Coercion

by Lux Zakari

  “What I don’t understand is why you’re spending all this time with me when you clearly don’t want me.” He stood, bumping her off his lap, and grabbed his jacket. “When you feel like explaining it to me, let me know.”

  Michael turned to leave, but Valerie hooked her fingers into the back pocket of his jeans. He looked over his shoulder to see her staring at him, her eyes wide and shining. “Wait,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “Michael, please. Don’t leave. I’m sorry. I do want you. You know that.”

  “You have a funny way of showing it.”

  “What do you want from me?” she asked, her desperation evident.

  One of the audience members a few rows in front of them turned around to look at them for a moment before facing forward again. Michael reclaimed his seat and leaned over to say softly in Valerie’s ear, “To turn you on.”

  She didn’t respond, and he slipped his hand back inside her shirt.

  “Why won’t you let me do that?” He reached beneath her bra to finger the already hard nipple awaiting him.

  Valerie still didn’t answer, and he motioned for her to sit on his lap. She once again sat between his legs, and he kept one hand inside her shirt as the other drifted down her body. He moved her skirt higher on her legs, exposing the pale, smooth skin there one inch at a time until the fabric hovered around her hips and her cotton candy pink panties were revealed. He could hear her breathing increase before he even touched her, and he knew she could feel his hard-on pressing against her back.

  His hand brushed her warm upper thigh. “You have no idea how good you feel right now.” He enjoyed her sharp intake of breath at his words, and his fingers moved between her legs.

  Her panties were already soaked when he touched her clit, betraying her earlier protests. She parted her legs slightly, and he continued to caress her breasts while he pulled the crotch of her panties aside, letting the cool air of the theater brush against her hot pussy. She squirmed against him, and he could see her eyes were closed tight and she was trying not to make a sound. The movie continued, clearly forgotten.

  His thumb moved over her clit, and he wasted no time sliding a finger inside her, immediately extracting a stifled moan from her. She arched her back, her breasts pushing into his palm. He suppressed a groan of his own; she was unbelievably wet. He wasn’t sure what it was about today that made her more receptive to him, but he didn’t want to question it. Why bother?

  He added another finger inside her as his thumb continued to press against her clit. He could feel the slick walls of her pussy start to close in around his fingers. “I think you’re ready for me.”

  “Here? Now?” Her voice trembled along with her body.

  “Here, now.”

  “But someone will see or hear us.”

  Michael removed his wet fingers from her body. “It’s either that or finish yourself off.”

  Valerie turned to stare at him with a hurt expression, and Michael wondered if he’d pushed her too far. It wasn’t that he enjoyed being unkind to her—he just didn’t see the point in feigning false intentions, which she certainly seemed inclined to do. Did she actually expect him to sit beside her during the movie and not make a pass at her? Wasn’t that the whole point of why they were there? They both knew what she truly wanted, and there was only so much teasing he could take.

  Her forehead wrinkled as she looked around the near-empty theater, and he already knew her answer was yes before she said another word. “But how—”

  He silenced her with a kiss. “Stand and don’t say another word.”

  Valerie slowly rose to her feet, and he grinned at her before tugging her panties down her legs. She stepped out of them as his mouth moved from the backs of her knees and worked his way under her skirt. He kissed up to the underside of her ass cheek before deciding if he didn’t act fast, it would all be over before they both knew it.

  He reached in his pocket for a condom and stood, the seat creaking as the cushion swung upward into place. Then he stepped behind Valerie, his hands moving up her legs and bunching her skirt around her waist. He bit the inside of his mouth to avoid concentrating too hard on her exposed backside, and reached between her legs to stroke the wetness he knew awaited him. Her legs wobbled in response, and she gripped the back of the seat in front of her.

  Michael put the unopened condom in his teeth as he unzipped his jeans, reaching around to touch her clit with his free hand. She let out a hiss of pleasure and dropped her head, her knuckles turning white as her grasp on the seats tightened.

