Hatred With Benefits novel Chapter 11

EVA.

Emerson's eyes remain on me, his finger tapping against the table as I make my way towards Aliya and grab the seat next to her, throwing my bag to the side.

"Done with your staring competition?" She lifts her eyes from the face mirror to meet my gaze and I shake my head, staring at her red lipgloss.

"Why are you applying lipgloss?" I ask her and she raises her shoulder, "To look good. I care about my appearance on the first day, babe. "

"You already look good. " I clarify. She grins as she shuts the mirror and throws it inside her bag before saying, "Nothing wrong with trying to look perfect, Evie. You never know what's coming to you. "

"You're insane. " I chuckle with a shake of my head just as the professor walks in, in a perfectly ironed suit with a scowl on his face.

The room is filled with decent students occupying the seats— arranged in rows like an atrium so each row is slightly higher than the one in front of it. I'm in the middle section which gives me the perfect view of the class with Aliya by my side, and Emerson breathing down my neck from the back.

"I see you made it to class, Carson. " His hot breath tingles my skin as he mumbles the word.

"Don't speak to me, Ford. " I respond and he laughs. I flinch slightly when I feel the tip of his fingers on my neck, tracing across the skin.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" The tremor in my voice is unmistakable and I internally curse myself for it.

"Pay attention to class, Carson. You don't want Daddy's money to lay to waste now, do you?" He says in a mocking tone and moves back, taking his body heat with him.

I hold my breath and clench my hands into fists on the table before me as I watch the professor introduce himself and pray I can make it through the lecture without twisting my head to land a punch on Emerson Ford's ever so perfect face.

When I gaze back at Aliya, she has a smirk on her face and I silence her before she can speak when she parts her lips.

"Don't. " I warn and she nods, folding her lips and drawing her fingers across it before turning back to the professor.

Still, I don't miss her almost silent snicker.

~

The class finally comes to an end and my chest falls in relief as I release the breath I've been holding through the entire class. The students start to filter out of class and I gather my things as Aliya waits beside me.

"Want to check out my dorm before you leave?" She asks when I lift my head and I nod with an eager smile. Anything that shortens the time I spend with Emerson Ford, I'm all for it.

"Time to show you what you're missing. " She winks as we proceed to move out of class and I chuckle softly, "I don't think I'm missing anything other than the long queue for bathrooms and the tiny space of the rooms. "

Aliya gasps, a pretence hurtful expression crossing her face as she places a hand on her chest. "How dare you say those awful words?"

I nudge her shoulder with mine and she laughs, her hand falling from her chest. "It isn't as bad as you think it is, though. It's actually pretty fun. "

"I know, " I agree. "You have told me that multiple times now, but I still prefer being in the comfort of my apartment. "

"Even when you share it with someone you hate?" She lifts her brows, a smile resting on her lips and I frown, drawing the straps of my bags as we step out of the room.

"Even when I share it with someone I hate. " I angle my head to glance back at the room as I whisper those words, and Emerson is staring right back at me with arms crossed against his chest and a familiar guy standing above his head, mumbling some words to him.

He gives me a wave with his two fingers just like he did earlier and I finally shift my gaze from him as I take a step forward.

"You might want to tone down the glares, babe. " Aliya's voice draws my attention back to her and I nod. "Tell me about it. "