I'm super duper sorry for the late update :(. - A

"Earn the spotlight on your own merits. You'll feel better." -Serena Van Der Woodsen, Gossip Girl

Song- Bad Guy

***

"I don't mind being insulted Eve, I'm used to it. However, I won't let anyone insult you. Especially not because of me, you don't deserve that,"

"So, what do you think that means?" I ask Blair seating on my bed in my room after explaining the details of what went down in the library to her. Lisa was gone by the time I returned. Hence, I could talk freely.

"That he doesn't want anyone to talk bad about you?" Blair says sarcastically.

"Blair I'm serious," I exclaim.

"Dude I was in the middle of a freaking moment with the hottest guy in my class and you interrupted me for a stupid question. Do you think I seriously give two f**cks about what some random guy I don't know means?" Blair asks and proceeds to hang up.

Exhaling I shake my head and look out the window, his words flow back into my mind, and I break into a grin.

The next day I head over to my professor's office to submit my paper for the competition and notice Brian seated outside. Brian was also an office assistant for our professor, I had forgotten about that; therefore, this was awkward.

"I'm here to hand in my paper for the Starling," I say.

"I can take it, Professor Kay isn't in," he says. I nod and reach into my bag. However, I don't find the paper.

"Shoot, I forgot it in the dorm,"

"It needs to be handed in by noon," Brian says.

I look at the time on my phone, it was almost noon. I won't make it if I head back to the dorm.

"Do you have your laptop here?" He asks to which I nod.

"I can help you print it off here if you hand me your laptop," he says surprising me. It shouldn't surprise me. I'd heard about how nice he was, yesterday just dented that a bit. However, it seems he'd decided to put it behind him? Fine, I can too.

Nodding, I quickly pull out my laptop from my bag pack and hand it over to him.

"You can sit over there and wait," he gestures to a chair on the other side. Thanking him, I walk over to the chair, sit and wait.

After a while he calls out to me and I head over to grab the laptop, thank him and leave.

Two weeks passed and I hadn't seen Helix. He was never at our group meetings either and our professor told us he'd taken permission form her to be off for the two weeks. Though we didn't know why. I was tempted to ask Lisa what was going on but decided against it.

Opening my computer, I look at the results for the competition. Brian won.

As expected of the Psych genius as he was widely known. I was happy for him, somehow, I knew he'd be the winner. I only hoped to be at least second. I check for my name and don't find it. My heart drops as a feeling of sadness fills me. I was hoping I'd at least win second or third. Sighing, I close my laptop and start sticking it into my bag pack when I overhear a conversation by two girlswho walk over to the desk next to mine.

"Did you hear? The psych genius won again!" One of them, Sara says.

"Not shocking, however his paper truly was wonderful. Did you read it?" Haley the other asks.

"I did, Hestia did you read Brian's paper? It was so good professor Kay said she was featuring it at the psychology conference she's attending in Dublin this week," Sara says.

"Woah, it's that good?" I ask surprised. I knew he was good, but not that good.

"You should check it out, I was totally flawed. Professor Kay said they'd be experiments done to test his theory for years on out. He just gave phycologists around the world a new passion to investigate," Sally says.

Intrigued, I take out my laptop to read this work of wonder.

Logging into the site for the completion I click on his name and the paper.

The psychology of memory

Oh? We had the same title.

I quickly click into the paper and start reading. Two sentences in, I pause in wonder. Shaking my head, I continue reading. By the fifth sentence I was in a state of shock. I quickly read all the way to the end and once done stay still in complete shock.

"Isn't it just shocking?" Sara asks coming up behind me.

"Ab...absolutely," I reply. "This paper, the entirety, was mine," I say.

"What? What do you mean yours?" Sarah asks looking equally confused.

Slapping my laptop shut. I quickly shove It into my bag and rush out to Professor Kay's office. I notice Brian seated in front.

"You stole my work," I say running up to his desk.

"Says who?" He asks looking unfazed and unshaken. I was speechless, how could someone be so brazen?

"Me, the author!" I say flabbergasted at his audacity.

"And who can prove that?"

"Excuse you?"

At that moment professor Kay walks out of her office.

"Hestia, what are you doing here? Did you want to see me?"

"Actually yes, I need to report something," I say suddenly getting overwhelmed by a feeling of great anger.

"Sure, let's head into my office," she says.

"No, no need. We can talk here. It concerns Brian," I say looking Brian in the eyes.

"Oh? What's the issue?" She replies looking from me to him.

"Brian stole my paper for the competition and posed it as his,"

"What?"

"I'm serious, Brian stole my paper," I reply adamantly.

She glances at me as if seeking a sign that I was joking. I stare back at her unfazed.

"You're serious?"

"Absolutely," I reply

"Brian, what's going on here?" She asks.

"I have no idea. She just came here and started accusing me of stealing her work without any proof," he says.

"Proof?" I can proof it to you," I say and quickly put down my bag pack taking out my laptop. I open it upon the desk and search for the paper in my folder. However, I don't find it.

I check and check my documents. I don't find it there either. I look up and notice Brian grinning. I pause, remembering handing him my laptop.

No way? This bastard! I glare at him, and he lightly shrugs.

"He stole my work professor Kay!" I exclaim feeling aggrieved.

"That's what you've say, but Hestia I need solid proof for a such a huge claim," Professor Kay says. "Do you have any?" She asks to which I stay silent. I didn't.

***

Now who's the bad guy?