Rhea opened the last drawer of her bedside table and brought out two more cups and two packets of hot chocolate powder. She had everything she needed in the room because she was too lazy to get out of her room to get what she needed.
Hugo took the cup of hot chocolate from her in awe. He could never bear to bring that many things into his room and keep the unwashed dishes there. He also got very shocked when Rhea started drinking hot chocolate on the bed.
"I am surprised you don't have marshmallows," he said.
"I don't like marshmallows," she said.
If she liked, she would have had that in her room too.
Hugo took a sip very carefully so that not a drop fell on the bed. He took his time to look around the room properly. Her room was spacious. On one corner, beside her desk, there was a huge bookshelf. It looked like it was brought here from a library. A bookshelf that big was not usual to be found in someone's room.
It was full of books. To Hugo's surprise, a great part of the books contained romantic books. He looked from Rhea to the books. Now that she relaxed a bit on the bed and was playing with her hair, it did not seem impossible.
"You read all of that?" he asked.
"No. I still need to read a lot more," she said. "I haven't read ten of those books."
"Only ten?" Hugo muttered. He walked up to the bookshelf and observed the books closely. He had read most of them.
There were a lot of books on crime. "You seem to like crime and romance," he observed.
"I do take a fascination to them. I love fantasy romance more," she said.
Hugo was surprised again, but then when he looked back and saw her relaxed self, he was reminded once again that she was just another teenager. Sometimes the way others acted around her, even he forgot that she was another human.
"You do not just love fantasy."
"No, a lot more," she said.
"You seem to have the premium collection of books," he said. He could only imagine how much all of that cost her.
"Well, books need to be beautiful, at least, my books," she said.
I noticed one part of the shelf that contained seven books with the name 'Ruin'. "Ah, you have got the collection of Ruin's books too."
"Do you read their books?" Rhea asked.
"I do. I have all of their books too," he said. "They are New York Times's bestselling author."
Ruin got famous in the last two years with their thriller novels. There were hints of romance, but the romance was not the main object. Hugo read romance novels, not because he loved them, but because he liked literature and read all kinds of them. Ruin's novels fascinated him because they had less romance and more thriller, unimaginable twists.
Hugo finished his hot chocolate and instead of placing the cup on the bedside table as Rhea did, he took all the unwashed cups and took them downstairs to the kitchen. He noticed Ronan was in the living room, watching TV, but he had a feeling he had his ears upstairs.
Ronan eyed him suspiciously and Hugo could swear he saw Ronan sign in relief seeing Hugo completely dressed up.
Hugo went upstairs again, trying to ignore Ronan's glare. Hugo did not have any siblings, so he did not know what Ronan might be feeling.
"Close the door," Rhea said, as she turned the air conditioner on. She had her hair in a bun and she changed into shorts.
Now that he looked at her properly, he could see why she wore full-sleeved clothes all the time and never showed her leg much. She had marks, like pimples all over her arms, the exposed area of her chest, and part of her back. She had keratosis pilaris.
"I have tried different medicine. They don't work," she said, seeing him observing her.
He felt guilty looking at her that way and quickly averted his gaze. But she looked unbothered.
"They don't go away easily," Hugo said. "I read 10% lactic acid and 5% salicylic acid helps with kp"
"I read that too. I am trying them now," she said.
She was now making her bed. Hugo got a little anxious. His logical mind made sure he did not get his hopes up as there was no reason for Rhea to ask him to sleep on her bed, with her. That was very dumb. But one part of him suggested otherwise.
"When we go to school, there will be a lot of problems for me," she said, as she placed her pillow in the right place. "But I hope you will be able to get your masters away from me. You might as well want to keep a distance at school."
"Why would I want that? If someone thinks otherwise, then let them," he said. "I thought you did not care about rumors."
She glanced at him sideways. Hugo could make perfect lines of her eyes if he had paper and a pencil. He did so countless times in his room, whenever she was in his mind. He knew the exact shape of her eyes, which were not doe, nor siren; something in the middle. She looked away, letting out a sigh. For a moment, Hugo feared she might have seen through his eyes.
"I don't. But really, is it not trouble if three or more girls corner me?" she muttered. "I don't want to be expelled. It will be too much trouble to have to move away when Mom is in a coma."
"Why would you be expelled? They are the ones who did… Ah…"
Realization hit Hugo. He did not see it himself, but he knew she was capable of things people could not imagine. At least, that was the image Rhea wanted everyone to have.
"I need sleep now. I cannot pull an all-nighter," she said. "I need to sleep a little."
"I could have just gone back."
"It would be a pity to have my first-ever friend killed," she said. "The room beside mine is empty. You can use that. Don't worry. Even though no one goes there usually, it is relatively clean. Ronan cleans every room thoroughly, except mine."
He grabbed a book from her bookshelf with her permission. It was 'Pride And Prejudice' by Jane Austen. He had read the book. But he noticed the small sign that said 'my favorite' attached to the border along the bookshelf where the book was.
Hugo did not know Rhea enough to figure out how clean she was. Her room's condition alarmed Hugo a bit, but it was not too dirty, except for the dirty dishes. He followed Rhea to the other room with an expectant mind.
The room did not need furniture. If it was just clean, he was fine with it.
[Remember, Hugo is a clean freak]