Pothos and the Neikea

10. Nice tricks, the Gods are playing

New Year's Eve was just three days away now, and Rey still hadn't decided where or with whom she would spend it. All of her friends would be with family, and that's why she hated these holidays so much. Some students she vaguely knew were going to have parties in their houses, and she was sure they wouldn't mind if she joined them. Hell, no one would even notice. But she didn't want that. If Finn was with her, or even Rose, it would be a lot better. But now that she knew they would be around a table having a quiet dinner with family and close friends, it felt terrible. She would look for an alternative up until 11:59 pm if she had to.

She had talked to Finn on the phone a lot these past days. She wanted to tell him about Hux, but that would mean telling him about Kylo, or how else could she have found out? She danced around the subject a lot, and would just drop hints like "you know, Hux always seemed to hit on Poe, don't you think?", or "now that I think about it, he was avoiding me. But sometimes he had hickeys." But Finn didn't get the memo. He would just say she did good dumping him, and that was it. She also tried telling him what had happened with Kylo. Or, at least, she tested the waters to see if she would survive telling him something like that. But it didn't seem likely.

She was at the library, checking her classes for the next semester in one of the computers there. She had gone there with the intention to study at first, but her mind kept wondering and she found it almost impossible to concentrate. And, you guessed it, it was wondering to him. She still hadn't decided whether he was right to go away the other day or not. She was in a bad state, that was true. And perhaps she would have regretted it later. Especially when she would have to tell Finn. But she was curious to feel him again, if for no other reason, just so she could remember it. She had only been with one man in her life, and couldn't even remember him naked. It wasn't fair.

On the other hand, she had spent so much time hating him, it felt weird to do anything else now. Sure, he seemed to be trying to be less of a jerk lately. But perhaps that was just a facade to get her to bed. When she thought about it though, it was surprising he even wanted to get her to bed. She knew he remembered more from their night together. But she couldn't have been good at what she was doing, because she didn't know what she was doing. So what was his deal? Why did he pray on her like that? He always kept pushing her away, almost disgusted by the idea of her, and now he was the one trying to close their distance.

She liked it. She couldn't lie, even if she wanted to; her panties would tell the truth. Never has she gotten so wet just by thinking of someone before. And it was a constant occurrence. As if her body kept itself ready for him, in case he showed up suddenly to carry out his promise. She found herself in need of changing about three times a day, and it was annoying because she did not have the luxury money for extra laundry.

She started closing the tabs she had opened on the computer to leave when a takeaway coffee cup was placed right in front of her. She frowned and looked up. Her brain was rewarded with some endorphins to the sight of Kylo Ren looming over her with a shy smile.

"Hello," he murmured, and dragged a chair to sit next to her.

"Hi." Her voice cracked. How could it crack in just one syllable?

Kylo looked at the coffee cup and pushed it a little closer to her.

"I got you coffee. I didn't know how you take it, but I just assumed the way you try to come across; sweet."

It wasn't a compliment. She knew better than to fall for that. That 'to come across' there was the loophole. He was low key being mean again, and she was thankful for that. Because she did not know how to deal with a kind Kylo.