We spend the remainder of class figuring out times that work best and devising a workable plan for each assigned task. All the while, Mac sits way too close. So close, in fact, that I can feel the warmth of his breath on the side of my neck as I type an outline into a document. It’s as irritatingas it is distracting, and more than once I have to tell him to move over.
When Professor Langdon dismisses the class nearly thirty minutes later, I’m so eager to escape that I gather my belongings and practically sprint for the door without so much as a backward glance at Macallan.
Of course, that doesn’t stop him from jogging after me, catching up to me just seconds after I push my way out the double doors and step out into the warm afternoon air.
“Why are you following me?” I demand, stopping so abruptly that he walks a couple of steps ahead of me before he realizes I’ve stopped.
“I’m not following you. We’re headed in the same direction.”
“Uh-huh.” I roll my eyes, clutching my laptop to my chest like some kind of shield that will protect me from his nearness.
“Look. I get that you have a problem with me...”
“I think that’s putting it mildly, but sure, let’s go with that.”
“Clearly, I did something to piss you off...”
“You think?” I interrupt, letting my anger take the forefront of all other emotions.
“I guess I just didn’t realize how affected by it you still were.”
“Affected by it?” I bark out a laugh. “I’m not affected by you in the least. I simply don’t like you.”
“Keep telling yourself that.” That cocky smirk returns and I feel desperate to wipe it off his face anyway that I can.
“Go fuck yourself, Mac.” I let out an exasperated sigh.
“Such language.” He tsks.
“Piss off,” I add for good measure.
“Look, I’m trying to make peace here.”
“Maybe I don’t want peace. Maybe what I want is for you to leave me alone. Like forever.”
“Well, fate has other plans.”
“Only because you just had to sit next to me. If you had left me alone, if you had sat on the other side of the room like you normally do, we wouldn’t be stuck in this mess to begin with.”
“Wrong. I sat next to you because I knew you were going to be my partner. Professor Langdon had the assignments already drawn up and sitting on his desk for anyone to see. So no, we aren’t partnered together because I sat next to you. I sat next to you to save myself from having to move after he announced it.”
I guess that explains thewhy, though it does little to soothe my irritation.
“Yeah, okay.” I bristle.
He takes a step closer, his frame so large his body casts a shadow over mine.
“Let’s make one thing clear. I don’t give a shit if you don’t like me. You want to hold a grudge over nothing, be my guest. But I hope you can at least be mature enough to be civil while we work on this assignment,” he quickly continues before I can spew the slew of curses dancing on my tongue. “It was just sex, Mais. I know I’m good, but I think maybe it’s time you let it go.”
I step up, getting right in his face or, well, as close to his face as I can, given our height difference.
“You are so full of yourself.” I poke a finger into his chest, ignoring how rock-hard the muscle beneath is. “You think I give two shits about what happened two fucking years ago? My hatred of you has nothing to do with the sex and everything to do with what a sorry excuse for a man you are. Now, if you don’t mind, I have somewhere to be.” Ishove past him, knocking my shoulder into his, which jostles me more than it does him.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Mais.”
I flip him off.
His taunting laughter seems to follow me all the way back to my dorm.
