"You know, this has been even better than I expected. When you became our maid and in-house sex worker, I didn't expect I'd get to watch you get your feelings hurt, too."
I stop, whipping around. "What do you want from me? Say it out loud, because I'm getting fucking bored with this."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just trying to help you."
"Help me!? You…" I shake my head. "Elias…we can't talk anymore. We hate each other too much, and it's going to end badly every time. You wanted me to be afraid of you, right? Iamafraid of you now. You make me feel unsafe. Every time we do this, I walk away thinking I'd be better off turning myself in, like I am right now. Is that what you want me to do?"
"You can't—"
"Wecan'ttalk anymore, Elias. I'll clean and cook; I'll do your homework, your disgusting laundry, and whatever else, but I draw the line at any unnecessary interactions with you. I don't mind being Dax's toy, but I'm not even human to you. I'd rather take my chances with the guy who gutted the squirrel."
He laughs, shaking his head as if it's a joke. "I'm fucking with you. When did you get so fucking sensitive? I'm hungry, too. What are you getting for lunch? I'm sure you have some extra money on that meal card since you've been eating at our house so much."
"Elias!"
He throws his hands up. "What?"
I press my fingers to my temples in frustration. "I don't know why I bother; you don't care. You didn't hear a word I just said."
"I heard all of it—I just want you to stop being so dramatic."
"I'll stop eating food at the house. I'll even buy you lunch, if that's what you want, but youcannotsit with me. You need to leave me alone."
"Wow, you really do love Dax, don't you? Don't let him find out; that's a big turnoff for him."
I blink slowly, exhaling my rage. "I just like sleeping with him. I like sleeping with both of them—has that never occurred to you as a possibility? I'm fully aware of where I stand with Dax, and I'm sure that's more than the girls you bring home can say about you. You think you're better because you'renot nice to themafterward, and you call it honesty? That'shonestlyhilarious. I'm sure you were super up front with Miles's poor fiancé, too. I bet she thought you were going to save her, and look what happened instead."
His jaw tightens, and I jump back as he takes a step forward, watching him ball his fists at his side. "Shut…your fucking…mouth."
"Or you'll make me, right?" I shake my head. "See? This is what I mean. We can't talk anymore, Elias. Not unless we have to, or it's going to endverybadly. For both of us."
I turn, leaving him there in the quad. I don't look back until I'm in the food court, relieved that he doesn't try to follow.
But he succeeded again; he ruined my mood. And when I go to the washroom after lunch, I look at my reflection in the mirror, and I wonder why I bothered with all the makeup, too.
I'm going to need to find a liquor store.
The rest of the day passes uneventfully. I attend my last class and then spend the afternoon in the library, grabbing dinner and then heading back to the house just before seven, when Dax and Elias should both be at the gym.
"Hey," Nolan says when I step inside. "I made pasta if you want some."
"No thanks. I already ate, and Elias doesn't want me to eat his food anymore, anyway."
Nolan laughs, but I don't think it's funny. "Elias said that? He doesn't even buy the groceries."
"Yeah, well, I don't want to give him any excuse to pay attention to me. I just want him to leave me alone," I tell him, continuing to my room and closing the door. I pull the bottle of whiskey I bought earlier from my bag, unscrewing the cap and taking a long, hard pull before taking off my clothes.
And I don't even like whiskey. I bought it because Nolan likes it.
The door opens a few moments later, when I'm half-naked and trying to change into my pajamas. "Sorry," Nolan says. "Do you want me to leave?"
"It's fine," I say, ripping my t-shirt down over my head.
"What'd he say to you?"
"Nothing I didn't already know. I'm going to go…wash my fucking face."
Thisdoor has a lock, and I use it this time.
