Fire & Ice | Soulmate AU 1 |

chapter four

I take my history exam at two in the afternoon after a long night of studying and promptly pass out in bed for a long nap afterwards. I basically learned half of the textbook for the first time last night so my brain is fried and my body is totally exhausted. The cramming seems to have paid off, though, because I shockingly knew most of the material on the test.

I wake with a start when the door to my dorm opens and a bag is thrown against a wall. Atlas. He's finally back from his three back-to-back exams.

"How was it?" I ask as I roll over, propping myself up on an elbow.

"Awful," he replies, sighing exasperatedly before throwing himself backwards onto his bed. "Please stop me from destroying my Fridays like this next year."

"You tell me that every year," I say matter-of-factly with a raised eyebrow. "And I tell you every year, but here we are once again."

"This time you need to beat it into me," he insists. "With a stick."

"We'll see, Wilson," I joke, smirking even though he can't see me. "We'll see if you aren't pissing me off next September like you always are." Atlas always gets antsy and impatient around the time we have to move back into our dorm every year. It never gets easier to deal with, but he always buys us doughnuts once everything is said and done to apologize, so I don't hold it against him.

"One of the frats is throwing a party tonight," he says suddenly, sitting up to look at me.

"So?" I reply, rolling my eyes. I sit up as well, leaning with my back against the wall so I can see him.

"Maggie thought it'd be fun to go," he says with a shrug. A knowing smile slides onto his face as he leans forward and narrows his eyes at me. "Danny's up for it, too."

I cast a playful glare at him.

"You asked him?"

"What? I'm not allowed to talk to him?" Atlas says innocently. "Maybe he's your counterpart after all." I roll my eyes again. The debate Maggie and Atlas have been having with me over Danny has been going on since our freshman year.

"Ha ha," I say sarcastically.

"So, do you wanna go or not?"

I consider the offer for a minute with my current situation in mind. Maybe it'll help work off the stress that's been brought on by my finals. This also may be my last real glimpse of normality before I devote a majority of my time to my new League assignment. One time missions are one thing, but fully immersing myself into a fake life is something completely different.

"Alright, fine," I say finally. It's just a party.

Maggie shows up at our room about half an hour later and the three of us make our way to the party. Danny is meeting us there so I just third wheel behind Maggie and Atlas for a little while.

There's already loads of people at the house when we get there and I'm almost tempted to turn around and go straight back to my room. Danny is standing right in the living room when we get inside though, and my tense body relaxes a bit. He's talking to a perky blonde that I have a class or two with. She's not exactly nice and I've even seen her make a few girls cry. I'm not really excited to have to go see Danny when it's clear that she's trying hard to seal the deal. Danny's bi but he'd be figuring out a gentle way to let her down even if I had decided not to come tonight. She's nothing close to his type.

I'm anticipating the nasty look she gives me when I reach Danny. He smiles and pulls me close instantly, tucking me right under his arm. The expression on her face amplifies by a million.

"Oh, Lake, this is Jeanette," Danny introduces, gesturing to the girl as her hands drop to her hips.

"It's Jean, remember?" she tries, and the desperation in her voice makes me cringe. She's trying really hard to get him to like her. The part of me that feels bad wishes someone told her that he became off limits the moment he found out I'd be coming to the party, as well.