Between the lines

Chapter Eleven

Elliot

Last night was such a blur. I went from dancing with a cute blonde guy to ditching him to get away from Bennett when I saw him walk into the party, to getting dragged away by a junior student and him overstepping his boundaries until Bennett pushing him into a bush. It was so dramatic. I recalled watching Bennett's retreating back as he left the party last night, flustered and in disbelief at his audacity. I'd gotten my phone back, but at what cost? My pride. My dignity.

"The shame..." I groaned and let my head fall into my arms. Maude snorted at me from across the table and smacked her pencil down.
"Stop being dramatic and thank him for the intervention," she said. "Heard some shit about Cole. Must you always go for the weird ones?"

"I was handling Cole just fine," I whined into my sleeves. "Bennett just wants to make me feel like I'm still weak."
"Are you?"
"No!"

"Then don't let him get to you," she said matter-of-factly. "Although I do think it's okay to just...run away from something you can't handle. You didn't owe Cole any explanations."

I sighed. She didn't get it. I kept talking to Cole and the other architecture newbies because I wanted them to feel welcome. I'd introduced myself as part of the student committee for our major, and it wasn't going to be anything more than getting to know my juniors. It would've looked bad if I didn't at least try dealing with Cole with a level head. Hopefully Bennett's interference didn't do my image too much harm.

It was the last thing I needed after all the hard work I put in to present myself as someone who could be liked. I wouldn't say I was popular, but I was fairly well-known and well-received. People knew of me even if I didn't know them, and the student committee made me even more approachable. They listened to me and valued my input. It was a fresh change after being a quiet misfit in my hometown.

"What is this really about?" she asked finally. I turned my head up only slightly to look at her. She seemed worried. I shrugged and turned my gaze down the side of the table where I spotted Bennett coming into the library. He seemed relaxed as he found a single seater table and got to work. It was...weird. I'd never ever seen Bennett so focused.
"It's like I hardly recognize him, Maude," I said softly. "One minute I do, the next I don't. Like...there's another side to him that I couldn't be bothered to see."

"He didn't bother showing it," she reminded me. "Is that what happened yesterday?"
I nodded. "I didn't know what to expect. He's so hard to read and he doesn't really say what he feels."

"Take him at face value for now," she advised. "Besides...I think you liked it."
I almost combusted into flames and glared daggers at her. "Excuse me."

"Admit it." She gave me a Cheshire grin. "You liked the way he cornered you."
"I did not," I hissed at her and looked around. "Keep it down, will you?"

She cackled and cocked her head. "Oh wow, look at you two. The nerd and the jock."
"He's not a jock!"

"Saw him playing footy just a few hours ago!"
I groaned and dropped my head into my arms once more as she continued to verbally harass me. I wish I had a class to take so I could escape her, but it wasn't all too bad. I sort of missed Maude being this way. It was the most lively I'd seen her all year.

Still, it was getting harder to ignore the memories of what happened last night. The way he stepped towards me, and how my heart shuddered with each step. He was so much taller than me, and much broader. The look in his eyes, deep but mischievous. The way they hardened when he saw my mouth, and how my blood grew hotter under his touch. Every cell in my skin that was under his thumb was tingling that night, and I had to remind myself to breath so my heart would calm down.