CHAPTER 64: CHAPTER 64

"What’s wrong with Luke and Athaliah?" Tia turned toward Rhea after Luke practically snubbed them at the doorway.

"How would I know?" Rhea shrugged, tucking her hands into her pants’ back pockets.

"Why wouldn’t you know? He’s... literally your only friend other than me." Tia twisted her palms upwards, her head tilting forward in a gesture of disbelief.

"Just like you, I’m also baffled. He did the same thing yesterday, immediately after asking Athaliah out." Rhea gestured toward Luke and Athaliah’s direction.

Tia’s eyes widened, swiftly glancing at them then back at Rhea, her mouth practically on the floor. "Luke asked Athaliah out?!"

Rhea narrowed her eyes, working her way up the classroom stairs, shaking her head. Did she even hear the part where I said he did the same thing yesterday?

Tia smacked Rhea on her shoulder, smiling disbelievingly. "You’re lying,"

"No, it happened during class," Rhea replied lazily, not turning to Tia.

"But that doesn’t make sense," Tia dropped into a seat, lightly slamming the desk.

"And why is that?" Rhea, still not understanding why Tia was freaking out, proceeded to arrange her things for class.

"I thought he loved you, and he was going to ask you out during the festival," Tia informed her with a frown.

"Okay, Miss," Rhea countered, "where did that come from? Luke and I aren’t like that."

Tia turned to her bag, pulling her laptop out. "What do you mean ’aren’t like that’? He blushes like a wet dog in heat whenever you’re around, and I’m sure he pretty much made it clear how much he desires you."

It’s not that I didn’t notice, I just didn’t put much meaning to it. And when I did, Zeenare happened.

"I think you got it all wrong, Tia."

"Shut the fuck up. Don’t explain nonsense to me," Tia cut Rhea off, flicking her lashes at her.

Yes, mom. Rhea replied inwardly.

Then she continued, "When you said you had a boyfriend, I thought it was Luke and maybe that was why you were hiding it so strongly with that nonsense about a ’confidential contract’."

"But it turns out it wasn’t him." She stared at Luke for a while. "But why does he keep looking at her like that? Eww, disgusting shit." Tia’s gaze was fixed on Luke’s drooling expression.

"Tia, stop, that’s our friend," Rhea nudged Tia with her elbow.

"I know. But that’s not the Luke I know. I’ll go talk to him later," Tia muttered.

Then she suddenly turned to Rhea, facing her directly, her eyes narrowed. "Now you are going to tell me who the fuck is making you come home late."

Rhea gave a nervous smile, avoiding Tia’s pointed gaze.

"And for your peace of mind, I want you to know I don’t give a shit about your confidential contract. You’ve got to throw that out the window before we get home. If not, I swear to the gods." She kissed her fist and stared straight at Rhea with wide eyes.

"Wait, are you threatening me?" Rhea moved back in her seat in bewilderment.

"Threatening you? I wouldn’t dare. I’m warning you, and it comes with a notice."

"Hah! Oh my god," Rhea placed her hand on her chest, looking at Tia from the side of her eyes, her head playfully tilted to the side with shock on her face.

I really think I have to tell Tia about this now. I’ve been hiding a lot from her since last semester. It’s not like she’d believe any of those crazy things anyway. And for that, I need to see him.

"Everyone settle down," a lecturer walked in.

Guess that can wait for another time, Rhea thought, focusing on the lecturer.

"What’s the deal between you and Athaliah, though? She’s been staring at you since forever," Tia asked after the class ended. She jerked her head in Athaliah’s direction, and Rhea lifted her gaze, only for Athaliah to come into view, weirdly smiling at her.

Rhea’s brows creased as she frowned. "What’s her deal? And who smiles like that?" Rhea looked away from Athaliah, her nerves wiggling up her skin as goosebumps paved her arms.

"Do you have a new crush on your tail or a stalker on your head?" Tia quipped, referring to Athaliah.

"I would pretty much prefer not to have any of that. Like one hundred percent, please."

Tia broke into a laugh at Rhea’s cautious denial of Athaliah.

"Hey," a soft yet familiar voice spoke, standing by Rhea after the class ended.

Rhea lifted her gaze, slowly turning to her right. And there was Athaliah, grinning at her.

Ugh, what does she want now?

"I’ll be damned," Tia murmured between her teeth.

"Hi," Rhea replied, looking to her side for Luke.

