Matilda got a hold of my wrist and dragged me away before I could give Loyal my answer. I couldn't wrap my head around his words. He was waiting for me to bulldoze into his life? And do what? Yeah, normally, I would have no problem forcing my hand, but our situation was different last term. I was trying to give him space after his break up with Arisa, and for the majority of the summer, I didn't even see her myself. She was off traveling with her folks, and I was left to rot in the friend zone.
Did he think we were just frolicking in the fucking fields while he was going through shit with his parents? He couldn't be more wrong, and honestly, I wasn't in the mood to correct him. He was the one who told me that Arisa was off limits, that she was the exception to our rule, and that I couldn't have her. And now that she was mine, he was saying I picked sides? Didn't he pick sides when he told me to stop going after things I couldn't have?
I looked over my shoulder and saw Arisa raising her brow at me. Her expression settled my anger and made me break out into a smile. "You should be careful, Matilda," I said, as she pushed me towards the auditorium exit. "When Arisa turns green, she goes for the jugular."
Matilda immediately released me. "Get over yourself," she said, keeping her back to me. "Any lingering feelings I had for you have been eradicated."
"Eradicated," I grinned. "Really?"
Matilda took a deep breath and faced me. "I only dragged you away was because those two clearly need to sort things out. And the sooner they do, the sooner you and Loyal can return to being friends."
"Why do you care if we're friends or not?"
Matilda crossed her arms. "I don't but the more friction you two cause, the harder it will be for Arisa and Loyal to co-exist at this school."
I rolled my eyes. "I don't know, I feel like there's more to your intentions. I've never known you to help a rival."
"Arisa is not a rival," Matilda sneered. "Not anymore."
"Isn't she though?" I drawled. I wasn't so fucking heartless as to come out right and say it, but Arisa got the guy, and the VP title.
Matilda's sharp gaze pierced through me. She moved to tug on my shirt, right over my chest, and lured me in. "Let me make myself perfectly clear," she said, loosening her grip and stroking my chest upwards. "If I wanted to play the kind of games you wanted me to play last term, there would be no going back."
My eyes widened.
Her fingers found my neck and she forced me closer towards her face, so much so, that I could smell her. "Lucky you for, I had standers. Lucky for you, I wanted more than just...a taste."
I searched her eyes for reason but they raptured me instead. Matilda moved her lips so close to mine, I was afraid she was going to steal a kiss.
"N-Nopeeee!" I exclaimed, pushing her away by palming her forehead. Her perfect hair shifted out of place and she jerked her head to glare up at me.
I raised my hands apologetically. "I've been signed for, sealed, and delivered. Whether that was your doing or the cosmos, I'm not interested in jeopardizing it."
"Right," Matilda scoffed. "You're a committed man now. All she had to do was play hard to get and you began to eat out of her hands."
My brows furrowed. "Chill. I wouldn't go that far."
"Oh, you wouldn't?" Matilda faked a laugh. "So, you're saying it wasn't the chase that enticed you? It wasn't the challenge? You genuinely fell for her? And now you're in love with—"
I cornered her against the wall and leered. "Yeah," I retorted. "I'm in love with her. Get off my back about it."