Cath yawned and stretched her arms over her head, causing a series of pops to sound down the length of her neck. She settled back down into her bed and blinked at the clock on her laptop. 2:30 pm. She had spent a solid three hours writing and had not noticed the time slipping by. But it was good. Cath needed to get back into the swing of Simon and Baz. There had been too many distractions in her life lately and besides, the eighth book was only months away.

A sudden, sharp knock at the door made Cath jump violently and clutch at her laptop as it started to fly off of her lap. Heart racing, she stared at the door, willing whoever it was to go away... Whoever. Levi?

"Cather? Hey, uh, it's me - Levi, that is. Can I come in?"

Cath sucked a sharp breath in and squeezed her eyes shut. Damn, damn, damn!

"Uh, Cath? I know you're in there... I heard you typing."

Cath stared down at her laptop, the bloody betrayer, and silently cursed at herself for... for what? For typing so loud? She sighed and cleared her throat. "Oh, hey. Uh, Reagan isn't here," she called across her tiny room. A shuffling noise sounded out the door and Cath imagined Levi leaning against the door. Always leaning.

"Yeah, she's at work. I actually wanted to talk to you." Cath sighed and set her laptop on her desk. She pushed her glasses up into her hair and rubbed her hands over her face. It had been six excruciating days since the Party and so far, Cath had managed to avoid Levi. Of course, most of the credit was due to Reagan. Their study parties had inexplicably been moved - to other friend's houses, to Levi's house... Cath had spent the six days sneaking around campus. She'd stare out of her dorm room's peep hole for ten minutes, straining her eyes to make sure he wasn't sitting outside of their door. Cath raced across campus, jumping out of her skin every time a lanky blonde came in to her view. She stood, resolved to be cool, and quickly glanced in the mirror. She immediately regretted it. Cath looked like she hadn't showered in a few days and was emerging from a Simon/Baz fanfiction binge. Well, if the shoe fits, right?

She crossed the room, squared her shoulders, and opened the door. But no amount of self pep talking and resolve could have prepared her for Levi. The moment she opened the door, his signature grin broke across his face, sending wrinkles up for miles across his forehead. Cath hardened her look and closed the door back up, so Levi could see only a fraction of her face.

"Cath! You're alive! Hey, I haven't seen you lately. I waited for you on Tuesday at the library, but you weren't there. Did that guy finally walk you home?" Levi kept grinning at her, expectantly. Cath could almost carry on her charade and pretend that nothing happened. Almost.

"No, he didn't. Uh, what's up, Levi? I'm kind of busy."

"Simon and Baz are at it again? You could read to me, you know. Try out the story," he offered, positioning himself towards the door. Cath closed the door even further. Give Levi an inch, and he'd take a mile. And now he was offering to beta read for her?

"No, that's okay. Thanks, though. Do you mind waiting for Reagan at your place? I'm just-" Just. "I'm in the middle of something and I'm not really feeling all that great," Cath coughed weakly. Levi's grin vanished and he studied Cath's face.

"Is everything okay? Cath?" Levi reached out to open the door, and Cath leaped back as though he shocked her. At her reaction, his face fell. "I know something's been up. Reagan's been acting weird when I bring you up and I haven't seen you in days. Is-"

Cath forced a small smile and willed herself to glance up at Levi. She almost couldn't take the intensity of his gaze - almost. "No, I'm good. We're good. It's all good." Did that sound as lame as she thought? Yes, probably. Definitely yes. "But did you need something? I am busy..." Levi frowned and shuffled his feet, standing back up from his perch against the door frame.

"No... I just... No, it's okay," he smiled but it wasn't a 1000 watt Levi smile. "Well, if you finish whatever you're doing, text me okay? If you need anything." Cath nodded and shut the door. She glanced through the peep hole and watched Levi stare at the closed door. Finally, after a few minutes, he shoved his hands deep into his pockets and left.

Cath collapsed on her bed and cried.