Whatever it was that Clark and I had festering between us had to go, pronto. I needed to get over Clark and the only way to do that was to get under someone else. Or at least that was Kass' logic.

My denial for the better part of a month had finished and I couldn't deny the truth of our situation anymore. After he messed with my pencils it was painfully obvious, we both wanted more and were fighting like hell against it. Somehow this new information only magnified my desire to resist his pull. Whether I wanted to vocalize it out loud, Kass had a point. If I didn't want to emotionally attach myself to Clark I had to find someone else.

I had already forgotten his name by the time we found our way back to my dorm room but to me, that was trivial information. Sure he was attractive and yes, he was a phenomenal kisser but as we fell back onto my bed, lips locked in a crazed frenzy, all I could picture was Clark's lips on mine rather than whoever this was.

Caught in my own fantasy version of my current position I went for his belt, carefully working the buckle until I could pull the entire thing from its loops.

"Woah, tiger." The guy laughed into my lips from above me. "What about your roommate?"

My fingers traced the waistband of his boxer briefs that are now played peek-a-boo in the absence of his belt. "Forget about him." I murmured, my hands going to the front of his shirt once again to pull him into another kiss.

The guy cocks his rust-colored eyebrow mischievously as he returns my need, "He?" He inquired his lips once again leaving mine. "Should I be worried?"

This time he glanced around the room playfully. The joke died in his throat though as something on the other side of the room caught his eye. "Shit," He hissed, righting himself before he grabbed his belt off the floor.

I propped myself up on my elbows, my eyes creased in sudden confusion. "Where are you going?"

The ginger began to thread his belt but never had the chance to speak as the door opened and in walked Clark. His feet stopped in their tracks as his eyes shifted from my disheveled position on the bed to the guy who now secured his belt back in place. Clark had said on the day we met he wasn't the type of guy to be angered easily but the glint in his eyes made my stomach hit the floor.

"Sorry man, if I had known I wouldn't have come back with her." The ginger guy admitted, his hand now entangled in his thick locks.

Clark gave a curt nod, his eyes locked with my own. The connection was slowly smothering me, the air entering my lungs didn't feel like it was enough. I wanted to scream and cry all at the same time. As the guy whose name I still didn't know left, he clasped Clark's shoulder on his way by, before leaving us in defining silence.

"Looks like you're settling in nicely," He clipped before his eyes dropped from mine and his feet continued to carry him to his desk.

Why did I feel so guilty? I owed Clark nothing and yet I felt as though I just committed some unspeakable crime when all I did was make out with a stranger. Was it so wrong to want to not be obsessed with him? Maybe it was to him? "Why did you scare him off? You could have just left," I snapped out of frustration as I sat up.

"Unlike you, Red actually respects other people," Clark retorted before his frame froze in mid-action, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."

A bitter laugh left my lips. "Like hell you didn't," I spat, my filter now thrown aside for whatever conflict we were now headed into. "Why do you even care what I do?"

Clark slowly turned to face me, his frame casually leaned against the edge of his desk as his eyes raked over my figure. His eyes were calculating but as to what I hadn't a clue. Whatever it was he seemed to be weighing his options carefully before speaking. "What are you so scared of Nick?"

His warm brown eyes met mine and the air in my lungs froze. Was he asking me why I fought so hard against this pull that had developed between us? It sounded like he had which could only mean he had thought about it too. Unspoken words sizzled between us as I racked my brain for an answer to his question until I realized I didn't owe him an explanation.

"Can't be scared of something you have no interest in."

Clark chuckled under his breath as he nodded his head, his lips stretched into a tight smile. Like many times before I couldn't make heads or tales of him or the emotions, he could be showing. He appeared entertained almost, something that seemed out of place for our current topic.

"Haven't we been here before?" He asked, his firm smile slowly loosening.

"Excuse me?"

What did he mean by, haven't we been here before? There had been countless cringe-worthy situations we had been in but never this specific awkward scenario. If we had been I would have remembered it and hopefully have been able to avoid it in the future.

He kept a steady gaze leveled at me, a silent challenge to deny what he was about to say and I was sure I wouldn't like it. "Maybe if you spent less time lying to yourself and a little more time facing your fears, things could be different."

My face flushed with heat as his eyes glinted with unspoken promises I didn't want to believe. A steady drum took hold in my chest, his words an echo in my mind. He wanted things to be different between us. He wanted me. Frozen with the realization that whatever he had going on here was real I watched as Clark turned his back to me and continued to seat himself in front of his computer.

His muscles were now noticeable beneath his shirt, his strawberry blonde hair now touchable. With one stupid phrase, Clark had not only flustered me but turned on his sex appeal. Thoughts I had once been able to cast aside with relative ease now refused to leave. The knowledge that he wanted me only made me want him. He had been right about one thing. I was definitely scared of whatever this was.

Oh, these two are so frustrating!!!!

So much hot and cold...