Room 520's Secret

30. Illusions

"My impulsive tendencies have no place in my life as a legitimate businessman.," -Chuck Bass, Gossip Girl.

Song:: Cheryl Cole - Fight for this love

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"How does that negate the other?" He asks.

"Doesn't it?"

"Does it?"

"You tell me," I say gesturing for him to expand.

"My sexual activities do not negate my passion for women's... rights. If anything, it broadens it," he says leaning forward with a smile. Momentarily stupefied, I stay still. His eyes profoundly deepen with a shine that exuded a brilliance that made him even more alluring. Indeed, a cold person who suddenly smiles was the most dangerous.

 "You're absolutely incorrigible," I say chuckling as I lightly push back his shoulder, to which he grins and raises his hands in surrender.

"Just saying," he says proceeding to put his hands down.

 "The ladies who chose to be involved with me, made conscious informed decisions. It's a mutually beneficial agreement," he says matter-of-factly.

I shake my head smiling in amusement, truly incorrigible. "Fair enough, however, your point actually argues for mine," I say.

"Expand," 

"You see it from a place of vitriol, and I see it from a place of love. Just like your relationship with females. Yes, it is not hurting anyone and mutually agreed upon. Which has in turn led to your perspective and beliefs that it's right. However, my beliefs, the way I grew up and what I want from a relationship, doesn't align with your perspective,"

"Your point being?"

"It's a difference of perspectives," I reply.  "I don't deny that the female involved in the poem might share your views on the matter. However, with nothing else to fall on, I prefer not to outright think the worst of him," I say and pause. Remembering my original thoughts on Helix, I smile wryly.

"I choose to see a man who was hopelessly in love, lost his love and felt the only way he could get her back was to create a home for them. It's quite bittersweet when you think about it," I say.

"More like dumb, if her heart is gone there is no use trying," He counters. 

"But if you don't try then you'll never know for sure,"

"You're wrong Hestia, they'll still leave because people always leave when you don't live up to the expectations of whom they want you to be," he says his voice turning icy again.

He was definitely no longer talking about the poem, making me deeply curious on who he was thinking about.

"Maybe, but did you ever attempt to meet them halfway?" I ask not breaking eyes contact and hoping he'd open up. For a second I believe he will..."Are we still talking about the poem here?" He asks crossing his arms. A sign of closing up. Realizing he was not going to open up, I return to the poem.

"My point is, he did. He fought for their love. By building a home for them filled with what he loves and what she loves. So, she realizes that they can build, key word being build, their own home away from societal labels and expectations. To give her the courage to fight for their love. Hence, why it was away from what she considered "home" and could instead be what they both called home. And that Helix, is why it's the sweetest thing ever,' I finish.

"You're hopeless," he says to which I shrug, "Rather be hopelessly romantic than hopelessly lost," I reply. He rolls his eyes and I chuckle.

"Anyways, why are you here?" he asks switching topics.

"I've been working on a paper for a Psychology competition. It's due today and I was going to finalize things and send it off," I say to which he nods and gets up packing up his things. I didn't want him to leave.

"Would you like to see?" I ask.

"What?"

"My work,"

"You're asking the famous dumb cheat to check your work?"

"Can you stop calling yourself that? "

"Why? Everyone says that's who I am,"

"True, but who do you say you are? Because if you call yourself a dumb cheat, then why shouldn't everyone else? So which are you? Smart or a dumb cheat?" I ask provocatively.

His eyes thin. Pulling my laptop towards him, he sits back down.

After a while of reading, he nods. "This is really good," he says. "Though I believe, this is wrong," he says turning the computer sideways and pointing at a line.

"What's wrong with it?"

"The Rayner experiment for obvious reasons is considered ethically dubious. adding it to your paper would negate your point,"

"How do you know that?" I ask. 

"Contrary to public opinion, I'm not dumb Hestia," He says and pauses his eyes steeling as I break into a grin. "Did you just play some sort of reverse psychology, mind game on me?" He asks flabbergasted. Lightly chuckling, I bow my head  and twirl my hands,"You're very welcome," I state raising back my head.

I pause realizing his eyes were trained on me with an intense stare.

"What?" I ask confused. After a moment of silence he replies, "Thank you,"

Breaking into a grin I reply cheekily, "If you're really thankful , then do us all a favor and go have a shower,"

"Is it that bad?" He asks.

"Absolutely puke inducing," i reply to which he grins and walks over.  I look at him suspiciously.

"Well, sharing is caring,. Come here, He says opening his arms to give me a hug." I quickly jump off my seat and run to the corner of the room.

"Don't you dare!" I exclaim.

"Come on now, what's mine is yours and all that jazz right?"

"Helix stay away from me!" I exclaim running to the other side.

"Now where's the fun in that?" He says and runs towards me. Shrieking I run to the other side and hide behind a chair.

"Hey can you both keep it down? This is a library not a fucking brothel!" A guy says flinging the door open. I recognize him as someone from one of my classes, Brian.

"Watch your language boy," Helix says his face showing visible anger.

"Why, isn't that your forte?"

Helix takes a step forward. I quickly grab his hand and squeeze it reassuringly. 

"Look I'm sorry for the noise we made," I state. 

"I didn't know you hung around low lives," Brian says looking at me with disgust in his eyes.

"Who I hang out with is none of your business and unlike you, he's no low life," I say surprised and peeved at his words. I'd never heard him speak in this way. Yes we were at fault but his words were not nice either.

Brian glances form me to Helix rolls his eyes and turns leaving the room. I exhale and also roll my eyes before turning to glance at Helix.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Are you okay?" He replies voice and eyes filled with concern.

"I'm good. Are you?" I ask worried.

"I don't mind being insulted Eve, I'm used to it. However, I won't let anyone insult you. Especially not because of me, you don't deserve that,"

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