ANYTHING BUT ENEMIES

09. (not so) great dane

"YOU'VE GOT TO be fucking kidding me."

My lips press together tightly as I stare at the person—the creature—across the hall from me, both of us having come out of our respective rooms at the same time.

"You're a stalker." Dane's voice is halfway hysterical, although his face doesn't give away anything of the sort, eyes only doing their usual, unnecessary surveillance sweep, lingering a bit longer than usual this time.

I cross my arms over my chest in a lame effort to hide the fact that I'm walking around in pajamas. And not just any pajamas, but a pair of my mom's—black tank lined with frilly, pink lace and silk shorts that stop a little bit higher than I would like in his presence—with a pair of platform flip flops.

"Why in the world would I want to stalk you?"

He ignores me, shifting the leatherbound notebook in his hand before going for the throat. "Have you lost your way to the circus, Cleodora? Or did one of their performers steal your usual getup?"

The fact that I keep myself from strangling him is a miracle.

"Why, were you offering to help me?"

"No—"

"Then shut up."

I can hear his footsteps on carpet as I move toward the elevator, immediately regretting telling Ruby to go on ahead without me. I may genuinely murder this man if he keeps this up.

"All the inappropriate stuff you say to me isn't forgotten, by the way," his murder-inducing voice says from a couple paces behind me, and I self-consciously tug down on the hem of my shorts. "It's all going down in a file that I'll hand over to Roselyn when we get back."

"Do you do anything besides make threats?"

"Do you own anything that resembles a normal outfit?"

I turn around suddenly, almost making him slam into me as I make a big show of appraising his clothes. "And this is normal?"

He's wearing a trench coat and dress pants as usual, another turtleneck in the blazing heat and a different pair of spotless white shoes. My eyes narrow as they latch onto a thin gold chain around his neck, some type of medallion hanging from the end, which, as if sensing my line of sight, he reaches up to tuck into his shirt.

"Yes, it's normal as far as I know."

I tug at the sleeve of his coat raising a brow as he snatches his arm away. "Maybe if you're a trust fund baby or, I don't know, Sherlock Holmes."

The only response I get is a sarcastic hm before he's pushing past me to get to the elevator. I consider taking the stairs down to Anaya and Julia's floor then shake my head, disappointed with myself for even thinking about engaging in extra exercise just because of Dane Anderson.

His eyes narrow as the button on the panel lights up orange under his finger, lip pulling to the side as his teeth bite down. "Where are you going?"

The dressed like that is implied.

I shrug, playing with one of the many rings wrapped around my fingers. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"I don't."

"Then why did you ask?"

He pauses, eyes closing briefly before he glances over at me. "So I can stay far, far away."

"Ah, so you do want to know."

"I don't," he hisses again, and I can feel a mean smile flashing across my face before he continues. "Anyway, shouldn't you be doing something useful instead of walking around in...in...whatever that is."

"They're pajamas," I supply helpfully. "Though I suppose I can't fault you for your ignorance. After all, robots don't sleep."

"Pajamas," he says the word like it's a disease, and I don't miss another quick scan that his eyes make down my body. "Don't you have a poem you should be writing rather than prancing around in your nightclothes?"

I step past him as the elevator doors slide open, settling into the furthest corner and keeping my eyes trained on the mirrored wall. "I do. Are you, by chance, continuing to run your mouth in an attempt to get me to ask about your day, Doggy?" 

"Why the hell would I want that?" He coughs. "And if you insist on referring to me as a dog then use the correct terminology—Great Dane."

The doors slide close, and I scoff before reaching out to click the floor I want, flinching as his hand accidentally brushes up against mine at the same time. Immediately, we both pull back like an electric wire short-circuited.

Silence.

Then, "Floor?"

"I've got it." I quickly busy myself with wiping the backs of my fingers on my top as he reaches out again to click the button for the bottom floor. My hand finds three before receding into the corner, shuddering as an unpleasant tingle travels up my forearm.

The box starts to move and he glances over his shoulder, dark hair falling into even darker eyes. "Well?"

My skin prickles at the question. "Well, what?"

"Why would I want you to ask about my day?"

I let out a breath I wasn't aware I'd been holding.

"It's not like you have anyone else to ask. Unlikable awards, remember?"

Another hm then I notice him wiping his own hand on his slacks. "Funny. Now how do you see with those spiders on your eyes?" The insult sounds suspiciously like a deflection from the truth.

"How do you walk with that stick up your ass?"

"Oh, I'll add that one to my file."

"Your file's gonna be as big as my will to take a knife to your heart if you don't stop talking to me."

His eyes meet mine in the mirror before he produces a pen from his pocket, flipping open the notebook to scribble something while murmuring what sounds a lot like, "Stick...up...ass...Knife...to...heart..."

My eyes roll, arms crossing tighter over my chest just as the doors screech open. I don't waste time moving into the hallway before he can try to say anything else.

"Have fun being miserable, Dane."

He catches the doors before they can close, anxious to get the last word in. Before he can open his mouth, though, I stick my fingers to my ears and start la-la-la-ing like a child before spinning on my heel to start hunting for Julia and Anaya's room.

Still, I'm unable to miss the, "You too, Cleodora." that comes from behind me.

Damn him.

***

hey guys, it's been a while, just popping on to let you know that if you see my book on any other site besides watt, it's not supposed to be there ! i'd mean the world if u could report any of my books you see around off this website/app IF it's on a secure site or app bc viruses sadly exist) i'm currently bummed out about *cough* novel HD *cough* stealing my work :/ but i want to keep updating for anyone who likes reading this book as it beings me joy, that being said i hope you enjoyed this chapter !