Maybe it wasn't so bad.
Yearning for someone.
Pining for someone.
The way Coriolanus had seen boys behave in the past, from teenagers to grown men, he'd always assumed the infatuation of a woman led to pathetic behavior. He thought he was exempt to it, better than it.
He thought he was resilient to any single person corrupting his otherwise unwavering focus, his complete devotion to his education and rise of status.
But...perhaps he'd only thought that because he simply hadn't met Liville yet.
Coriolanus had always tried to keep people at arm's length, and he'd attempted to keep her there as well. But that laughing Liville had been too stubborn to stay where he put her.
She'd struck the walls he put up around all his other classmates. She seemed to have torn them down without realizing.
It was the oddest thing, because Coriolanus had never wanted this. He'd never wanted to feel attracted to someone like this. Sure, he was physically attracted to plenty of girls, Clemensia used to be the prettiest in his opinion. But his attraction to Liville didn't just cling to his flesh, it gripped his soul. And he liked it.
He liked the rush he got when he was around her. He started showing up for school early, coming up with an excuse as to why he and Liville had to be the last to leave the classroom. He liked anything to do with her.
But he hated seeing her with Sejanus. He insisted to himself that it wasn't jealousy, it was simply the fact Sejanus acted too soft around her. Either way, for the rest of that week, since the phone call, he'd wait for Sejanus and Liville to leave the cafeteria before he entered it.
Coriolanus still had enough sense to know not to pursue Liville further. He'd enjoy her company, but that's all he needed to do.
He reminded himself over and over again that relationships were pointless. Especially before University. Even if she ever did return his feelings, this was simply a crush. It wouldn't develop into love. Coriolanus hadn't truly loved anyone in his life, and he knew his attraction towards Liville was probably caused by hormones more than anything.
He wouldn't allow her to see his home, ever. He wouldn't allow her to know his financial struggles, ever. So she would most likely be unsatisfied by his lack of connection and move on anyway.
He didn't want a relationship with anyone, because he knew it would cause more trouble than it was worth.
And if he did ever attempt something with her romantically, the humiliation he'd feel if she were to reject him would surely eat him alive.
But...at the same time...if Coriolanus were forced to be harshly rejected by someone, he'd rather it be Liville. He trusted her with his humiliation, trusted her to keep it to herself and not let it spread. And perhaps that trust is why he was so taken with her in the first place.
But whatever it was that was holding Coriolanus back from taking things a step further with his Liville, it was quickly crumbling. And eventually, it'd disappeared altogether.
*****
Three days passed.
They dragged by, and Liville eventually made it to Friday again.
Despite how absolutely spiteful Sejanus felt about it, he agreed to attend a tutoring session with the professor. Mostly because Liville explained how she'd only picked up her math skills from numerous tutors her mother forced her to go to. Sejanus was informed the session would last anywhere from one to two hours.
