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"So how's the culture shock?" Aidan asks me, promptly biting into his pizza after. I think about it for a second.
"It's very different, a little odd. Especially the driving on the wrong side of the road, although I suppose it would be the wrong side for you in London." I answer, sitting on the countertop with my sock-clad feet swinging back and forth. "The food is also very different and I'm still trying to get used to everyone calling crisps 'chips' and chips 'fries'." I say, scrunching my face up. Aidan nods in understanding. I can't help but smile at Maddox as he passes me to get a cup, but he simply walks past me without sparing a glance.Trying not to let my disappointment show on my face, I make up excuses for his now aloof behavior towards me. Maybe he was just being nice because we were alone. Maybe he's only nice in front of Chase because he feels like he has to be.
Stopping myself from overthinking, I wave to Eric and Aidan and walk back to Maddox's room, making myself busy. As I write my paper, I circle the parts of my textbook that I need help with or clarification on and move on, effectively distracting myself to the point that I'm oblivious to my surroundings. Except when it comes to Maddox. He's impossible to not notice. "May I ask you something?" The words spill out of my mouth as I stare at his dark profile. He's all sharp lines and dark features, and I can't help but stare.
"I guess," He grumbles, holding my gaze as he looks into my eyes. I feel exposed as he stares at me and waits but the words pour out of my mouth again, and this time there's no filter to my curiosity.
"Do you have sex a lot?" I blurt and immediately close my eyes. "I just, I heard some things, and then that one night when I...well you know the rest. I guess I'm just wondering," I rush out, progressively getting shyer towards the end of my sentence but his eyes stay on me and his eyebrows furrow as he looks back to the page. I watch the way his jaw flexes when he grits his teeth and I wait patiently for his answer.
"Usually, yeah. But I didn't have sex with that girl you saw." My heart feels like it's been put on a roller coaster as it drops with his first answer and jumps with relief from his second one. I'm so deep in thought now that I jump when I hear Maddox say "You know that there's a party here tomorrow night?"
"Are you asking me or telling me?" I ask cautiously, raising my head to look up at him, towering above me.
"Asking I guess."
"Well no, I wasn't aware." I shrug, Chase probably would've mentioned it eventually.
"You should probably find something to do instead, they get pretty crazy." He says and I feel like he's trying to change the subject. His words register in my mind and my mood plummets. I wince like a kicked-puppy and look at him.
"And why would I do that? Maybe I planned on going. I do live here after all." I say defensively, crossing my arms across my chest. I really didn't plan on going, as I've never been to one before.
