Chapter Thirty
It took days for Ezra to return to his normal self. Even then, he was never quite normal. He suffered from severe migraines, they were so bad, I'd sometimes have to hold him up from passing out.
"I'm not saying you should go to a doctor." I tell him, as he just finished puking behind the academics building, "But maybe you should go-"
"Don't finish that sentence."
I narrowed my eyes and continued anyway, "You should go see a doctor."
He used the building to help him stand back up, his body practically leaning on it, "I'd rather die." I assumed he meant it.
"These headaches are eventually going to give you a seizure." I mumbled, knowing it'd do no good.
He waved me away, and clutched his head, "Just shut up, you're making it worse."
"I'm worried about you."
"I don't care."
I clenched the strap of my book-bag to keep myself from punching him. He's in pain. I have to keep reminding myself that. "Fine." I took a breath, "Then I'm going to class, since you obviously don't care, you can walk to class on your own, I hope you don't pass out in the hall." I leveled eyes with him, "That would suck for you."
I spun and began to walk away. Not even a minute later Ezra was at my side, his arm wrapped around my shoulders and leaned against me.
"You're such a bitch." He said with clenched teeth as he tried to match my pace.
"Takes one to know one." I replied, as I secretly relished the feeling of his body against mine. I payed no mind to the students watching us, or that Ezra kept secretly glancing at me when he thought I wasn't looking.
I had began to wonder what Ezra thought of me. Or how he felt for me. He used to be known for his many one-night-stands. He was a billionaire; what billionaire didn't have a multitude of people ready to take their clothes off for them?
At first, I wondered if that's how Ezra thought of me, someone to just toy around with until he got bored with me. And everyday I'd wonder if he'd stop sitting with me during lunch or wait for me outside the dorm building so we can walk to class together, but he never did stop. Maybe I'm becoming spoiled, or maybe I'm tired of waiting to be thrown away.
Or maybe he thinks of me as something more.
"You're awfully heavy for such a thin man." I complained, "Are your bones made of gold or something? Jesus."
"Diamond, actually, commoner's mistake."
"Hmm. Remind me why I'm friends with you again?"
He ran a hand through his curly hair, and forced himself to stand a bit taller, "I have a lot of money?"
I snorted, "Good answer, but I don't think that's it."
"I'm pretty gorgeous as well."
"Yeah yeah, you're God's special child, I get it." I noticed him grin, and though he seemed to wince, I couldn't help but smile at the sight. It's be so long since I've seen him smile. It was beautiful.
We walked into the academic's building and went to our class.
There were numerous students already dressed in costume for the Halloween party tonight. I had hoped Ezra had forgotten about it -or better yet, decided it was a waste of time and didn't want to go.
But of course, once Ezra get's his mind stuck on something, he never really changes. I assume it's the stubborn billionaire inside him that refuses to back down.
Or the spoiled brat who hates to be told what to do.
My mind buzzed during the entire class period. I spent the duration of the day hoping Ezra would not mention the Halloween party.
Unfortunately for me, he knew what I was doing, and gladly butchered my hopes. "Well," He said, brushing a shaking hand through his curly hair, "I'll be at your dorm at seven. Feel free to go as a kitten, or skimpy nurse, the less conservative the better."
I had my argument ready, "I'm not going."
He seemed to expect this, "Deals are only fun to break if I'm the one breaking them."
"Last I checked, you didn't hold your part of the bargain, so I'm not holding mine." I crossed my arms.
"Well, last I checked I was in the hospital for over a week, and that included no kissing of any kind so you best check again."
I stared at him incredulously, "That so doesn't count."
"Says who?"
"Says me."
"We're going to the party."
"No, why do you even want to go anyway?" I threw my hands up in frustration, "It's just a bunch of stupid rich kids getting drunk on expensive alcohol dressed in ironically cheap costumes." I glared at him, "Besides, it's not like you have the energy to attend such a wild party. You can barely walk straight, let alone stand."
"Trinity parties are the fucking best." Somehow, he didn't even sound like he was convincing himself, "Why the hell would I not go?"
I groaned, "Well neither of us have a costume, and it's too last minute to get one now."
He gave me a look as if mentally asking 'are you really that stupid', "It's not fucking rocket science, Olivia. You can go as the poorest girl in Trinity, and I can go as the richest bastard here." His smug attitude made me want to drop kick him.
