Chapter 3
DAPHNE
Shit! I’m going to be so late!
After stopping the audio drama playing on my phone, I sprinted out of the frigid winter cold and into Redwood Academy, heading straight for biology. Students lingered by their lockers, clogging up the hallway.
I could tolerate a lot of shit at Redwood Academy, like the gossip, chaos, even the occasional underground casino in the math wing type of news. That was all fine, and it didn’t bother me in the slightest, because I kept my head down and stayed out of drama.
But Apollo?
He had only been here for four days, and I was already not a fan.
Clutching my notebook to my chest and wishing my little run-in with him away, I stopped in front of the door, took a deep breath so it didn’t look like running up two flights of stairs killed me, and stepped into biology class.
Hopefully, the cheerleaders had gotten to him last night, and he didn’t remember me.
“Decided to join us, I see, Miss Laurel,” Mr Barnes said from the front.
With warm cheeks, I murmured an apology and headed to my seat. My steps slowed as I approached the back table to find someone already sitting on it. And it wasn’t just anyone, but Apollo freaking DeLuca.
“Daphne, lovely that you could make it today,” he said, patting his lap. “Take a seat.”
I glanced around the room to see students already gathered into pairs for the project announced yesterday, my gaze landing on Mr Barnes, who was scrolling on his computer like usual nowadays, which must have meant that this asshole was now my new partner.
“That’s my seat,” I said to Apollo.
“You’re welcome to sit on it.”
“Don’t be a dick,” I said through my teeth.
“Baby,” he dragged out. “Isn’t that what you like? At least that audio–”
Before he could finish his sentence, I slapped a hand over his mouth. “Shush it.”
When I was convinced that he’d shut his mouth and not say another word, I pulled my hand away to find him smirking at me. “Is that how you like it?” He curled his finger around one of my belt loops and pulled me toward him. “You want to be the boss?”
Somehow my cheeks burned even hotter, and I didn’t know if it was from embarrassment or pure rage. The audacity that this man had was indescribable. In-freaking-describable!
His dark hair fell onto his forehead, his jawline sharp, and his smugness making me want to hurl. How did anyone have this much cockiness to just… to just say that to someone out loud?! And in the middle of Redwood Academy too?!
If anyone heard, I’d be the gossip soon.
“Looks like we’re partners for the project,” he murmured.
“Thanks, Captain Obvious, but I can do it alone.” I grabbed a seat beside him, opened up my textbook, absolutely loathing this class project, and flipped to the section about the human body. “Why don’t you go hang out with one of the cheerleaders or something?”
“When I could hang out with you? That wouldn’t be any fun.”
“I’m not fun,” I said.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
I snapped my head into his direction to catch that stupid little smirk again. This asshole was just going to say whatever he thought would piss me off, and I was playing right into his hand, wasn’t I?
Once I calmed down, I turned back to my textbook. Apollo snapped it closed and stood, raising his hand. “Mr Barnes, can Daph and I go to the library to work on the project? She doesn’t have a computer.”
Mr Barnes waved us off, and I stood flabbergasted because, one: that idiot just called me Daph in front of the entire biology class as if he had known me my entire life, two: how did he even know my name, and three: Mr Barnes never let anyone go anywhere.
“Actually, I don’t need a computer to–”
Before I could say another word, Apollo grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the door. I scrambled out of his hold, so nobody could start any rumors about us, and followed along because if I stayed, it’d probably be worse.
I fast-walked to the library to get away from the asshole, always staying strides ahead.
“Okay,” I said, slamming my notebook on the table once I made it there in one piece. I took a seat on the couch I had been on yesterday when he rudely interrupted my audio drama. “Let’s just get this over with.”
“The project’s already done,” Apollo said, sitting beside me.
“What do you mean it’s already done?”
“I already finished it. Mr Barnes gave me the syllabus before I transferred into Redwood, and I did it this weekend.”
“Take it out. Show it to me.”
“Take it out?” he said with a smirk, reaching for his jeans. “Very direct, Daph. I like–”
“Not your dick!” I whisper-yelled. “The project. And stop calling me Daph.”
After some grumbling, Apollo opened his computer–the latest MacBook that costed like a thousand dollars–and opened a blank document. I stared at it for a few moments, then looked at him, my brows furrowed, so I wouldn’t lose it on him in the middle of the library.
“Apollo, what’s this?” I asked as calmly as I could.
“We’re not doing an actual powerpoint. Ours is going to be more memorable than that.”
“Oh,” I scoffed. “And what’s more memorable than a blank, white document?!”
His smirk widened, and I wanted to strangle that man right here and right now.
This was exactly why I wished to work alone!
“We’re going to do a live demonstration. You can be the doctor, and I’ll be the patient, since you love to be in charge so much, Daph.” He leaned back in the seat, his legs outstretched, and winked. “What do you say?”
My gaze lowered from his smirk, down his chest and to his legs, briefly lingering on the bulge between his thighs. Heat coursed through my body, mixing with all my rage, and it took everything in me to stay calm.
After blowing out a breath, I scooted my chair backward. “I say that I’m leaving.”
Because if I don’t… I might just fall for this stupid player’s words.
Apollo grasped my wrist and tugged me back. “I’m playing around, Daph.”
“No, you’re not.”
“You can take a joke, can’t you? I know you can take other things…”
“If you already did it, what are we doing here?” I growled, pissed off that he wasted my time and was threatening my reputation by being seen with him in the middle of the library.
His smirk widened. “We’re here, so we can listen to your audiobook together.”