Chooses Madness 201

Davon glared at Kayla, his face darkening with displeasure. “Do you always have to be so vicious with your words? Does everything you say need to have barbs?” 

He couldn’t understand what had gotten into her lately. The old Kayla never would have dared speak to him like this. 

gaze 

His drifted to Marianna beside him, and suddenly it all made sense. ‘She must have seen us together,’ he thought. ‘She’s jealous again, that’s why she’s being so cutting.‘ 

He sneered inwardly, ‘Women–always obsessed with romance and feelings. Losing their minds over the smallest things. So dramatic! Doesn’t she realize the more jealous she gets, the more she throws these tantrums, the less I want her? Why can’t she be more like Marianna–obedient, sensible, gentle?‘ 

Kayla had no idea what was going through Davon’s head. 

She simply shrugged. “I’m just stating facts. Why are you so worked up? You two–a man and a woman alone together outside my door. If you’re not here to steal something, then what? Are you having an affair?” 

She let the word “affair” linger in the air, sharp and deliberate. 

The moment the word left her lips, both Marianna’s and Davon’s faces transformed. The color drained from their cheeks, and panic flooded their eyes–raw and unmistakable. 

Kayla laughed inwardly, cold and sharp. ‘God, this is satisfying,’ she thought. ‘Watching them squirm like this -it’s better than I expected.‘ 

Marianna recovered first, her face twisting into an expression of wounded innocence. She lashed out at Kayla with righteous indignation. “How dare you say such things? Dav and I were just studying together. We want to do well on our finals. Don’t project your dirty mind onto us.” 

“I see-” Kayla’s eyebrow arched slowly, and she drew out the word, letting it hang in the air between them. “Studying. Right. How dedicated of you both.” 

‘Studying?‘ Kayla thought mockingly. ‘What exactly were they studying–advanced lip–locking techniques? Because from what I saw, they were definitely practicing something, and it sure as hell wasn’t academics. Their mouths are so swollen they look like they went a few rounds with a beehive.’ 

Kayla snorted inwardly, ‘Anyone with eyes could see what they were doing. And she has the audacity to accuse me of having a dirty mind? Please. She’s out here playing the victim after getting caught red–handed. The sheer nerve–acting like some wounded saint when she’s the one cheating.’ 

Marianna watched the smirk playing on Kayla’s lips, and something about it set her teeth on edge. The way Kayla said that–it felt pointed, like she knew something. 

my 

‘It’s because of her, Marianna thought bitterly. ‘Because of Kayla that I let jealousy and greed cloud judgment today. Because of her that I slept with Tristian. The resentment churned in her gut, hot and acidic. 

With Kayla mocking her like this, Marianna couldn’t hold back anymore. 

She shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “We were studying, obviously. Unlike you, running around doing God knows what this late at night. You’ve probably forgotten all about the bet with Class A, haven’t you?” 

Something flickered in Marianna’s eyes—a spark of malicious delight–and the fury on her face softened into something far more dangerous. 

She feigned surprise, her voice dripping with mock concern. “Oh my, I almost forgot. Ms. Sexton didn’t just foolishly bet against Dav and me–you had the audacity to challenge Ms. Nielsen directly, didn’t you? 

“You actually dragged those useless deadweights from Class G into a bet with her. And now look what you’ve done. You’ve pissed her off so badly that she’s completely checked out. She won’t even bother teaching you anymore.” 

Marianna’s smile sharpened. “So now you’re stuck fumbling through lessons on your own with those losers, teaching yourselves like blind idiots.” 

She let out a mocking sneer, eyes glittering with satisfaction.