  He quickly freed his cock from his jeans and tore open the condom with his teeth, spitting out the bit of foil left in his mouth on the floor. Then he rolled it over his cock and said softly, “I wanna hear you say you want me.” His cock nudged her inner thighs, the tip grazing her opening.

  She paused. “I want you,” she finally said in a whisper.

  Under duress or not, it was all the encouragement Michael needed. His cock pushed inside her slowly, and he covered her mouth with one hand as he continued to manipulate her clit with the other. Her teeth dug into his skin, sure to leave marks, but he forged ahead, completely immersing his cock inside her.

  Michael felt her start to contract around him, but vowed it wasn’t going to be over just yet. He thrust slowly at first to avoid making much noise, but the movie soon covered most of the sound. His fingers moved faster over her clit, quickly rushing her to orgasm. A quiet cry escaped her as her pussy squeezed him, extracting the rest of his willpower from him. He came, pulsing inside her, his one hand seemingly burning its imprint on her naked hip.

  After they’d caught their breath, he withdrew from her and rolled off the condom, dropping it in his empty soda cup and kicking it under his seat before zipping his pants and sitting again.

  Valerie slowly followed suit, reaching for her wet panties then sitting before quietly pulling them back on. She tugged her skirt down and stared blankly at the screen. For a moment, Michael wondered if she was upset, but then she turned to him, as if she felt him looking at her. A smile lit her face.

  He leaned toward her, his damp hair clinging to his forehead. “Why don’t we get out of here?”

  “Okay.” Her eyes twinkled.

  He grinned as they got to their feet. The Valerie he knew was back.

  * * * *

  “So where are we going now?” Valerie asked as Michael pulled out of the movie theater’s parking lot.

  Michael smiled. “Someplace special.”

  He pulled into Kenton College’s parking lot ten minutes later. She looked at him questioningly. “I thought we weren’t going to classes today.”

  “We aren’t.” He removed the key from the ignition and nudged open his door with his foot.

  Valerie scrambled to escape her seat belt and hop out of the truck as he strode across the parking lot a few steps ahead of her in the direction of Rightmer Hall. She ran to catch up. “Then what’re we doing here?”

  He threw an arm around her shoulder and led her behind the concrete building to a shady, secluded spot, littered with cigarette butts. “You ever been stoned?” She shook her head, and his grin widened. “Then today’s your lucky day.”

  “Michael!” She stopped walking and grabbed at the hem of his jacket. “Are you serious? This is school property. We can’t.”

  “Yes, we can. I do it all the time.” He grabbed her wrist and tugged her into the overgrown grass beside him. Then he pulled a joint from the front pocket of his jacket. “Come on. It’ll be fun.”

  Valerie’s stomach took a nosedive and she gave herself a hug, rubbing her upper arms. “I don’t know about this. We could get caught.”

  “I know.” He fumbled in his jacket pockets for a lighter, the joint hanging out of his mouth.

  “So... I don’t want to get caught.”

  He sighed. “Then just fucking go. Jesus, I can’t stand it when you whine.”

  She froze. “I’m not a whiner.”

  He lit the join
t and took a few leisurely sips on it. “Yeah, okay.”

  “When have I ever whined?”

  Michael breathed out a cloud of smoke. “Are you serious? Like right fucking now. Decide already. Are you going to smoke this with me or not?”

  Valerie eyed him as he took another hit. “I don’t know how to do it.”

  “Ever smoke a cigarette?” he asked in a pinched voice, and she shook her head. He blew out another smoky stream. “Why am I not surprised?” He handed her the joint. “Look, just hold it like this, with your thumb and index finger, and then breathe in. Yeah, like that. No, no, no—don’t let it out yet. Hold it in as long as you—” She exploded into a coughing fit. “—can.” He shrugged and took the joint back from her. “You’ll get the hang of it.”

  “I will?” She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

  He winked at her. “We both already know you’re a fast learner.”

