Haunted - A modern Astarion AU

Chapter One

I hated everything. I hated this stupid job. I hated this project. And I fucking hated him. My only consolation was that he didn't seem happy with this situation either, but it didn't make it better.

Astarion Anucin, my contender in getting this job, was everything I hated in a person. He was an arrogant ass, selfish, loved to hear himself talk and he used to be my best friend up until we both got into this university 6 years ago. We both have always had dreamt of getting our PhD in English literature together but after the first few weeks at this university, everything had br0ken apart. He had g0tten close to his professor and found new friends, which is why he hadn't had need of me anymore. It broke my heart but instead of showing him how I really felt about this, I started hating him and he hated me. This turned into the biggest rivalry between us because we both knew how good the other was in this subject and how much we wanted to get our PhD. Most of the time we just bickered, if we crossed paths, but during some encounters our fights were horrible. We both used our past against the other and it got ugly. It might've happened once or twice that I started throwing stuff at him, while I screamed at him with tear-stained cheeks. The problem now was that we both were assigned the same project, and the result would decide which one of us gets to stay at this university and teach English literature as a professor here.

"Evelyn, did you hear me? You two have a month to research and then present your results to the committee.", my mentors voice suddenly rang through my ears, and my eyes immediately met hers. Professor Nathalie Greska was a 43-year-old woman, who had mentored me and been a friend to me throughout the past six years, but she wasn't above scolding me if I made mistakes. "Yes, of course. That is more than enough time and I can't wait to see Mr. Anucin's take on this project.", I quickly answered her, even though I had to force the last few words out of my mouth with a bright fake smile on my lips.

I knew Astarion was fighting to keep the eyeroll under control and to not let out some snarky remark, but to my surprise he managed well. "I also can't wait to see what you come up with, Miss Polaris. I'm sure it won't be easy for the committee to choose a winner.". His voice was smooth as silk and of course he had Professor Greska wrapped around his fingers, while his own mentor, Professor Nathan Dekarios, had a smug smile on his face. God, did I want to punch him too. But Astarion's charm worked as always, because Dekarios clasped his hands together and gave us all his winning, fake smile. "Now that we have this settled. You can all leave my office and get to work.". A sound some people would call a laugh, left his mouth and all I wanted to do was get out of there.

With my bag slung across my left shoulder, I quickly walked through the semi ancient halls of our university, and I simply wanted to get to the library as quick as I could. I couldn't let Astarion have any advantages and I was fully prepared to spend the entire four weeks researching and putting my presentation together, but of course he wouldn't even give me that because I already heard him catching up to me. Taking in a deep sigh, I tried my best to just ignore him but after having him walk right next to me for two minutes, acting as if we were planning on going to the library together, I had had enough. "Go bother someone else.", I hissed at him, trying my best not to let my anger get the best of me but I was already digging my fingernails into the palms of my hands.

His chuckle echoed through the empty hall and the sound danced down my spine, making me shiver. Still, I didn't stop and kept looking forward. I hated the affect he had on me. "Why would I not spend every moment of my life bothering you? You are too easy to rile up.", he said as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants and out of the corner of my eyes, I could see that damned smirk on his lips.

I would be lying and blind if I said that he wasn't attractive and that I hadn't dreamt of my best friend turned rival. At my average height of 5'6, he towered over me with his 6'4 and I loved hated it. His naturally white-blond hair and brown eyes, that somehow looked red most of the time, added a unique look to him and then there was his perfect face. Sometimes I wasn't sure if I wanted to kill him or kiss him, and it only confused me even more.

"I don't think Marie would like it, if I told her that you spent more than a minute talking to me.". Her name felt like poison on my lips, but I had to get rid of him, even if the memory of Marie, whatever she was to him, threatening me to never talk to him again made my skin crawl. Just for a second it felt like as if Astarion stopped and had to take a moment, to think of what to say, but then he was back to his smug attitude. "Is that jealousy I hear? Don't worry Evelyn, there's enough of me to go around.", Astarion said, his voice even smoother than before and I could feel him smirking next to me. I wasn't sure if my fingernails were already cutting into my palms, but I had had enough of this because I knew this would end horribly, if I let him rile me up even more.

Not wanting to spend another second longer with him, I simply took a turn and started walking towards the exit that was closest to the apartment on campus, that I was living in. I fought back a sigh or any other sign of annoyance, but I could hear Astarion chuckling again. "We both know you won't get the job.", he called after me and once again, his words hurt but the thought of what we used to be, hurt even more.