Chapter 32 - Bad For Health

Even though Roman was late for their study session, he was on point when it came to teaching her, and there was nothing that she could complain about. After all, he was taking his time to improve her grades in the subject of Rubix. Noticing Roman had stopped teaching, Julie's eyes looked up and saw that he was already looking at her.

In the quiet side of the library and behind the rack, it was just the two of them.

Realizing how close his handsome face was to hers, Julie slowly slid back to her seat and cleared her throat.

"I will go and get the reference book," informed Julie. Standing up from her chair, she walked away from there.

When she came to stand in front of one section of books, Julie turned back to make sure he hadn't followed her. Right now, something seemed very off about Roman, and it was because he kept staring at her even after she caught him. The first thought of hers had been if someone had pissed him off on his way here to the library. He usually looked intimidating, but today there was a wilderness in his eyes, and his voice held a slight rasp to it.

Was he on something funny? Julie asked herself. Considering the bad boy reputation Roman Moltenore carried with him like a piece of accessory on him, it was possible.

Their faces had been too close, and it had startled her. Closing her eyes, she let out a sigh.

"Since when did books related to history turn into a reference book for Rubix?" came Roman's voice right behind her.

Julie's eyes flew open, and she saw Roman's hand that came to place on the rack for support near her.

When Roman leaned forward, he said next to her ear, "You didn't answer my question, Julianne."

Julie tried to gather her thoughts because he stood too close, "I thought I would clear my doubts in history."

"Books that have nothing to do with your studies? How interesting," came the sarcastic words from Roman. "Why did you run away?"

Roman was trying to control his urge to drink blood, but this troublemaker was intent on trying to get him to smell blood and trying to run away from him, which only made him want to hunt her down. He could hear her pulse.

Julie looked away from him because right now, his eyes were too intense for her to handle. She said,

"I know it has been three classes since you started to help me, but I don't think I am ready for that kind of payment that you are looking for," her words were nothing less than a train that came in a rush, but Roman heard every syllable that left her lips.

Roman's head tilted to the side, and for a few seconds, he stared at her. When he leaned forward to have his lips next to her ear, he asked her, "Do you know what I am looking for?"

Feeling his breath on the shell of her ear, blood rushed up to her neck, and she quickly said, "For someone?"

"Yes," replied Roman, sensing the blood that was right in front of him. Right now, his eyes had turned from black to red, and his fangs elongated that Julie couldn't see. He clenched his teeth, trying to refrain himself from turning this one as his meal. He finally said, "What I am looking for is you to finish the homework that I gave you, unless you want me to pull you another page to work on."

Roman finally pulled away from her and placed his foot on the bench as if to tie his lace, and Julie quickly bolted back to her seat before he would come to tell or do more than what he had said.

When Julie was out of his sight, Roman stood straight where neither his fangs nor his eyes had returned to their usual self. He ran his tongue over the tip of one of his fangs before bringing his hand up and bit into the palm to draw his blood. This would suffice for a while, he thought and returned to where Julie was sitting.

Hearing the sound of his boots, Julie didn't raise her head and continued to work on solving the problems. She didn't know if he was only trying to scare her, but somewhere it worked. Until now, she had never received male attention like what Roman did because the most that happened was her getting bullied.

The bad boy was bad for her health, she thought in her mind.

"You added the wrong variant in there," commented Roman before taking his seat. He then asked, "Did that startle you?" he questioned.

"The variant?" asked Julie, and she noticed him subtly narrowing his eyes. She answered again, "A little."

"Don't worry, I have no plans of taking my payment like that," said Roman, crossing one leg over the other.

Then what was that little preview?! The feeling of his breath against her ear brought goosebumps over her skin, and though her sweater covered her hands, it wasn't enough to cover her neck and face.

"You look like you were bit by an insect," pointed Roman, not bothering to make it look like he hadn't noticed it.

"And whose fault is that," muttered Julie under her breath without lifting her head.

"Yours. Easily flustered," Roman blamed it on her. Julie wondered if this was how he seduced the girls. Taunting words with sarcasm in them and whispering into their ears like a Devil. Not that she had been seduced, but his actions had struck one of the nerves in her body.

Julie's eyes fell on Roman's hand that was tied in a white handkerchief. It wasn't there earlier when he was teaching. Her eyes looked up to see him.

"Did something happen to your hand?" Julie asked him.

"Always with the questions. Why do you care?" Roman questioned her back, raising his eyebrow at her.

"Because we are study friends?" she asked in a little doubt.

"I already have four of them and don't need more to handle," came the blunt words from him. This rude boy… but then she and he weren't friends. "You are my apprentice."

"..."

"Disappointed? If you want to be my friend, you will have to break at least twenty rules. How many have you broken so far?" he questioned, and Julie turned proud.

"I haven't broken them since a very long time-"

"Jinx," a small chuckle escaped Roman's lips. There was a boyish charm on his face the way he looked for that spare seconds before his gaze turned serious. "Don't stare too hard or you will fall in love with me."

Julie shook her head, "You think too highly of yourself. If it makes you feel better, you aren't my type."

The corner of Roman's lips pulled further up, and he asked, "Let me guess. Someone who doesn't like to break any rules, doesn't wear clothes that are ripped or has any piercings or tattoos and doesn't know how to fluster you."

"That doesn't even have a logic," said Julie, a smile coming to form on her lips.

"Why not?" challenged Roman. He said, "People who follow rules are often the ones who are scared to break them. They prefer to run in the same cycle of monotonous things. Every day is the same. It is fine, some people like boring things."

"You don't know that," retorted Julie. This was the second time someone was calling her boring from the same clique of the circle. "Everyone has their own definition of what is exciting and not exciting."

"That's like eating one dessert and claiming it to be the best, when you haven't even tasted the others," and this time when Roman said it, Julie wasn't sure if they were still discussing the same subject. "Come to the dark side, Winters. Let me see you break a rule."

It was as if the spider had lured her into its web. But it was time to leave the web as soon as she could!

"I think you break for most of us… combined together," replied Julie, their eyes staying on each other for a few seconds. Then they both heard the sound of the footsteps that got louder as it approached where they were sitting. Maximus appeared with Simon next to him, carrying a bag in their hands.

"Hello, Julie," Simon greeted her with a smile on his lips, and she raised her hand to wave.

Julie asked them, "Did you come here to study too?"

"We had books to return and thought of paying a visit," replied Simon, and he took a can from the bag and asked her, "Would you like to drink a cola?"

"I am fine, thank you," answered Julie with a smile.

"You sure? They are extremely tasty-"

"She told she's fine," stated Roman, the glare appearing in his eyes which simmered down.

Getting up from his chair, Roman took hold of the can and pulled back the ring before gulping the entire thing in one go. He then took another one, making Julie wonder if he was only thirsty or if the cold drink was as good as Simon had said. Her eyes fell on Roman's inked hand that held the can, watching every gulp slid down his throat.

Maximus came to sit in Roman's seat, staring at the book and hummed. "You are studying Rubix. Is this your handwriting?" Maximus asked curiously, looking at it.

At the same time, Roman, who had finished the second can of blood, crushed it with a sound that everyone heard. He looked at Julie and said, "That's enough study time in here for today. You can leave."