He had always been my worst enemy, all through school, then college and on in to university that wild haired blond, with his tanned, marked skin and obnoxious accent. We had nearly fought again earlier that day, him getting right up in my personal space, those angry hazel eyes of his so close I could make out the gold in them.
"Hey, rich boy!" his accented voice was unmistakable, even here in the university where it was common to meet overseas students. Or maybe it was just his voice, irritatingly familiar to me.
"Shut up Will." I groused, in New York he had been intolerable, here in quiet Abertay he was both a grating affront to the peaceful surroundings and my only reminder of home.
"Aww c'mon, I ain't seen you all week an' this is how you talk to me?" He affected a hurt tone of voice but moved to block my path, standing square in front of me, slim and a few inches shorter than me but broad shouldered and in my way. He lifted his chin to lock me in his gaze. "Some of us are hitting the student union later, got plans or do ya wanna join the fun?"
"I don't fraternise, I don't drink and I do not frequent the student union. Most of all, I don't hang out with you. Move, you're making me late." I all but spat the words at him, returning his gaze with a glare full of ice and considering ruining my expensive desert boots by simply leaving the path to walk past him. He should know full well we weren't anything like eachother, he should know I would never risk tarnishing my family's reputation.
"Shit, your so fucking uptight Seb, can't blame a guy for wanting to see what you look like without that stick up your ass." Will smiled toothily, like he'd said something clever and the slightly wild look it gave him made my chest feel strange, made me want to wipe that smile off his face.
"Seriously-" I started, angry now, but Will cut me off.
"Woah, fine, I get it, I'm going. Just because you can't handle basic shit like a drink with friends there's no need to take it out on me. Ya know I live in the dorms, it's D corridor room 203, come over whenever if some sort of glitch occurs and you actually want to have some fun, ya robot. Or come to the union, we'll be there from 8pm." Then he was walking away, arrogant son of a bitch.
Back in my flat I found myself seething. Will had always had a way of getting under my skin, making me feel something strange and terrifying even as he provoked me to anger. There was something about him, something untamed and defiant that I was captivated by. Perhaps because my own life had been so carefully cultivated, bought from expensive shops and measured in achievements, I wanted something of that wildness from him. Can't handle basic shit he'd said? Fucking infuriating.
By 6pm I had decided to go to his dorm, he couldn't be allowed to speak to me the way he had earlier. I needed to put him in his place. That was the only reason I was going, the clean jeans and shirt were just because I'm not a slob and I know how important good dress sense is. Not like Will, wearing those old, ripped jeans showing patches of his bronzed skin, or those vests he wore in summer that were practically second skins and rode up to expose his toned midriff when he stretched. There it was again, the stupid thoughts about him that pissed me off so intensely.
Once, when we were fifteen, we had kissed. It had come out of nowhere, as we had gotten into an altercation and he'd pinned me to the wall. For a second something burned between us, he all but threw me in a supply closet and we had kissed like we were drowning, like we were each other's air before coming to our senses. I'd hated him more after that. For making me lose myself and kiss a guy. Fucking unacceptable in my social circle.
The walk from my place to his was short and I was too focussed on my mission to notice much but as I paused outside the dorm entrance I shivered and became aware of the dampness that clung to my skin all over. The Scottish mist that sometimes settled over this place could soak you to the skin without alerting you the way rain would. Great British universities might be good but seriously, fuck the weather.
Pressing on before I could talk myself out of it I moved to activate the buzzer for D corridor. A stranger answered but recognised Will's name and unlocked the door. Despite having been here for 6 months I hadn't visited the dorms and it took a moment to get my bearings, the reception area was plain and held the post boxes for the rooms but not much else, a lopsided sign pointed me left to a staircase and I noticed quickly they led to the lettered corridors. A and B on the first floor, then there it was, D. A cute girl with a ponytail and glasses spotted me before I could buzz and opened the door.
"Who are you looking for?" she asked, checking I wasn't some freak no doubt.
"Will in 203." I answered and clearly appeased she moved aside to let me in and pointed out his room. "Thanks." I replied, striding purposefully towards the door and feeling her eyes on me still. I'm no stranger to such looks, with my American dad's royal blue eyes, his western nose and his height at 6ft 1" paired with my Asian mum's flawless skin, high cheekbones and straight black hair I know I look unusual.
"Sebastian" Will greeted me with suprise, he must have been getting changed as he was barefoot and wore soft ripped jeans with no belt and a white short sleeved shirt that hung open exposing his muscular chest. He ran his eyes up and down my body taking in my clinging wet clothes "come in."
