, stupid, perfect fucking face. The way he thinks he can say whatever he thinks, do whatever he wants, without consequence.
He smiles and points to his cheek where it’s starting to bloom red, “you’re gone, Spice.”
A part of me worries about Talon’s words, what could he possibly do to get me to leave? It isn’t like he didn’t try already. Locking me in my dorm, the elevator, and then arranging to have bloody tampons coat my door. The whole spectacle with Mr. Skeens. I mean he tried his damndest for weeks, and nothing.
So what changed that day?
It’s been a week and I’ve barely seen him. I can deal with the comments about my body, it helps that I don’t give a damn what everyone thinks about it, and for the most part, Talon has been scarce. I haven’t seen him lurking in class, or near Cody’s dorm room.
Though Cody hasn’t spoken more than a few words to me since Sunday when I couldn’t tell him I loved him. I’m not sure where that leaves us, but I also don’t know if there is an ‘us’ at all. Sure we’ve kissed a lot and fooled around maybe once or twice, but neither of us declared our status.
I figured we were having fun.
Not… falling in love.
I continue my normal habits all week, dodging food left in my favorite seat at lunch, or my clothes being taken during gym class. That was the last straw, when Talon brought in an innocent man and almost had him fired. It was one of the few times I retaliated, and last, until I slapped him.
“Spring break starts this weekend,” Mrs. Lynx starts, “you must turn in your midterm projects before my office hours close.”
We all shuffle out of the class, on to the next one, when I hear my name.
“Miss Morgan, a word?”
I turn, shocked to hear my name. I haven’t so much as stepped a toe out of line since my first day of classes, and I’ve already turned in my assignments. Even with Talon’s provoking.
“Yes, Mrs. Lynx?”
She rubs her temples, and sighs, “I had a concern come up from one of your classmates,” she takes a deep breath and levels me with her icy blue eyes, “I will ask you this one time, Miss Morgan. Did you write this essay in your own words?”
Shock hit me in the chest, hard, “of course, Mrs. Lynx, I worked very hard on all of my assignments.”
She sighs again, heavier if that’s possible, and slaps my work on the desk, “I’ve already spoken to your mother, and she has assured me that you are no cheater.”
“Because I didn’t cheat,” I demand, “I wrote that essay at the beginning of term, specifically by the syllabus.”
“Your peers say otherwise,” she starts again.
And before I can let her go on, I blurt, “was this peer Talon? Because he has been harassing me since the day I got here. He sabotaged my dorm room, nearly got Mr. Skeens fired, and blew up the only friendship I have here.”
“Those are lofty allegations, have you spoken to Mr. Finnighan about this behavior?”
I take a moment to consider her words, she knows I have, the whole faculty knows. A man almost lost his job because of Talon’s special brand of bullying.
Finally I take a deep breath and respond, “I am confident that your investigation into these allegations will prove that all of my work, essays included, is my own. I’ll provide any and all details that you deem necessary while it is under review. Until then, Mrs. Lynx, please enjoy your spring break.”
With that, I walk calmly out of her room and straight into Talon. He’s leaned up against the wall, shoulder rubbing the cement, arms crossed, legs together at the ankles.
I’m not in the mood to speak to him, I’m ready to get in my car and leave. I need to see my mom and catch up on her life.
“Seems like you’re in a spot of trouble, Spice.”
He speaks casually, as if we’re friends, and he waited to make sure I was okay. I refuse to engage with him, knowing that today is as good a day as any to get expelled so I just continue walking.
Following me, he continues, “I wish I could say I’m disappointed, but really, how could one girl do the course work, and projects in one week? You have to have cheated.”
I lick my lips and huff, if he read the syllabus he’d know what the teachers wanted. After the incident with Mr. Skeens, my mother had a chat with Finnighan. That led to a hilarious conversation with the entire faculty, and my mothers stern dressing down she gave them all. If anything, Talon helped me out, giving the staff an appropriate amount of fearful parenting.
“Why me, Fish Boy?” I whirl, catching him off guard. “Is it jealousy?”
He slams into me, gripping my arms, preventing my fall. His mouth drops open, but nothing comes out.
For once.
“I swear, from the moment I stepped onto this campus you’ve acted as if I’m the bane of your existence. For what? Because I told you not to touch me? Because I pushed you?”
He stands there, gaping at my apparent audacity to question him, and doesn’t say a word. It’s as if he doesn’t even know why he chose me to ‘get gone’, and I short circuited his brain by straight up asking.
He glares at me, and I get the suspicion he’s formulating a response.
He acts like he owns the school, like I don’t have a right to be here. He has no idea who I am, and what I’m made of. “Have a nice break, Talon.” I shake my head and walk away, not caring to look back.