Tempting Trouble

Chapter 73

Adrian

All I have to do is take the text book up to her door and leave it there, she doesn't have to know it's from me, it could have been left there by anyone. It has my name on it though so she's going to know it was from me and then she's going to think I'm pushing her into talking to me, even though she made it clear at the game that she wants nothing to do with me. What am I even doing here? I'm a step up from a stalker, sitting in my car out the front of her house, arguing with myself if I should give her my psychology text book all because she mentioned she might elect to study the course next year at university. 

The girl has been traumatised enough by her prick of an ex, she doesn't need me trying to sway her mind into what university course she should consider. On the other hand though, if she does decide to study psychology, I know that this text book is expensive so it would save her money if she already had a copy. Who am I kidding? She lives in Brixton, in a house three times the size of mine, I'm sure money isn't ever an issue. 

I should just go home and forget about her, she's completely out of my league anyway, what the fuck was I thinking? I live off a study payment and whatever I can manage to sell my woodcarvings for, I can't measure up to the men who could shower her in riches, spoiling her daily. What could I really offer her? A packet of noodles and the embarrassment of having to slum it with a boy from Claremont?

I shove my key back into the ignition, resigning to give up on this stupid plan of gifting her my textbook. but I couldn't bring myself to start the car and just drive away. She followed me back on instagram and every time I leave a comment on one of her pictures she always likes it. I'm not convincing myself that it means anything other than she's just polite but if I go home right now, without ever giving her the textbook, I'm just going to torture myself with what ifs. 

Fuck it, I'm going up there, I'm leaving the book at her door and just bailing. The balls in her court after that and if she decides to call me then that'd be great but if she doesn't then I will accept that it will never happen and move on. 

I snatch the textbook up from the passenger side seat and cradle it in my hand like it's a bomb, which it may as well be because this could all blow up in my face. I step out of my car and take a deep breath in, even the air smells fresher here, which isn't surprising, the rich probably pay to have the town purified. The gardens are nicely manicured at each house that lines the street, unlike my own which is in desperate need of a mow. 

I approach her front door with caution, debating with myself if it was too late to just turn around and run but I get one last shot of confidence and lean down to gently place the textbook on top of the welcome mat, hoping it gets noticed. I turn and am about to walk away when the door opens behind me, freezing me in my place. 

"What are doing?" A voice I recognise as Jupiter's asks me and I spin around to find her standing in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest and a very pissed off look on her face. Shit, she's angry, I instantly regret coming here. I could have just given the textbook to Claire to pass on, which now seems like a much smarter idea that I never even considered. 

Her hair is covered in bleach and she's dressed in a stained sweater and leggings. She's stunning, even when she's not trying, a creature so beautiful and enchanting that it frightens and fascinates me. 

"I was just dropping off my old psychology textbook from the first semester, I thought, if you do decide to study the course then this would give you a leg up plus save you a ton of money." I ramble, swooping down to collect the book from the welcome mat and holding it out to Jupiter like an offering. 

Her eyes bore into mine, making the pressure within me feel like it's about to explode the longer we stand on her front porch in silence. Say something, I urge myself but my mind draws a blank, rendering me an idiot.