He's A Jerk, But He's Cute

Cocktavian

Rachel's P.O.V.

It's pretty hard to enjoy good music when your life is shit.

I glared down at my unfinished essay and took out my earbuds. Annabeth had told me that things would get back to normal as soon as I started acting like things were normal, which meant attending classes. But it was near impossible to stay calm when everyone seemed to look back at me distastefully or in pity.

I almost prayed that I would be expelled already. I had said my goodbyes in the morning after I found out what Hunter and Cocktavian had done and waited for my appointment with the principle at 4:30.

It was 4:15 now.

Finally after a few moments of silence other than my heart hammering against my breast bone and muffled indie rock, an incessant knock started up and I drew in a deep breath before getting up to answer it.

Eventually, the cold door knob was in my hand and I mean, I had to open it some time, right?

Think positive.

I opened the door and almost screamed.

A red faced, broken nosed, bastard stood tapping his stupid foot at my threshold.

Anger quickly replaced shock. "You disgusting, sorry excuse for a human being, failed fucking abortion, how dare you have the audacity to show your face at my door? Do you have any idea how much trouble I'm in because of you and your dumb master Hunter?! " I whispered fiercely.

"Hunter isn't my master!" Octavian spat and shoved me back a bit so he could step in and close and lock the door behind him.

I coughed out the scream in my throat and took a few shallow breaths. "Get out. Get out or I'm calling campus security."

Octavian chuckled darkly and shook his head. "That's the last thing you want to do right now." He sat down on the edge of the desk after pushing my homework aside.

"You came here to threate—"

"Warn. I came here to warn you, Rachel Elizabeth Dare."

I furiously slammed my fist against the door instead of his face. God, I wanted to destroy him but it definitely wouldn't do my case any good. As an alternative offensive move, I tried to calm down. All he ever wanted was to make me upset, so if I was unaffected, it would probably make him seethe.

"Warn me about what, Octavian... whatever-your-name-is?" I asked sorely.

"Julius-Jason Augustus. Octavian Julius-Jason Augustus."

"Annoyingly irrelavant, just like you," I mumbled under my breath.

Don't let him get to you, I reminded myself. What would Hazel do?

I folded my arms backed against the door. "Say whatever it is you want to say and leave. "

He scoffed. "You're in danger of a lot more than expulsion, Elizabeth. Hunter... Hunter is after you and he's not going to stop until you grovel at Devon and his feet. Or worse..."

I squinted instead of throwing the butter knife on Piper's night stand. "So you did come here to threaten me?" I asked and turned around to unlock the door. "Just leave."

Octavian got up in a flash and shut the door, hand over mine. "Hear me out." His blue-green eyes met my emeralds. "Please."

I gulp, shocked. His please was the most genuine thing I've heard from him. Reluctantly, I figured if there was any time to hear his sorry ass out, it was now.

Octavian sighed in relief and went back to the desk and I followed warily behind. "Look, Hunter and Devon—they... They're... close. Like... really close. They grew up together, Hunter's parents have joint custody with Devon's mother, they fuck every Tuesday night for 3 hours and lock me out—"

"Whoa," I held up a hand. "I thought they were friends?! And Hunter's gay?!"

Octavian looked incredulous. "I don't understand either. Maybe their fuckbuddies, I dunno know. But fact is, Hunter's heartless towards everyone but he'd be castrated for Devon if he was really hurt or whatever. And... Devon told Hunter about what happened at the pool."

My mind reeled trying to connect the pieces. "Is... Is Hunter jealous because Devon likes me? Or is it that I hurt Devon's feelings or something? I don't get it."

How did I get myself into this?

Octavian waved it off. "Either one, maybe both. All I know is, Hunter only was mean to you because he has some sadistic sick interest in crying girls—I dunno. I only helped because... Well, I just want to be normal for once. And Hunter is popular and I thought he was normal but he's not and he has kinky sex with his best friend all the time and I have to go get him coffee every morning and do his laundry on Thursdays and you know what?!"

I blinked.

"I'm sick of it! I'm tired of being Hunter's little rag doll. Up till now, I have been his fucking slave and I'm done." Octavian's knuckles went white with his hard grip on the desk and I swore I saw a quick tear fall down his cheek before he wiped it with the heel of his palm. "I'm sorry, Rachel. For that night... For every other time I've been an asshole. I... just wanted things to be different here. Back home, I used to be bullied for the way I look, my parents, my name. God, Octavian Julius-Jason Augustus? Who does that to a kid?"

Honestly, I was taken aback. An apology? What was I supposed to say? "Sorry for breaking your nose...?"

Octavian's hand went up to the bandages in the middle of his face instinctively, and he shrugged. "Yeah...
Just. Watch out for Hunter. I'll see you... around."

And with that, he left quietly like he hadn't just gave a monologue worthy of a musical theatre audition.

I sat down on the edge of my desk and pulled my knees in towards my chest and rested my head of the frayed strings that dangled over the razor-cut holes on my knees.

I couldn't help but think about how vulnerable Octavian looked while he was speaking... Raw.

Still.

He's a jerk, I thought, but he's cute.