Page 143 of The Devil We Crave
Deranged, probably a cry for therapy, and probably cause to have my feminist card up for review, but still.
It’s the twinging sensation in my heart, though, that scares me.
Becausethis—this thing with Achilles, whatever it is—can’t bethat.
Me
Everything ok?
I try not to mentally berate myself, like I notice I've started doing whenever our texts, at leastmytexts tohim, feel like they’re bordering on “relationshippy”.
“Girlfriend-esque”.
“Everything okay?”
I look up with a start.
Ari looks at me curiously. “You had this sad puppy dog look on your face.”
I frown. “No, I didn’t.”
At the other end of the Morvaine common room couch I’m slumped on, Wren clears her throat and nudges my feet with hers.
“No, that was one hundred percent a sad puppy dog face.”
I shrug. “I was just reading something on my phone.”
I feel my face tingle when she and Arianna trade knowing glances.
“What,” I sigh.
Wren lifts her shoulder. “Nothing?”
“Yeah,nothing,” Ari grins.
I glare at them both. “Just spit it out.”
Wren grins wickedly at me. “You sure?”
“Yes?”
“Fine.” She glances around to make sure the common room is still empty and then turns back to me, leaning closer. “Was your nightly dick appointment canceled?”
Heat explodes over my face as she giggles. Arianna looks scandalized, with a hand clamped over her mouth. But she’s giggling too.
“Excuse me?” I say, my cheeks throbbing. “I don’t even know what?—”
“Youtotallydo,” Wren snickers. “Unless you want to look me in the eye and tell me you’ve been going to ‘study groups’ every night the last week.”
I groan, feeling my face tingle.
“Study groups that look like they might also involve full-contact sports with no safety gear?” Ari adds with a snorting laugh that sets Wren off too.
“Fuck you both,” I mumble.
Wren grins widely. “You sure you’ve got the energy for that after getting fucked silly by Achilles every night?”
She and Ari both howl with laughter.
