The Hockey Roommate's Filthy Desire novel Chapter 18

Chapter 18

ARIA’S POV

Serena’s shock didn’t last long.

The moment the cheers started echoing around the classroom, the rage returned to her face twice as strong. Her hands curled into fists.

“You–” she started, her voice shaking.

“Fight! Fight! Fight!” The chant grew louder. Students stood from their seats now, some climbing onto desks to get better angles with their phones. Cameras pointed at us from every direction.

I could practically feel the tension vibrating in the air. Serena took a step toward me. “So that’s the game you want to play?” she hissed.

My patience had already snapped. “You started it.”

“Oh please,” one of her friends scoffed loudly. “Like you’re innocent.”

Serena’s eyes burned into mine. “You think you’re clever?”

I shrugged slightly. “Clever enough to know when someone’s boyfriend keeps showing up at my door.” Gasps rippled across the room again.

Serena’s face twisted. “You lying bitch.” She moved forward suddenly. And I didn’t step back. For a second it felt like the room itself held its breath.

The distance between us shrank. Her hand lifted slightly. “WHAT is going on in here?” The voice cut through the chaos like a blade.

The classroom froze instantly. Phones disappeared. Students scrambled back to their seats. Serena lowered her hand slowly. I turned toward the door.

Professor Hayes stood there, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room. He looked irritated. And not in the mild, academic kind of way. The “someone is about to get expelled” kind of way.

“I leave for two minutes,” he said slowly, stepping inside, “and the classroom turns into a boxing ring?” No one answered. The tension that had been boiling moments ago drained out of the room like someone had pulled a plug.

Serena moved away from me. Barely. Professor Hayes’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Take your seats,” he said firmly. Chairs scraped the floor as everyone obeyed. The chanting died. The recording stopped.

But the whispers… those didn’t. They never did. I walked to my seat slowly, aware of Serena’s glare burning into the side of my face.

Professor Hayes placed his notes on the desk at the front of the room. His eyes lifted briefly. And landed on me. Something unreadable flickered in them before he looked away.

“Let’s try this again,” he said. The lecture began.

The next hour felt longer than usual. Professor Hayes talked about economic systems and global markets, his voice steady and calm like nothing had happened.

But the classroom was far from calm. Whispers moved between desks like quiet waves. Every few minutes someone’s phone

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Chapter 18

buzzed. Screens lit up.

Heads leaned together.

65 vouchere

I didn’t need to see the messages to know what they were about. Serena sat three rows ahead of me. Her back was stiff. Every now and then she glanced over her shoulder. Her glare promised this wasn’t over.

I ignored her. Or at least I tried to. But the tension sat heavy in the room. Even Professor Hayes seemed to notice it. His gaze flickered across the class several times before finally landing on me again.

I looked down at my notebook. Pretending to write. Pretending everything was normal. Finally, the clock ticked toward the end of the lecture. “Alright,” Professor Hayes said, closing his folder. “That will be all for today.”

The class erupted into movement. Chairs scraping. Bags zipping. Conversations exploding immediately. I started packing my things when his voice cut through the noise again.

“Miss Aria.” My head lifted.

“Yes?”

“Stay behind for a moment.” Great. Students slowed as they passed my desk. Some smirked. Some whispered. Serena walked past last.

She leaned close enough for only me to hear. “This isn’t over.” Then she walked out. The door closed behind the last student.

The room fell quiet. Professor Hayes leaned against his desk, arms crossed. “I assume you know why I asked you to stay.”

I sighed. “Yes.”

“You were seconds away from turning my classroom into a fight club.”

“She started it,” I said automatically. His eyebrow lifted slightly.

“That’s the defense you’re going with?”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “She attacked me first.”

“Verbally,” he corrected calmly. “And you escalated it.” He wasn’t wrong, I exhaled slowly.

“I’m sorry.” He studied me for a moment. Then nodded once.

“See that it doesn’t happen again.”

“I will.” A pause followed. Then I cleared my throat slightly. “Also… could I get the notes from the classes I missed last week?”

His expression softened slightly. “You always ask for the notes.”

“I like passing my classes.” A faint smile touched his lips. He reached into his folder and pulled out several printed pages.

Here.”

I took them. “Thank you.”

“Try to stay out of trouble,” he added.

“I’ll do my best.” By the time I got home, the apartment was quiet. Julian wasn’t there. Relief washed over me immediately. I

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Chapter 18

dropped my bag on the couch and headed toward my room.

Working tonight suddenly felt like the best idea in the world. If Julian had been home, he would have tried to stop me again. And I wasn’t in the mood for another argument.

I changed quickly, tying my hair up and grabbing my work bag. Just as I reached for the door handle, the front door opened.

Of course.

Julian stepped inside. His eyes immediately landed on me. Dressed for work. Heading out. His expression darkened slightly. “You’re leaving?”

“Yes.”

He closed the door slowly behind him. “Where?”

“Work.” His jaw tightened.

“No.”

I blinked. “No?”

“You’re not going.”

I crossed my arms. “And why exactly?”

“You don’t need to work.” I laughed softly.

“That’s funny.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.” I reached for the door again. He stepped in front of it. Blocking the way.

“You have no reason to work,” he said calmly.

“I have plenty.”

“Name one.”

“Living. And paying rent.”

His eyes didn’t move from mine. “You don’t pay rent.”

“I still need to earn a living.” Julian sighed like I was being unreasonable. Then he reached into his pocket. A second later, he held out a sleek black card.

“Use this.” I stared at it.

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