Hatred With Benefits

E L E V E N

EVA.

Emerson's eyes remain on me, his finger tapping against the table as I make my way towards Aliya

and grab the seat next to her, throwing my bag to the side.

"Done with your staring competition?" She lifts her eyes from the face mirror to meet my gaze and I

shake my head, staring at her red lipgloss.

"Why are you applying lipgloss?" I ask her and she raises her shoulder, "To look good. I care about my

appearance on the first day, babe. "

"You already look good. " I clarify. She grins as she shuts the mirror and throws it inside her bag before

saying, "Nothing wrong with trying to look perfect, Evie. You never know what's coming to you. "

"You're insane. " I chuckle with a shake of my head just as the professor walks in, in a perfectly ironed

suit with a scowl on his face.

The room is filled with decent students occupying the seats— arranged in rows like an atrium so each

row is slightly higher than the one in front of it. I'm in the middle section which gives me the perfect

view of the class with Aliya by my side, and Emerson breathing down my neck from the back.

"I see you made it to class, Carson. " His hot breath tingles my skin as he mumbles the word.

"Don't speak to me, Ford. " I respond and he laughs. I flinch slightly when I feel the tip of his fingers on

my neck, tracing across the skin.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" The tremor in my voice is unmistakable and I internally

curse myself for it.

"Pay attention to class, Carson. You don't want Daddy's money to lay to waste now, do you?" He says

in a mocking tone and moves back, taking his body heat with him.

I hold my breath and clench my hands into fists on the table before me as I watch the professor

introduce himself and pray I can make it through the lecture without twisting my head to land a punch

on Emerson Ford's ever so perfect face.

When I gaze back at Aliya, she has a smirk on her face and I silence her before she can speak when

she parts her lips.

"Don't. " I warn and she nods, folding her lips and drawing her fingers across it before turning back to

the professor.

Still, I don't miss her almost silent snicker.

~

The class finally comes to an end and my chest falls in relief as I release the breath I've been holding

through the entire class. The students start to filter out of class and I gather my things as Aliya waits

beside me.

"Want to check out my dorm before you leave?" She asks when I lift my head and I nod with an eager

smile. Anything that shortens the time I spend with Emerson Ford, I'm all for it.

"Time to show you what you're missing. " She winks as we proceed to move out of class and I chuckle

softly, "I don't think I'm missing anything other than the long queue for bathrooms and the tiny space of

the rooms. "

Aliya gasps, a pretence hurtful expression crossing her face as she places a hand on her chest. "How

dare you say those awful words?"

I nudge her shoulder with mine and she laughs, her hand falling from her chest. "It isn't as bad as you

think it is, though. It's actually pretty fun. "

"I know, " I agree. "You have told me that multiple times now, but I still prefer being in the comfort of my

apartment. "

"Even when you share it with someone you hate?" She lifts her brows, a smile resting on her lips and I

frown, drawing the straps of my bags as we step out of the room.

"Even when I share it with someone I hate. " I angle my head to glance back at the room as I whisper

those words, and Emerson is staring right back at me with arms crossed against his chest and a

familiar guy standing above his head, mumbling some words to him.

He gives me a wave with his two fingers just like he did earlier and I finally shift my gaze from him as I

take a step forward.

"You might want to tone down the glares, babe. " Aliya's voice draws my attention back to her and I

nod. "Tell me about it. "

We move across the field and walk down the path that leads to the dormitory.

"How's your roommate, anyway? I never asked about it. " I lean against the wall with my eyes on Aliya

as she rummages through her bag to find the key to her lock.

"I swear, I fucking had it with me!" She hisses in frustration, dropping the bag to the door and pushing

to her knees.

"Are you sure you didn't misplace it? It shouldn't be hard to find if you didn't. " I tell her, moving beside Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

her to help with her search.

"No, I'm sure I—" Aliya pauses and lifts her hand to her Jean front pocket. With a groan, she grabs her

bag and moves to her feet, fishing the key out of her pocket and dangling it before my eyes.

I shake my head and move to stand beside her, dropping a hand on her shoulder as she opens the

door.

"She's a girl and she seems l. " She says as she walks inside while I follow beside her.

"Are you sure she's nice or that's another part of you speaking?" I tease her as I stare around the room.

It's a small space, but spacious enough for the two beds which occupy the room.

"It looks nice. " Aliya throws me a glare at my words as she kicks her boots off her legs while I move to

her bed and settle on the soft mattress.

"This is nothing compared to the luxury you live in. "

"A luxury you rejected. " I point out and she twists her head to pass me a smile before hanging her bag.

"I heard there's a frat party tonight. " Her lips stretch into a wide smile as she plops herself next to me

and grabs my hands. "We're going and you can't refuse. I'll not let you stay in that place with a book

stuck to your face, Evie. We'll make new friends and have fun. It's been a while, hasn't it?" She sighs,

lifting her hand to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear and I swat at it, earning myself a laugh.

"It's only been days, Aliya. " I remind her and she rolls her eyes, "Oh, I didn't know that, Miss so

obvious. I thought it's been years. "

I giggle. "I'm just saying, but of course, I don't have a choice in this, do I? You will drag my ass to there

even if I say no. "

"And right there, is one of the things I love about you Eva fucking Carson. You know me too well for

your own good. " She coos and I give her an annoyed look before falling back on the small bed.

"You don't have to sneak out, Evie. No Daddy here to stop you from doing what you want. You finally

have the freedom you've always wanted. " She says as she lies beside me and I turn on my side to

meet her eyes, a smile on my face.

That, she's right about.

~

After lunch with Aliya and goofing around, I make my way back to my apartment and pray I don't have

to face him.

That prayer isn't granted when I sight Emerson's car at its spot as I stand by the doorway.

I grumble under my breath and brace myself for another torture of his annoying face. An annoying,

gorgeous face that's been in my head for a while now.

I shake that thought off my mind and push through the door, shutting it behind me.

My feet stays rooted to the spot as my eyes take in the sight before me and as if on cue, all gazes turn

to me.

"Who's she?" I hear the redhead girl by Emerson's side ask as she watches me with clear disgust on

her face. Girl, what the fuck? I don't even know you.

"She's the one I told you about. " He whispers to her, before turning to me with the familiar taunting

smirk pressed to his lips.

"Carson. " He draws, "Didn't think you would be back so early. "

You've got to be fucking kidding me!