  They continued to pass the joint back and forth, and although Valerie was able to hold the smoke in her lungs for longer periods between each hit, the butterflies in her stomach wouldn’t stop flapping their wings. Her anxiety only increased, and the hair on the back of her neck rose as the world wavered before her, like she viewed everything through poorly made glass. Valerie whipped her head from side to side as quickly as she could, but felt trapped in slow motion. She grabbed her forehead and stared at the ground.

  “What’s wrong?” Michael lit one of his menthol cigarettes after the joint was extinguished.

  “Everything. I can’t seem to move fast enough. I try but nothing seems to make a difference. And I’m having all these really strange thoughts, but I can’t remember any of them. They’re all disappearing.” She looked at him, distressed. “I hate this. I hate not remembering. Where’re my thoughts going?”

  “You don’t have to remember everything. You’re stoned. Just go with it.”

  “But I had the coolest thought about the grass just a few moments ago.” She gestured to the forest in front of her. “Now it’s gone. It must’ve been too important for me to remember.”

  “Maybe it was a thought not worth keeping.”

  “Michael!” She lightly smacked his arm with the back of her hand. “That was so insightful, I mean it. I really love that. I wish I had a pen or something so I could write that down.” She smiled at him, her eyelids heavy. “You’re so amazing.”

  “Right.”

  “Seriously.” She sighed. “I’m sorry about the last couple of weeks. I know I’ve been pretty distant. I was just upset about all the stuff that had happened. I felt like you were jerking me around. My parents aren’t sure you’re right for me, and I lost my best friend because of you.”

  He didn’t reply, and she touched his arm.

  “But I really care about you, Michael. Having you near me is worth all that to me.” She gripped his arm. “I love it when we’re together. Don’t you?” She reached for his free hand and entwined her fingers with his. “I wouldn’t want to be with anyone else. I know we’ve had a bunch of not-so-great moments, but I think that overall, you really know how to make me feel good. You make me feel wanted.”

  He studied her for a moment then looked away, putting his cigarette to his lips again. “Good.”

  Valerie rested her head on his shoulder and stared at the thick copse of trees. “I’m sorry I was whining before. You’re right. I guess this is fun.”

  “I told you. When are you going to accept I know exactly what you want?”

  “You do.” She nodded. “You really do. I love you for that.”

  A few moments of stark silence drifted by, then Michael coughed and stubbed out his cigarette. “I’ll be right back.” He stood so fast Valerie almost fell over.

  “Where’re you going?” she asked, stricken.

  “To piss. Jesus.” He shook his head, frowning. “What are you, a cop?”

  “I’m sorry.” She stretched her legs out in front of her and folded her hands in her lap. “I guess I’ll wait here.”

  “Okay, I’ll be right back.”

  * * * *

  Michael headed around the side of Rightmer Hall, but instead of relieving himself, he kept walking across the quiet campus. His brain switched off as he let his feet make his decisions. He headed inside Verget Hall, wandering the deserted hallways and passing a few rooms with open doors, where students sat at their desks, looking bored as a professor paced in front of them.

  He bent over a water fountain, his tongue lapping at the arc of cool water, easing his dry mouth. He rose from the fountain, a drop of water falling from his lower lip, and pressed his forehead against the glass of one of the nearby windows overlooking the winding, paved paths of the campus. When would his heart stop feeling like someone had practiced whittling with it? He felt like crying but didn’t know why.

  “Michael!”

  He turned to see Breeze, strolling down the hallway toward him as if in slow motion and wearing a pair of brown knee-high boots under a flowing skirt. His heart tugged at the sight of those boots—he used to beg her to fuck him wearing them and only them. She’d always been willing to acquiesce.

  “Hey.” He nodded at her, forcing his desire aside.

  “Where you coming from?” She snickered. “Wait, let me guess. You have ‘behind Rightmer’ all over you.”

  “Congratulations. You’re psychic.”

  “No. I just know you, Michael.”

  He drew in a deep breath. “So what’re you doing here?”

  She let out a giggle, sending a warm thrill through him. “I go to school here.”

