by Ivy Clyde
You made my cabin habitable, so why not! I’d texted her.
My bruises faded over the week as well, returning my skin to its usual blemish-free state. None of the traces of Lucien’s assault remained on my body but I doubted I’d ever forget any of it. My dreams consisted of nightmares where I was tied up and helpless against my attackers. I didn’t know how long it would take but I would make him pay for the trauma he was making me go through.
You’re more than a charity case, I told myself. And you will prove just how well you keep scores with the people who mocked and abused you.
The weekend before I resumed school, I had Ruben drive me to the cemetery. It was a cold and windy April day but the sun was shining, promising warmer weather in the future. On the way, I collected a bouquet of Mom’s favorite pink lilies.
Ruben let me go ahead and said he would wait for me in the parking lot.
So, I walked to the spot where Mom waited for me. It felt good to visit her on my own this time. Part of me had accepted that she’d moved on but that her spirit stayed within me, giving me strength and comfort.
Reaching Mom’s grave, I spent some time cleaning up the surrounding area. A few stray bluebells had sprung on the ground nearby. They made me smile. Spring was definitely on the way despite the chilly wind blowing through the cemetery.
Laying down the flowers on her grave, I thanked her for sending Nik to save me that day. My mind clearly remembered the desperate moment when I’d called out to her to help me.
“Thank you, Mom,” I said, kneeling down beside the grave. “I’ll never let myself get that weak and careless ever again. You left behind such wonderful people to look after me. From now on, I won’t accept the way people treat me. So, what if I am at Knightswood on someone’s charity? They all need to understand it’s never okay to treat people so cruelly.”
My hands balled up in fists as anger surged through me. “I’ll make sure they see me differently, Mom. They can hate me all they want but I won’t let them hurt your daughter again.”
I remained at my mother’s grave for another hour, reminiscing the good times we spent together. Life had been so simple back then. The only struggle we really endured was to make money. The rest of it was a beautiful dream.
36
Paris
People stared at me with some kind of awe as I walked down the corridor of the student dorm with Zoya, Gabrielle, Lucas, and Liam. Clara had deftly pulled all strings to get rooms for me and my friends on the same floor. While Nik was never mentioned, it turned out that he was already renting a suite on the same hallway as Zoya.
“What do you think?” asked Zoya, opening the door to the suite opposite to hers. “Do you like the shade of blue I got for the wallpapers?”
I stared out at the lavishly-decorated suite. Zoya had chosen a periwinkle-blue for the walls. Soft leather couches crowded around a low mahogany table in the living room. Walking further inside, I found a large bed that took up most of the space that was supposed to be the bedroom.
“Why did you get me such a huge bed?” I asked, turning around to face her.
“I thought you might want to cuddle with all your boyfriends,” she said with a wink.
“That’s so thoughtful of you,” said Gabrielle with a genuine smile. “It does help to have a big bed for us all.”
I turned away from the bed, too embarrassed to look at either Liam or Gabrielle. I went over to another section which was designed to be my study. A sturdy desk and chair were placed in the corner with a long shelf full of books on the wall before it.
“Those books…” I said, recognizing the titles and author names. “How did you get them back from the fire?”
“Of course, those aren’t from your cabin,” said Lucas. “I bought them all for you. My little homecoming gift for you.”
“Aww! Thank you!” I gave him a quick hug around the middle.
“We can’t have you falling behind, nerd queen,” he said, giving my head a gentle pat.
“So?” asked Zoya with wide eyes. “Do you like it or not?”
I grinned and nodded. “I love it all!”
The boys jammed their fingers in their ears as Zoya and I started squealing and jumping with excitement. We would finally be able to see each other whenever we wanted without worrying about the long walk from my cabin to the student dorms.
With the advent of May, the teachers drove classes towards either finishing the last of the syllabus or working on revisions in anticipation of exams that would take place in the last week of June. Keeping up with classes as well as working on my joint project with Liam took up all my time.
The only silver lining among the clouds of hardcore studying was that all my friends were nearby. There was no need for us to go to the library or have them make the trip to go down to my cabin. Not only was it convenient, I felt safer among them.
The Evil Trinity glared at me each time they passed by me, but the name-calling had dropped considerably. Liam and Gabrielle hung around me and Zoya in the corridors and in the cafeteria. Even Nik began hanging out with us. It excited both Zoya and Lucas to have them around as well. Even though life was hard with exams and deadlines approaching at the speed of a bullet train, things were definitely better than before.
I didn’t see much of Lucien at school other than Math or English class. However, with all my friends surrounding me, he didn’t dare approach me but at times, I could feel his gaze on me. He might think I averted my gaze out of fear, but the reality was that I was already thinking of ways to get back at him. Shouting accusations wouldn’t hurt him. So, I was looking for an opportunity to get my hands on hard evidence. A guy like Lucien wouldn’t stay away from trouble for too long. I just had to bide my time.
May passed us by quickly.
I was exhausted by the time the exams came around. Dark circles ringed my eyes. It had been days since I caught a decent night’s sleep.
