cigarette ends | ✎

xxiv.

"So, the issue is rooted in competition? Do you two fight... academically?" Rebecca scribbled down some notes.

"You could say that," I mused. "We began as rivals. Harvard is a very competitive university, as you know. We were in a lot of the same classes together, and we would always compete to see who got the highest scores."

"It was stupid, really," Emilia added from beside me.

"I see. And how did you two decide you wanted to put aside your differences and be together?"

"Well-"

"I remember the day perfectly." I interrupted Emilia, who shot me a dangerous glance. Game on, Emilia. You wanted to humiliate me? It's time for me to humiliate you. "It was a Wednesday evening. I was studying for our biology exam the next day when I heard a knock on my dorm room door. I was alone; my roommate had gone out with his girlfriend. So I walked over, opened the door, and there was Emilia.

"She was drenched because it was raining outside. In her rush to get over to me, she'd forgotten to grab an umbrella." I winked at Emilia, who rolled her eyes at me. "I asked her what she was doing, but before I knew it, she was ranting about how much she couldn't believe she was doing this, and how she couldn't stop thinking of me."

"And then," Emilia said, interrupting me and continuing the charade, "Augustus said he felt the same. He confessed his feelings, his 'love for me' as he called it, and then he grabbed my hips, pulled me to him, and kissed me."

"That's beautiful," Rebecca said, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. I almost felt bad that we were lying about the entire thing. Almost. "How could you two fight after a love confession like that?"

"It wasn't a love confession," I muttered at the same time Emilia exclaimed, "Right? Augustus says that he loves me, and then he goes and fights with me about everything."

I scowled at her, and she gave me a pouty frown that drew my attention to her lips. Shit. I'd give a lot to be able to kiss her right now.

I think the therapist was speaking, but I couldn't hear her. Not over my pounding heart and the pictures in my head of Emilia.

Fuck. What was she doing to me?

✦✧✦✧ 

The rest of the meeting went by fairly similarly. We lied our asses off, Rebecca gave us advice, and I was stuck imagining Emilia beneath me.

By the time the hour was up, I was desperate to get out of the room. Desperate to talk to Emilia.

As soon as we said our goodbyes and shut the door behind us, I grabbed Emilia's arm and pulled her into the nearest deserted hallway. I shoved her against the wall, relishing the way that she stared angrily up at me.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"I couldn't stop."

"Couldn't stop what? Augustus, we could get caught-"

"I couldn't stop picturing you underneath me. On top of me. In front of me. I couldn't stop imagining you in that hotel bed, Lia, screaming my name. The whole fucking hour."

She stared up at me, lips parted. "August..."

"Lie to me, Lia. Tell me you hate me. Tell me you don't want this." I leaned closer to her, my lips by her ear. "Tell me that if I slide my hand up this short, sexy dress that I won't find you dripping wet for me."

Simultaneously, I slowly dragged my hand up her leg, nearing the hem of her dress. I felt her arch toward me, her breathing growing ragged, her heart beating rapidly.