  Michael rolled his eyes. “No shit. I meant here, loitering in the hallway. Aren’t you supposed to be in class?”

  “Exam day. I finished early.” She arched an eyebrow. “I’d planned on heading home, but now that you’re here… Know what I am in the mood for?”

  “Come on.” His heart pounded. “Are you serious?”

  She nodded. “Very serious.”

  He bit his lip. “Don’t screw with me, Breeze. Why do we always have to do this?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I meant Long John Silver’s. Wanna go for lunch?”

  His gaze dropped to the floor, and he released a long stream of air in order to calm the thudding pain in his chest. His mouth opened as if to say something, but he snapped it shut and let out a harsh, abrupt laugh. “Wow. I don’t even know what to say to that.” He shook his head. “I’ll just go with ‘no.’ In fact, I’ll just go.”

  He turned to leave, but Breeze’s voice stopped him. “Wait. I don’t want to ‘always have to do this’ either. I’ve been doing really well lately, but that doesn’t change the fact I miss you and still care about you.”

  “Could’ve fooled me.” He shuffled from one foot to the other. “Unless today’s Opposite Day, and people show they care about each other by completely blowing them off.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry. I feel horrible about everything that’s been going on. Look, I don’t know about you, but I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and I’ve decided no matter what, I still want you in my life, at the very least as my friend.” She touched his chin gently, forcing him to look at her. “What do you think? Can we be friends?”

  Michael’s stomach churned as he looked into her eyes. He couldn’t imagine Breeze as just his friend, and was sick at the foreign, disturbing thought of not wanting her as his girlfriend. Still, he croaked, “I don’t see why not.”

  Breeze beamed. “Good. I really hope so.” She dropped her hand back to her side. “So what do you think? Can we start being friends today? Say, at L.J.S.?” She gave him a nudge. “If you’re nice, I’ll let you buy me a root beer float.”

  * * * *

  Valerie gnawed the skin near her thumbnail, and a small pool of blood instantly circled her cuticle. She popped her thumb in her mouth and the metallic taste coated her tongue. Where was Michael? She was sure he’d be back by now.

  Standing on shaky
legs, she peered around the side of the building. No sign of him. No sign of anyone, in fact. A crow cawed overhead in a tree and she jumped, startled. Valerie had never been so acutely aware of being alone before in her life.

  She swallowed hard and coughed. Her mouth felt like she had been eating sand. She leaned against Rightmer Hall and looked at the canopy of trees overhead. “Michael, where are you?” She was immediately embarrassed at the sound of her voice, which seemed so screechy. No wonder Michael thought she always whined.

  Something rustled in the forest, and she froze. Her heart hammered as she thought of all the possible sources of the noise, and decided she didn’t like any of them. What if it was a wild animal? A year ago, all classes had been canceled because a black bear ambled onto the campus. She choked back a whimper of fear and scurried out from behind the building. Her feet pounded on the paved path, and she hurried inside Rightmer via the nearest entrance.

  Her mood didn’t improve like she’d hoped once she was indoors. The building had a sense of familiarity, but she couldn’t help seeing everything as if through the eyes of a stranger. Valerie leaned against the wall and took a few gulps of air, trying to calm down. She internally screamed Michael’s name and begged for him to materialize and tell her everything was going to be okay.

  “Valerie?” Daniel Travato stepped out of the men’s bathroom, a textbook in hand. He stared at her, his eyebrows furrowed with concern. “Are you okay?”

  A splash of embarrassment overwhelmed her and she turned away, realizing she didn’t want him to see her in her current state. “I don’t want you to know me like this.”

  “Valerie!” His hurried footsteps sounded behind her, and he grabbed her arm and spun her around so she faced him. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, okay?” She covered her face with one hand, peering at Daniel through her fingers. “Just don’t look at me. I don’t want to see you right now.”

  “Why not? What happened? Did someone hurt you?”

  She laughed at his question. Her giggles sounded like hysterical shrieks as she sank to the floor in the middle of the hallway.