Perfect Obsession

Chapter 23* || You're Just Going To Have To Be Quiet

𝐑 𝐎 𝐒 𝐀 𝐋 𝐈 𝐄 ' 𝐒    𝐏 𝐎 𝐕

Curled up in a corner of the library, away from everyone else I am surrounded by rows of bookshelves. This place has become my sanctuary over the past few hours. On the top floor of the library where the only things are reading nooks and bookshelves, it is deserted.

My textbook lays out in front of me on the table, along with my notes, laptop, my empty cup of iced tea and snack crumbs. With midterms quickly approaching before the Christmas break in two weeks. Every student on campus is one enormous ball of stress and anxiety.

Including myself.

"We're going to have another full house for Christmas this year."

My mom's voice reaches my airpods as I speak on the phone with her. "Well, between dad's family and your friends, I'm not surprised."

Every year we have a full house with my dad's family, my mom's dad, stepmom, and stepbrother plus their kids. Along with my parents' friends and all their kids whom I grew up with over the years.

"We're going to need a bigger house at this rate," Mom scoffs, and I chuckle. "How is the studying coming along?"

"I've found a new home in the library, so that kind of tells you a lot," I sigh as I tap my pen against the textbook open in front of me. "I'll just be happy when midterms are over."

"Well, you're very intelligent and don't forget if you do well, Dylan will happily tease your father about the fact he got you into biochemistry, which is a win," Mom explains, and I nod my head.

"Uncle Dylan will never let dad forget that," I laugh. Books dropping on the spare space on the table has me looking up, and Roman's tall frame towers over the table before he sits down in the chair opposite of me. Having come from practice, his hair is damp and his glasses are already resting on his nose.

I tap my wrist and he rolls his eyes before motioning to playing hockey. He places a drink holder on the table before passing me what seems to be an iced tea and a bag that has a muffin in when I look inside. Raising my eyebrow at his niceness, he shrugs before getting his textbooks out.

"And your father will never let me forget that," Mom scoffs, and I can tell she is rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, he won't let me forget it either. He asks me all the time why I had to choose the major Uncle Dylan did," I laugh and Roman shakes his head remembering the conversation at Thanksgiving.

While I remain on the phone with my mom for the next five minutes. Roman sits scrolling through his phone, not once interrupting.

"I should go. It's getting to the time Millie and Lucas get out of school so your father will be picking them up soon and my peace will be ruined," Mom says on the other end.

"I should get back to studying, anyway. I'll see you all in two weeks," I finish before we say goodbye and I cut off the call. "What's this for?"

"Considering you're helping me study, figure it's the least I could do," Roman admits and I happily eat the muffin, having not eaten anything for hours. Roman looks around the quiet area. "Why is it so quiet up here? The biochem books are here, I'm surprised it's not more busy."

"Not this section. People like to be closer to the vending machines and coffee stations." I shrug, taking a sip of my iced tea.

"No idea why, the coffee is crap." Roman leans back before nodding at the books. "How's it going?"

"I'll be glad when it's over," I deadpan. "You managed to start studying?"

"A little, not much. The hockey house isn't the best place to study considering how rowdy everyone is." He flips open his textbook and looks through.