"Neither of those things are false." I pointed out.
"No shit."
I huffed, knowing full well that it was going to be a disaster if I went, "Fine, whatever, I'll go."
"Of course you will." He walked past me, and gave a backwards wave, "I'll see you at seven."
"Arrogant ass." I muttered as I watched him walk down the hall. I swung my bookbag over my shoulder and headed to my dorm. On my way there, I couldn't help but stare at all the students in costume. Most of them had incredible bodies, wearing skimpy clothing with very, very thin material.
I don't look like any of these girls, and God sometimes I wish I did.
So, why would Ezra want to go with me?
It made me wonder why he always seemed to stick by my side instead of theirs. He could have anyone in the world. He could be with a different woman every night if he wanted to.
And yet he didn't, and I couldn't figure it out.
I returned to my dorm, and immediately began searching through my closet for something remotely interesting to wear. I had nothing but sweaters and jeans, which wasn't helping the fact that I did look like the poorest girl in Trinity.
I managed to pull every piece of clothing I owned, out of my closet and thrown onto the bed. By the time I was done, my dorm looked like a hurricane had swept through.
I dramatically dropped onto my bed and stared up at the ceiling.
When I first arrived at Trinity, my clothing didn't matter to me. Looking beautiful and perfect wasn't a thought in my mind.
Now, I seemed to actually consider putting makeup on, and fixing my hair.
And my closet, more than anything, humiliated me.
Ezra's standards were getting to my head, even if he never mentioned that my lack of good looks bothered him. It bothered me that I do look like a joke next to him.
Everybody laughed at for hanging out with him, because I look like a poor girl wishing she was something more.
Everybody saw it, surely he must see it too, right?
I sighed and kicked the air in front of me. Why was I fretting over a stupid party? It's not like I hadn't been with him at a party before.
I cringed at the memory of me kissing him in front of everyone. Back then I was a joke to him.
There was a loud knock on my door, and before I could even answer it, the door swung open and Ezra walked in.
I quickly sat up from my bed and glared at him, "It is not seven o'clock yet."
He took in the current mess of my room, and raised his eyebrows, "I didn't even think someone of your status could afford this many clothes."
I threw a sweater at him, "Shut up."
He walked over to my bed, threw off a pile of clothes onto the floor, and laid down on the mattress with his arm behind his head. We stared at each other for a long moment before he spoke up, "By all means, if you were getting dressed, don't let my presence stop you." He waved his hand, "Just pretend I'm not here."
"I'm not getting dressed in front of you."
"Why not? It's not like I haven't seen a woman naked before."
"It's the point of the matter."
"Hmm," He gazed at me, "You know if you need some help getting dressed-"
"No." I stood up from the bed and began to pick up the clothing he so carelessly threw on the floor. "It's your fault that I'm stressing about this in the first place." I shoved two shirts back into my closet, "If you weren't so persistent on going to that stupid party."
He sat up, "Really you're over-thinking it." He said matter-of-factly, "Put a fucking sheet over your head, it's not hard."
"Yes it is!" I said way louder than I intended, "Do you not realize I'm going to be the only one at the party that doesn't fit in? Do you know how uncomfortable that is?"
His eyes narrowed, "Since when did you care about fitting in?"
"Since you!" I waved my hands frantically at him, "Since you started to spend every second by my side." Since I realized that I'm more than just interested in you.
He looked like he was going to say something more, but I stopped him. "You know what? Fine. I don't care. I'm going like this." I pointed to the gray sweater and old jeans I was wearing and pulled my hair into a poorly done bun, "This is how I'm going, the poorest joke in Trinity."
We locked gazes for what felt like forever, before he finally stood up from my bed and walked over to me.
I took a step back out of habit, but he grabbed both my arms and pulled me close until I was against his chest. His breath was hot against my neck and I froze, suddenly wishing more than anything that we didn't have to go to the party.
"You look awful." He whispered in my ear, which immediately broke me from my trance. I tried to push him away, but his grip tightened as he continued, "But I love it that way."
I looked up at him and met his eyes. Finally, I cleared my throat, not knowing what to say that didn't ruin the mood, I said the first thing that came to mind, "Are you ready?"
A faint smile appeared on his lips, displaying a small bit of his incredibly white teeth, "Let's go fuck up some rich kids."