Rhea then turned to Athaliah. After waiting for a moment and she said nothing, Rhea asked, "Can I help you?"

"Oh, yeah. Actually..."

Why is her sentence beginning with ’actually’?

"Can we be friends?"

Huh who talk about being friends at this age? And where did that come from? And why would I be your friend? Bitch, you’ve been weird since the first day I met you.

"I’m sorry, but the friends I have are enough," Rhea chuckled awkwardly.

Athaliah glanced at Tia then back at Rhea. "I get that you don’t like me and all, but I really like you and I’ve been trying to be your friend for a while, but I just didn’t have the courage to speak to you because you always look scary."

I look scary? Me? You’re the one that always has a psychopathic look written all over your face, and you’re calling me scary?

Rhea said nothing, just stared at her.

Then she continued, "Not until I spoke with Luke and he told me how nice you are."

Rhea’s gaze flicked to Luke who was standing behind Athaliah, holding her bag like some errand boy.

Why is Luke like that? Her face twisted in a confused frown.

"Athaliah, I don’t need any more friends, why don’t you try others? They would love to be your friend," Rhea suggested, looking right back at her.

Athaliah’s smile widened. "No. It’s you I want." Her fingers tightened around Rhea’s hand, stroking the back of her palm.

What am I? Some fish in the market? Rhea thought, pulling her hand from Athaliah’s strong grip.

"You are smart, fresh, your fashion sense is classic. You are everything I want in a friend," Athaliah commented, boring her eyes into Rhea’s.

Fresh? Want? Why does her word choice freak me out?

"Athaliah, I’m sorry—."

"Rhea, make her your friend," Luke suddenly spoke. "It wouldn’t be that hard since she’s my girlfriend, and I bet you’d like her too, just like I do."

Girlfriend already? You guys literally just went out less than twenty-four hours ago and you’re already dating?

Tia and Rhea’s eyes darted from one to the other.

Rejecting this girl now will be difficult. Rhea thought.

"Athaliah, why don’t I think about it overnight first?" Rhea informed, finally pulling her hand from Athaliah’s.

"Excellent decision. See you tomorrow then, Friend," Athaliah uttered, walking off.

"Friend? I haven’t even agreed yet," Rhea muttered under her breath, her eyes on her retreating back.

"Luke, what’s up with you lately?" Rhea called out to him as he turned to tag along with Athaliah.

But he didn’t glance at her. He didn’t even wait until she finished her question. He just walked out, stalking down the stairs.

Tia and Rhea shared a glance, then shrugged.

"That was one hell of a friendship request," Tia chuckled, then fumbled into laughing at Rhea’s clear discomfort.

"Come on, girl, don’t be too tense, she won’t bite," Tia teased.

"I think she could do more than biting. I think she’d eat the whole thing up," Rhea added, looking back at what she was doing before.

Rhea rubbed her wrist where Athaliah had held her, unease prickling under her skin

I seriously don’t like that girl, and I don’t know why.

"Come on, let’s go home," Tia pulled Rhea by the arm, heading for the entrance.

"Home?" Rhea asked.

Tia’s head jolted slightly, confused by Rhea’s hesitation.

I don’t want to go home now. I was planning to go see Zee today.

"Something wrong?" Tia asked, stepping closer to Rhea.

"Oh no, no. It’s nothing like that. I-I- had plans to go see someone... after class," Rhea’s tongue slid over her lips.

"Then why are you acting nervous?" Tia pointed out.

Was I acting nervous?

"Ooh," Tia said, nodding her head slowly, "it’s him you are going to see, right, my mysterious in-law?"

"In-law? Where did that come from?" Rhea coughed, clearing her throat.

A student burst through the door, breathless. "You won’t believe this!"

Everyone in the class, both Tia and Rhea, stood waiting for the news to drop.

"A student is sleeping with a professor!"

Murmuring erupted through the class as students whispered among themselves, some giggling, others with scornful expressions. While some of the boys howled.

"What does that have to do with us?" Tia snapped, her attention back on Rhea. "Since you are going to look for a penis, I won’t hold you back. But know this, when you get back, you owe me some explanations."

Rhea tucked her hair behind her ears. As Tia’s word made her blush and flushed. "Yes, I owe you an explanation."

"And you all know who the lecturer is." Rhea stopped in her tracks as the student who had previously rushed in continued.

Gasps ripped through the air as students’ ears thirsted for gossip.

"It’s Professor Zeenare...."