He just shrugs. “Could do it tomorrow, if you’re busy. I don’t really care.”
I shift on the leather booth seat. “Can’t you ever act normal?”
“Fuck no. Normal is boring. What do you even mean?”
“Like… maybe asking me what my favorite TV show is, instead of grilling me about when I last came?”
He puts his hand on mine on top of the table, squeezing the back of my hand.
“Sure, blushy. Tell me what TV show you ignore in the background when you’re really watching my videos.”
“You're obsessed with yourself, Berlant.”
He slides his hand away from mine but holds my gaze. “Fine. What's your favorite show?”
“Wheel of Fortune.”
Niko snorts.
“What? What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing. I just didn’t expect you to say that. Thought you’d give me some fake tough-guy answer and name a crime drama, or something.”
“You put on a tough guy act, not me.”
“You think it’s an act?” he asks, lifting an eyebrow. “Name a guy you dislike in this dining hall and I'll go knock him out for you.”
“Quit it.”
“I would.”
“Because you crave violence.”
“I’m allowed to have a little fun,” he says. “You know, if anyone puts a hand on you, I will have to hurt them. If I’mpretending to be your boyfriend, I'm not going to hold back.”
“Trust me, no one’s going to touch me.”
“Oliver, all the women and half the men in this room probably want to touch you, students and staff included. I want to bend you over this table and take you with everyone watching. Stretch open that tight hole and get you used to me.”
I shove a forkful of mandarin orange slices in my mouth so I don’t have to come up with words to say right now.
I keep my eyes down on the worn tabletop because I'll blush again if I'm looking at his eyes, and I know that’s what he wants.
“Yo,” a voice comes from behind me.
Noah appears at the side of the table, carrying a tray of food.
“Hey, Noah,” I tell him.
He plops down on the seat next to me and drops his tray on the table, not bothering to ask about joining us.
Noah’s probably the least shy person I’ve ever met, and I admire him for it even if I can’t imagine being as carefree as him.
“Sup, Niko?” Noah asks, reaching over to give Niko a fist bump. “How are you settling in?”
“My boxes arrived this morning,” Niko explains. “Moved the rest of my shit in. Guess I’m a real Onyx Society member.”
“Sorry they stuffed you in the room with Roman and Daniel. We managed to find a third bed, and their room is the biggest.”
