Page 83 of Quiet Obsession
Millie
It’s well past midnight when Abby stumbles into our room, more than a slight buzz on, cheeks flushed, eyes glossy. She’s in jeans, a warm sweater, and a jacket, a much better choice for fight night than her previous ensemble.
After Noah left me in the library, I sat there, battling my head, wondering whether I should head into the theatre basement or not. Creed’s been avoiding me all day and then with the Noah kiss fiasco, I decided it’d be better to sit this one out.
“You should’ve come,” Abby says, dropping her bag on the floor before shimmying out of her jacket. “It wasbrutal.”
I quickly throw on my robe, hiding the love bites and bruises before she gives me another pitying look. She doesn’t even notice, yanking her sweater over her head.
She casts a quick glance at my desk, where my smallportable speaker is playing “Obsessed” by Jutes. Abby’s not a fan of my playlists. Our music tastes don’t align in the slightest. She’s a country girl through and through.
Her boots come off next, and then she unbuttons her jeans, performing a little dance while pushing them down her long legs.
“Was it fun?” I ask.
“That’s one way to put it.” She chuckles, rummaging through her closet in nothing but her lacy pink lingerie. “One guy, I think he’s a sophomore, started crying and ran away.”
She pulls out a tight little dress and tosses it onto the mattress, then digs around for makeup. “Wanna know who was up against Creed?”
I shake my head, perfectly aware she’ll tell me anyway. The music changes to “Hopeless” by Always Never and the goosebumps that erupt down my arms next could be from the song or from Abby saying, “Jasper Collins.”
My eyes whip to her. “Jasper?”
She nods, grinning, and my pulse thrums faster, memories resurfacing. Creed’s mouth on mine, the way his body fucked me into the mat while I begged for more without saying a word.
I shake the images away.
Dash has been begging me to come watch Creed fight all afternoon and didn’t think to mention Jasper? Why would Creed challenge him? It’s not like he hurt me... My eyebrows scrunch, then hit my hairline as realization hits.
Hyde.
I recall what Noah said my first evening at Gravemont when Hyde threatened to bust their jaws if they touched me.
“We all know you’d get Creed to throw the punches. Can’t injure those surgeon-in-the-making hands.”
The overprotective, vengeful idiot must’ve asked Creed to beat Jasper up for cornering me in the cafeteria.
“Who won?” I ask, too curious for my own good.
“Are you kidding?” Abby laughs, quick and bright as she swipes mascara over her lashes. “Creedannihilatedhim. I don’t think Jasper got a single shot in. It was sad to watch.”
Relief hits first, followed by annoyance. Hyde shouldn’t have used Creed like that. Nothing happened. Jasper didn’t deserve to be turned into a punching bag becauseIpanicked.
I’m the broken one in this equation.
“You’re not angry?” I ask Abby. “I thought you were friends with Jasper.”
“Fuck buddies,” she corrects, redoing her high ponytail. “But that’s over. It was fun once, but Jasper always wants Mateo to join in, and I don’t really like anal.”
“Jesus, too much information.”
Abby just shrugs.
I fling my legs over the edge of my bed but pause, unsure where to go. I should apologize to Creed for Hyde’s interference, but I can’t without speaking to him and I doubt words will leave my lips after everything thathappened between us.
My throat will lock up, or worse... I’ll do something stupid that’ll only confirm his certainty that I’mmessed up.
I grab a cardigan and fling it over my shoulders.