I am going to sleep all day during vacation, I vowed to myself, forcing myself to get through one more math problem.
“Hey, Paris. Are you awake?” I heard Zoya’s voice outside the door.
I got up to open the door and found three other girls standing there with her.
“We were wondering if you could help us solve a trigonometry problem,” said Zoya. “It’s the one Larsen kept hinting would come up in the exams but didn’t solve in class.”
“He’s an ass,” complained a girl with wiry red hair.
“This is Riley,” said Zoya, gesturing at her. “This is Katie,” she said, pointing at a blond girl. “And this is Alexa.” A girl with dark braids waved at me.
“Hey, come on in,” I said, moving away from the door. It was the first time other girls were willingly coming to talk to me. “I was working on the same kind of problems just before you guys came.”
“Goodie,” said Zoya, flopping onto the couch. “My brain is way too tired to think anymore. Just show me where to apply which formula and I’ll memorize it.”
Stifling a huge yawn, I brought my practice notebook over to the coffee table. Katie, Riley, and Alexa gathered around Zoya, all eagerly looking through the neatly noted steps in my book.
“Is it okay if we copy this?” asked Riley.
“Sure.”
“Do you have anything to eat?” asked Zoya who had her gaze on the notebook.
“Do you want hot chocolate?” I asked. “Or coffee?”
“Let’s have coffee,” said Alexa, yawning widely. My gaze went to the clock on the wall. It was midnight already.
Going into the kitchenette, I started preparing a big pot of coffee. There were lots of cookies available in my stash that came from Ruben. He began sending extra boxes as exam time got closer. Zoya and her friends copied my solution while I gathered everything on a tray.
“Here you go,” I said five minutes later, bringing the tray to the table.
The smell of coffee seemed to invigorate us all. For the next fifteen minutes, we drank coffee and munched o
n cookies, using the time to curse and groan about the teachers and all the hard questions they promised to set for the exams. No wonder students from Knightswood got admissions into the best universities in the country. Even the worst-performing student was far academically advanced than a regular student from a public school.
“Thanks for the solution, Paris,” said Alexa, pulling her hair into a bun and getting to her feet. “I’ll see you tomorrow in Math class.”
One by one, they said goodnight and got up to leave.
Closing the door behind them, I felt warmth inside my chest. People at the academy were finally noticing I was more than a charity case. These girls who came with Zoya looked genuinely grateful for my help. It was good to see that not everyone was as conniving as Brianna and her posse.
37
Paris
Exam week was as brutal as expected.
While the sun shone outside and the campus burst with the colors of spring, the students were forcing themselves to study in spare classrooms or the library. Exam week was probably the busiest time for the library. If you didn’t get there early enough, chances were you wouldn’t get a desk to study at.
The last exam was English. My body and mind wanted to curl up in bed and sleep and make something up for the Shakespearean essays. Instead, I sipped on my umpteenth cup of coffee and read through the notes I’d made for myself. Zoya and Lucas called it an early night and had already gone to sleep. They were both confident about passing English. In fact, most of the student body was asleep that night.
A knock sounded at my door.
The ornamental clock on the wall showed the time to be close to midnight. Wondering who it might be, I opened the door.
Nik stood on the threshold.
“Hi,” I said, hearing the surprise in my voice.
“I saw the light on in your room.”
“I am still studying. Come in.” I moved away from the doorway to let him in.
His gaze roved all around my apartment. It was the first time he’d come inside.
“It’s an English exam,” said Nik, staring at the open books on the coffee table in the living room. “There’s nothing much to memorize.”
“I’m weak in English, so I am going through all my essays and notes.” A small sigh escaped me. “All right, I want to be able to do my best tomorrow. I just don’t want to pass. I want to ace.”
A slow smile came upon his lips. Moving close to me, he cupped my face in his hands. “Almost an entire school year in Knightswood Academy and you haven’t changed a bit. You’re still so nerdy.”
I looked into his silvery-gray eyes. There was no mockery in them or in his tone. He was genuinely happy I didn’t give up being a nerd. With a start, I remembered what he’d told me. He’d been watching over me for years now. Nik made sure I never knew, just like he made sure Zoya never knew how much he cared for her.
“You’ve got to take it easy though,” he said in a deep voice that reverberated through me, igniting a fire deep within me. “I don’t want you falling ill.”
I nodded, placing a hand over his as he still cradled my face in a gentle gesture.
“I am hibernating after the exams get over,” I said.
A chuckle escaped him.
Leaning down, he pressed his lips to mine. I opened myself to him willingly, pouring in all the emotions that had been locked inside me for so long. It was always so hard to get to him. Unlike Liam and Gabrielle, he kept himself away from everyone. Most days, I would only see him in classes. Rest of the time, he disappeared from sight.
His hands slipped in through the bottom of my t-shirt. The touch of his hands on my bare skin ignited my body on fire. Moaning into his mouth, I surrendered myself to the heat coursing through me.
“I want you so much right now,” he whispered in my ear. “It’s painful.”
Pressed against his hard body, I knew he wasn’t lying. His hardness pressed against my thighs. My mind swam with the heat throbbing through me. My body begged me to let him do what he wanted. It didn’t care there was an exam the next day.
