I was already regretting choosing this secluded corner of the library to study. It had seemed perfect at first—quiet, with a beautiful view of the courtyard gardens through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and tucked far enough away from the main areas that I could avoid running into anyone annoying. Or so I thought.
Just as I was settling into the heavy textbook, a shadow fell across my table. I didn't have to look up to know who it was. Only one person in this entire school had the audacity to disturb me just for the pleasure of it.
"Ah, if it isn't my favorite person," Nick's deep, mocking voice filled the space, laced with that signature arrogance of his.
I rolled my eyes, refusing to give him the satisfaction of looking at him. "What do you want, Cortez?" I muttered, flipping a page of my book even though I wasn't reading a single word.
He leaned against the edge of the table, making himself comfortable like he owned the place. His cologne—expensive and alluring—drifted toward me, assaulting my senses in the worst way possible. "Can't I just check on you? Make sure you're not struggling to keep up in this school full of geniuses," he teased, a smirk tugging at his infuriatingly perfect lips.
"Funny, I'm pretty sure I'm doing just fine," I shot back, finally glancing up to meet his gaze. Those blue eyes of his sparkled with mischief, the kind that set my nerves on edge. "But thanks for the concern."
"Hmm, you're welcome," he said smoothly, his eyes never leaving my face. He reached out and plucked the pen right out of my hand, twirling it between his fingers. "Although, I still think a little help from me wouldn't hurt."
I snatched the pen back, ignoring the heat that shot up my arm at the brief brush of his fingers against mine. "The only thing I need help with right now is getting rid of you."
He chuckled softly, the sound low and surprisingly rich. "Ouch, princess. That hurts. Here I am, making the effort to spend time with you, and this is the thanks I get?"
"Nick, I'm not interested in your games," I replied flatly, hoping he'd take the hint and leave.
But no, of course not. Nick Cortez didn't understand the word 'no.' Or 'go away,' for that matter.
"Games?" he repeated innocently, but there was a glint in his eyes that warned me something more was coming. He leaned in closer, so close I could see the tiny flecks of gold in his irises. "Who said anything about games? Maybe I just like being around you."
I stared at him, my heart betraying me by racing at his words. This was how he operated—being a complete jerk one minute, then switching to a strange kind of sweetness that threw me off balance. But I refused to fall for it. Not again.
"Like being around me?" I scoffed. "Is that why you keep showing up everywhere I go and driving me insane?"
He shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Maybe you're the one driving me insane, Justine. Ever think about that?"
I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, he suddenly reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. The touch was gentle, lingering, and completely unexpected.
My breath hitched. "What are you—"
"There," he murmured softly, a smile playing at his lips. "Much better."
Heat flooded my cheeks, and I jerked back, feeling disoriented. I should be angry. I should tell him off. But instead, all I could do was gape at him, bewildered by the way my heart seemed to thrum with something other than irritation.
"What… what are you doing?" I managed to ask, hating how weak my voice sounded.
He looked entirely too satisfied with himself, leaning back with that infuriating smirk still in place. "Just trying to make sure you look presentable," he said lightly. "After all, I can't have people thinking I hang out with someone who looks so... disheveled."
"Excuse me?" I spluttered, my embarrassment morphing into fury. "You—!"
But before I could finish, the sound of someone clearing their throat made us both turn.
"Am I… interrupting something?" Vanessa's cold voice cut through the air like a knife.
I stiffened. Of all the people to walk in right now, it had to be her. Tall, elegant, and her perfect posture that screamed 'I'm better than you,' Vanessa Caldwell was every bit the queen bee of the elite. And her icy dark eyes were currently burning holes into me.
Nick, of course, looked completely unbothered by her presence. If anything, he seemed amused.
"Vanessa," he greeted lazily, not bothering to move away from me. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I could ask you the same thing," she replied, her gaze never leaving my face. There was something almost feral in the way she stared at me, a mixture of confusion, rage, and… something else I couldn't quite place.
"What's going on here?" she demanded, her voice sharp.
"Nothing," I said quickly, pushing back my chair and standing up. The last thing I needed was Vanessa making this worse than it already was. My heart raced as her eyes stayed locked on me, her lips curling in that condescending way she perfected over the years.
Nick, however, wasn't in any rush. He casually slid his hands into his pockets, glancing at Vanessa with a raised brow. "Vanessa, what's with the interrogation?" His voice was annoyingly smooth, like he was on the verge of laughing at her. "Can't two people have a conversation without you assuming something's going on?"
Vanessa's gaze flickered between us, her anger barely contained. "A conversation? With her?" Her words were laced with disdain, as if I were somehow beneath her. I could feel the weight of her judgment pressing down on me, but I stood my ground, refusing to let her see how much she was getting to me.
Nick's smile widened, almost mischievously. "Yes, with her," he said, his tone mockingly light. "Last time I checked, Justine is worth talking to. Or maybe you're just upset because she doesn't fall all over me like the rest of you?"
Vanessa's face flushed, the insult hitting its mark. She opened her mouth to respond but seemed momentarily lost for words. "Nick, you can't be serious," she finally spat out, venom dripping from every syllable. "You're really wasting your time with someone like—"
"Careful, Vanessa," Nick interrupted, his voice dropping dangerously low. His blue eyes sharpened, and for the first time, I saw him without the usual playful smirk. "You don't get to talk about Justine like that. If you have a problem, take it up with me."
Vanessa recoiled slightly, shock flickering across her face. She was clearly not used to being challenged, especially not by Nick Cortez. Her icy gaze shifted back to me, then to Nick, as if weighing her options. But before she could say another word, she gave a sharp huff and turned on her heel, stalking out of the library in a flurry and barely concealed rage.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, feeling a strange mix of relief and confusion.
"Nick..." I began, unsure of what to say.
He grinned, that arrogant smirk returning in full force as he leaned back against the table, arms crossed. "Don't get too excited, princess," he drawled, that annoying tone of his back in place. "Just thought I'd spare you from Vanessa's claws for today. Don't want you crying on me later."
I rolled my eyes, irritation flaring up again. "You're unbelievable."
"And yet, you keep talking to me," he shot back with a wink. "Guess I must be doing something right, huh?"
I groaned, grabbing my things. "In your dreams, Cortez."
But as I walked away, I couldn't shake the strange feeling left in the pit of my stomach—the feeling that maybe, just maybe, there was more to Nick than met the eye. Too bad he was still an unbearable jerk.