4. Tristan
4
TRISTAN
S ometimes, the day pupils who attended Hatherley Hall and spent their nights at home wondered what the rest of us got up to during the evenings. I’d heard all sorts of rumours, and most of them were untrue. Yeah, we did sneak into each other’s rooms sometimes. The crypts were in regular use for members of the elite. Students found dark, secret corners for illicit activities. But the truth was, a lot of our nights looked like this. Hanging out in our common room, chilling before our nightly curfew that preceded another day of learning. Right now, a large group of us were sprawled out in our common room on the soft rugs with a deck of cards in the centre, while other members of Epicurus House were talking quietly, doing homework, huddled in front of laptops and tablets watching TV shows, or grouped around the TV playing on one of our consoles.
I splayed out my cards, studying my hand. Not bad. Potentially good if I could keep up my poker face.
When I raised my gaze from my cards, I held out my free hand.
“Do I look like your fucking servant?” Roman said, slapping my water bottle into my outstretched palm.
“Hey. I didn’t ask you to pass that to me.”
“No? What was the grabby hand all about?”
“Grabby hand,” I repeated, shaking my head. “Shut the fuck up. Please.”
He laughed, shoving at my shoulder. “Did anyone ever tell you that you speak way too much shit?”
“Whatever you say, grabby hand boy.”
Across the circle, honey eyes met mine for a second before flitting away. When we were away from the scrutiny of my parents, there was no pressure to act a certain way around each other, and I knew Aria wouldn’t be able to resist speaking up. I clenched my teeth, bracing myself for the inevitable as she lifted her hand, flicking her index finger towards me as she addressed Roman.
“I’ve told him he speaks too much shit before. Many times.”
I gave an exaggerated sigh. “Hmm. Of course you have. Have you ever heard the phrase ‘it takes one to know one’?”
“To know that you’d have to pay attention to the things I say,” she responded with an exaggerated eye roll.
Roman was staring between me and Aria, smirking, so I discreetly showed him my middle finger.
“Can we get on with the game, please?” Leah called out, and I nodded.
“Yeah. Some people will use any excuse to take a look at our cards while we’re distracted.”
Leah gasped, pressing her hand of cards to her chest as she shot a suspicious look at Aria, who was sitting next to her. I exchanged an amused glance with Roman, quickly looking away before I laughed out loud, my gaze accidentally landing on Aria again.
I hate you , she mouthed, and my grin widened.
Hate you, too , I mouthed back as Roman flipped the first card in the central pile so it landed face up. An eight of diamonds.
I focused on the card game, giving Aria shit every now and then, until Leah announced that she was moving so she didn’t have to sit next to a supposed cheat anymore. That earned me a savage glare from Aria and an unexpected lapful of Leah, landing on me so suddenly that my cards scattered across the floor—thankfully, facedown—and I inhaled a mouthful of her hair. That was not a fun experience in any way. Choking on what felt like an entire forest of herbal-scented strands? I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone. Ignoring Roman’s laughter next to me, I quickly downed the rest of my water, shifting Leah off my lap when I could finally breathe again.
Aria’s glare had turned from savage to incinerating. What was her problem now? I could’ve sworn the girl lived to get under my skin. Blowing her a discreet kiss, just to piss her off even further, I scooped up my cards in one hand and wrapped the other around Leah’s waist.
“Ready to win?” I murmured into her ear, my gaze still fixed on Aria.
She melted into me, as I expected. “I don’t even know how to play.”
“It’s okay. I can teach you.”
Predictably, Aria rolled her eyes again, proving she was paying far too much attention to me and not enough to her surroundings. You do the same , my brain unhelpfully reminded me, and yeah, that was enough. Enough time spent in her presence before I drove myself fucking crazy.
“Take my cards,” I muttered to Roman, rising to my feet and tuning out Leah’s voice calling me back. I headed for the common room door, then out into the corridor, only stopping when I reached the top of the wide stone stairs that led down to the ground floor. Leaning back against the wall and closing my eyes, I blew out a heavy breath.
“What exactly is your problem?”
My eyes flew open to find Aria standing a few feet away from me with the same savage glare on her face and her hands on her hips as she stared me down.
“What the fuck? Are you following me?”
“Following you? Why would I do that?” she shot back, and I snorted, jerking my head towards the corridor.
“I came out here, and now you’re here, too, less than five minutes after me. You’re not fooling anyone, little scorpion.”
“What was that in there?”
My brows rose. “What was what?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. Can’t you manage one evening without pissing me off?”
“Honestly? Probably not,” I said truthfully.
“Great. So glad we had this conversation,” she bit out.
“So glad you decided to come out here and give me shit for no fucking reason.” I pointed towards the common room. “Go back inside and play your little card game, Aria.”
“You don’t get to tell me what to do.”
I found myself right in front of her, although I wasn’t even aware that I’d moved. Pressing her against the wall and ignoring how her body felt against mine, I lowered my head to her ear.
“I’ll say and do whatever the fuck I want. I’m the king here. Don’t forget it.”
“What you are is an arrogant, entitled, fucking bellend,” she bit out, shoving me away. Whirling on her heel, she stalked down the corridor, lifting her middle finger as she went.
When she was out of sight, I slumped against the wall with a groan, rubbing my hand over my face.
Why did I let her have this effect on me?