Staring at Colin with a mix of shock and disbelief, it took me a moment to process the


    bombshell he’d just dropped.


    Snatching the paper from his hand, I gasped at the sight–every scribbled answer was correct. I had


    thought he was just jotting down nonsense.


    “You… you’ve studied this before?” I asked incredulously, my voice tinged with a mix of awe and


    disbelief.


    Wasn’t he supposed to be the vige idiot?


    He nodded nonchntly. “Piece of cake.”


    His casual remark stung my pride. Impossible! I’ve always been at the top of my ss, a teacher’s pet


    through and through in college. I wasn’t a genius, but I was a solid student. How could Colin be…


    smarter than me?


    “Did you peek at the answers?” I challenged, mypetitive spirit ring as I continued to work


    through problems on the paper. Yet, he solved each one quickly, and every single answer was spot–on.


    And the whole time, he kept getting distracted, ncing over at me now and then.


    To be that distracted and stille up with the answers so fast, he wasn’t just any genius. He was like


    something out of a saying I remembered, “Madmen to the left of God, geniuses to the right,” and he


    was somehow straddling both sides.


    “Did you go to college?” I ventured tentatively, my curiosity piqued by the mystery surrounding Colin.


    “Kingstone University…” he finally said.


    1


    I took a deep breath. So he had gone to college.


    “Entered at fourteen, in the Genius ss, on a schrship,” he borated.


    I paused, the words ‘Genius ss‘ echoing familiarly in my mind, triggering a throbbing headache and


    a flurry of memories–two kids standing at the orphanage’s entrance, beaming with oversized red


    ribbons, a banner congratting ‘our very own prodigy for the Genius ss‘ overhead.


    Rubbing my temples, I strained to remember more


    but my memory was stubbornly stuck.


    Fourteen and at Kingstone University without any entrance exams, just a straight shot on talent alone.


    An undeniable genius.


    “So why were you pretending to be a fool at the orphanage?” I asked, trying to maintain aposed


    front while my mind raced with questions.


    It was clear he wasn’t foolish at all. Was it an act? A ploy to deceive, perhaps for something sinister?


    13:12


    “Phoebe asked me to wait for her.” Colin’s eyes dropped, his voice tinged with sadness.


    I frowned.


    What?


    Phoebe?


    Did he mean me?


    “Why did you listen? The Phoebe you speak of… is that me?” I wasn’t ready to trust this man, despite


    his seemingly innocent demeanor.


    Testing him, I pointed to myself, looking for any telltale reaction.


    He met my gaze for a long moment before nodding emphatically.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The promise was made to Foebe?


    I couldn’t read him. To squander his talents for a girl’s promise, to y the fool for years in an


    orphanage? He seemed almost obsessively determined, like the mythical creatures I’d read about, the


    ones that skirted the line between angelic and monstrous.


    “Is it worth it? To waste your gift waiting for someone?” I asked, genuinely curious.


    “It’s worth it!” Colin snapped back, his tone serious. “Phoebe asked me to wait.”


    I rubbed my forehead, resigned. Trying to get information out of someone potentially ying with a full


    deck of wild cards was no easy task.


    “I’m tired. I need some sleep.” I had to conserve energy if I was going to figure out how to get out of this


    situation.


    Without a word, Colin,mimicked my actions, following my lead to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth


    when I did, watched as I washed my face, and trailed after me as I exited.


    He took up a spot beside me on the bed, and I couldn’t help but stiffen at the thought of sharing a room


    with a potential criminal.


    But for now, I had to tolerate it.


    I underestimated one detail, though–the allure of his eyes, framed by longshes, a captivating beauty.


    I had to admit, there’s little defense against the pull of something beautiful.


    Shaking off the distraction, I let reason take over. “You, go sleep on the floor.”


    Colin didn’t argue, just slid off the bed and made himselffortable on the floor.


    Lying there. I pondered why he’d suddenly be so docile, especially considering he’d nearly


    strangled me before.


    Drifting off, sleep finally tugging at my consciousness, I murmured, “You cane up… but you can’t


    touch me, got it?”