“Tomorrow,” I managed to blurt out through the haze of lust and desire. “I am all yours tomorrow.”
He moved away from me and gazed at me with such intensity, my stomach tightened.
“When?” he demanded in a low growl.
“Right after the exam.”
The way he held me tightly, I wondered if he would let me go. Part of me didn’t want him to. But the spell between us broke and he stepped away from me, taking away all the heat.
“Meet me at the back of the chapel after the exam,” he said, halting at the threshold. “Don’t be late.” Opening the door, he went out.
I went back to my notes but my mind refused to focus anymore. With a frustrated sigh, I threw it back on the table and dragged my tired body to bed.
After breakfast the next day, the whole eleventh grade at the academy entered their designated classrooms to take the English exam. My palms felt sweaty as the teachers started distributing the question sheets. English was my weakest subject so far. I hoped I remembered all the quotes and stanzas in my head, in case they were needed.
Taking a deep breath, I looked at the question sheet.
There were two essays to be written along with regular comprehension questions. I can do this, I told myself, picking up my pen to write.
Most students finished taking the test half an hour earlier. Their happy grins made me envious as I rushed to complete my essay. Soon, that cheerful smile would be on my face.
I guess I was impatient too. Handing in my paper fifteen minutes later, I walked out of the classroom.
Gathering my bag from the lockers nearby, I headed to the chapel to meet Nik. None of my friends were seated in the same classroom as me, so I hoped I wouldn’t come across one of them and get forced to go to the cafeteria for coffee and snacks.
The way to the chapel was absolutely deserted. My mind became alert. I kept looking about myself, not intending to come across Lucien or one of his rapey moronic friends.
Thankfully, the way to the chapel was clear. A blue sky shimmered overhead. Freeing the length of my indigo-hued hair from its tie, I let it sway in the cool breeze blowing down from the hills. It was a beautiful spring day.
Reaching the back of the chapel, I found Nik’s figure leaning against a wall. His bag and blazer were heaped up near his feet. The first three buttons of his shirt were open, giving me a glimpse of the hard planes of his chest underneath. His dark hair fell into his beautiful pale eyes as he turned his head to look at me.
Pushing off the wall, he sauntered towards me.
“You’re here.” Reaching me, he pulled me against him and captured my lips between his. The strap of my bag slipped off my shoulder. Nik pushed it further down, letting it fall to the ground.
His kiss was deep and desperate like he’d been starving for a taste of me.
Pressing me against a wall, he kissed me while his hands deftly opened the buttons of my shirt. Tucking it out of the waistband of my skirt, he pulled it open.
“Nik,” I whispered hoarsely. “Here?” He answered my questioning gaze with a nod. My mouth hung open slightly as I realized he wanted to take me out there…right in the open. “Anyone can come anytime.”
He forced me to turn around so that my bra-clad breasts were pressed against the wall. He pulled my shirt off my arms and let it fall to the ground.
“Did you see anyone around here?” he asked as his hand lowered the zip of my skirt. It slid down to my ankles, leaving me almost bare to him.
My insides were throbbing with need. Being out in the open brought a level of danger to our whole encounter but it ended up making my blood boil with lust. I never knew there was a lusty little exhibitionist inside me.
“You like it, right?” he crooned in my ear as his fingers slipped inside my damp slit.
I moaned in reply.
While his finger massaged my clit with languid strokes, his other hand came
up to unclasp my bra hooks. He palmed my breasts while he continued to finger my core. Loud moans escaped me as he worked my body into a frenzy. All thoughts of being watched vanished from my head. The only thing I cared about was the intense pleasure pulsing through my body.
My body tightened as his strokes became harder. I placed my hands against the walls to brace myself as a flood of pleasure cascaded down my body, threatening to weaken my knees. Nik held me tight though, making sure I remained steady on my feet.
Before I knew it, Nik’s thick head was parting through my slick entrance.
“Oh wow,” I moaned, pushing backward, desperately wanting to take his length inside me. Part of me couldn’t believe how easily we’d come to this position. We had barely spoken to each other these past few months and yet, my body was ready to open itself to him.
Nik entered me with a hard thrust. The sudden breach of my tight walls had me crying out.
“Shh,” he whispered, staying buried deep inside me. He stroked my hardened nub, deepening the intensity of pleasure coursing through me. My walls pulsed around his hardened shaft. However, he didn’t move yet, making me realize he wanted to relax me first.
Heavy groans escaped Nik as he made sure to bring me to pleasure before taking some himself. If I wasn’t already in love with him, this would be the moment I fell head over heels for him. For all the coldness he showed to the world, he was amazingly caring and tender.
I moved my hips, grinding against him, telling him I wanted more.
Nik’s hand came to squeeze a breast while his lips kissed the side of my neck and shoulders. I moaned out as he began moving inside me. The tight friction brought me the promised pleasure and soon I was happily taking his hard thrusts inside me.
“You’re so tight, Paris,” he breathed against my neck while he continued to thrust from behind me. “I am close to losing control.”
