Super

14 - Sincerely, Obsidian Black

"For there to be betrayal, there would have to have been trust first."

– Suzanne Collins

Ciaran Hunt was a brave little bastard; I'll give him that. Given that it was first period math on a Monday morning coupled with last night's fiasco with the Invisible Hand, I was really not in the mood for Ciaran's games. Frankly he should have known better than to push my buttons as soon as he saw the permanent scowl on my face. Or maybe he did know better and he just didn't care.

"Gum?" Ciaran asked innocently, holding out a stick of peppermint gum as he stared up at me from my seat. My scowl deepened and I swatted it away.

"Get out of my seat, Ciaran."

"'Kay," he shrugged and scooted over into the seat next to mine: Lila's seat. I growled under my breath but didn't say anything as I plopped down into the warm seat previously inhabited by Ciaran's fine ass. Don't judge me. Just because I didn't like the guy, didn't mean I didn't think he was mega hot.

"So Annie, I was thinking..." Ciaran seemed to gather his thoughts as he subconsciously fixed the strap of my tank top, which had slipped down my shoulder. I stared daggers at the hand that lingered there a second longer than I would have liked before he finally pulled it away and used it to pop the stick of peppermint gum into his mouth, chewing slowly. My bare shoulder tingled from his touch because, ladies, don't we all know how sexual shoulders can be?

Ciaran chewed for a few seconds longer before blowing a large bubble, popping it in my face, and then asking, "are you free tonight?"

Was he insane?

"Are you insane?"

I couldn't help but wonder at the coincidence. Here was this black haired, blue-eyed boy who, like Dresden, had only started speaking to me recently and now he was asking me out(?) the day after IH admitted he didn't have time for a boyfriend. And the cherry on top? He was chewing peppermint gum.

As if reading my mind, Ciaran smirked and held his forefinger an inch above his thumb, mouthing little bit before fixing me with an expectant smile. I shook my head adamantly, about to tell him I had a boyfriend, but before the words even left my mouth, my confident smile wavered. I couldn't use that excuse. IH (potentially Ciaran?) had basically rejected me the night before. I was still a single Pringle, socially inept at mingling. Instead of replying, I fixed him with a cold glare. He just stared unblinking back at me.

"Annabelle Collins, you've met your match. I'll have you know I excel at staring contests."

I let out a very un-ladylike snort and sassed, "the day you beat me at a staring contest is the day I go blind. Nobody beats Annie Collins."

"Challenge accepted," Ciaran grunted.

"I'll bet you a stick of your precious gum that I can win."

"Even though I offered to give you some for free," Ciaran rolled his eyes before his easy smile was back. "Tell you what. I win, you go out with me tonight. You win, I'll pay," he winked. 

"Yes, pay for the dinner I'll be eating by myself. I'm thinking lobster?" I grinned. Ciaran rolled his eyes, but shook my outstretched hand nonetheless. We squinted our eyes shut, counted to three, and then popped them open again, refusing to break eye contact.

It was then that I noticed the faint, clear orbs that encircled his irises. I recognised them because Lila wore them too. It startled me so much that I almost blinked (emphasis on almost). Ciaran wore contacts?