Font of You

2

Croyden University knows that Yvo Sandejas was untouchable. It would be a bullet point in your CV if he ever glances at you—much more stares at you. Kisses you.

No one knows what the legendary Blaise Finch did.

Arden doesn't know what she did to get Kol Sandejas to look at her for more than five fucking seconds.

She thought he hated her.

He's—he's a Sandejas, for God's sake, they're not nice and they certainly don't harbor crushes...which he claims he has. On her. Even the thought of it now makes Arden laugh.

He's a junior and she's a sophomore and never mind that she's always thought he's thinking of different ways to murder her when he stares at the back of her neck and pops his gum in class. Never mind that he's beautiful and the asshole probably knows it, too.

Likes her? And he wants her to do something about it, to like him, too? Arden scoffs, pulling on a red cropped tank top with spaghetti straps. She looks at herself in the mirror and wonders if it's okay to have half her torso out.

Whatever. It's not like Kol is actually going to show up. He's probably sitting in the boys' common room, manspreading like he always fucking does, and doing whatever...whatever it is that he does. Laughing at her reaction yesterday.

"He's not coming," Arden repeats to herself quietly, slipping on her denim jeans with red patterns stitched on the side. "The asshole is not coming."

"And yet you're still getting ready," her roommate Lila says from her bed, raising an eyebrow.

Arden huffs, flips her hair over her shoulder, and faces the mirror of her dresser. She gathers her hair and looks at it, and then puts it down and looks at it. To Lila, she asks, "Up or down?"

"Down. Let him imagine he's pulling it."

"Shut up!" Arden throws a pillow at her.

"What?" Lila's grinning. "It's Kol Sandejas, Arden. Don't tell me that boy isn't thinking of fucking you six ways to Sunday every morning."

She rolls her eyes and faces the mirror again, opting to keep her hair down just because she likes it and not because of what her friend said, and reaches for her makeup bag. "He finds me repulsive."

Lila rolls her eyes as she stands up and grabs her bag. "Repulsively beautiful, then. I'm going to class. Text me what happens." She kisses Arden's cheek before waving and closing the door.

Arden stares at herself in the mirror long after she's done with her makeup and put on her perfume. At five on the dot from her desk clock, she slings her bag over her shoulder and steps out of her room.

There's no one here.

Arden waits for five minutes, staring at the stairs.

No one but other female students come up.

She pushes her tongue against her cheek as anger rises in her chest. She knew it. She knew he was just playing with her—

Blonde hair appears from the corner and Kol's eyes meet hers instantly. She can't read his face, she's never been able to read his face as he walks towards her with his hands in his pockets, and he's only wearing a white t-shirt and jeans and fuck why is her heart racing?

He stops in front of her and stares at her face.

Her whole torso is out and he's staring at her face?

Arden's back presses against the wall. She swallows and tilts her head up to look at him, fucking giants the Sandejases are. "I didn't think you were coming."