by Mia Carson
I hoped practice would improve my mood. We ran a few plays, and my focus got better. The world whirled around me as I ran fast and hard down the field, pushing myself. I dodged the other players and performed every play with ease. By the time practice was over, I was a gloriously sweaty mess, and I headed to the showers, waving to Alyssa, who was waiting for me near the bleachers.
I took a quick shower and changed, noticing I was the first one to leave the locker room. I wondered if I was being too eager, but I couldn’t help myself. I was excited to spend time with her. I jogged over to Alyssa. It felt weird to be so exhilarated for studying, but being around her made anything seem exciting.
“How was practice?” she asked me as we walked away from the football field.
“Good, actually. I guess you were right about today,” I said, smiling down at her. We walked close, our arms brushing as we moved.
“I’m always right,” she told me playfully.
“Well, your day can’t go wrong with me around,” I said slyly, giving her a wink. She rolled her eyes, but the small smirk on her face indicated that I might be right. As we walked, I noticed we weren’t heading in the right direction for the library. “Where are we going?” I asked, interrupting the comfortable silence that had surrounded us.
“Oh…well, I was studying in the library during practice, and it’s full of kids cramming for finals, so I thought we could go somewhere quieter.”
My skin prickled at the thought of being completely alone with Alyssa. I pushed the thought away, reminding myself I had to focus on the schoolwork. Alyssa led me up the stairs of the main building. She pulled out a set of keys as we approached one of the many doors that lined the side of the long, empty hallway.
“I’m the assistant TA for this class, and I was able to get the keys so we could study in here,” she explained as she unlocked and opened the door. I raised my eyebrows, impressed.
We walked into the empty classroom, which looked more like a chemistry lab than an actual classroom, with two rows of oblong desks that each sat two people. Most of the tables had beakers and measuring cups. The table closest to the door was empty, and I watched as Alyssa set her stuff down, pulling out textbooks and binders full of neat, hand-written notes.
I smiled at the cute wrinkle on her face as she flipped through books. She looked up at me and said, “Well, are we going to study or what?”
I chuckled and tossed my backpack on the table, taking the seat next to her. I watched her as she talked, but I was so focused on her plump, pink lips moving that I didn’t hear her words.
“Hellooooo?” She dragged out the word as she waved a hand in front of my face. I laughed and knocked her hand aside, electricity jolting as her skin touched mine. I pulled my hand quickly away from hers. The few inches of our skin connecting was enough to send me reeling.
“Sorry.” I dragged in a breath and let out a low, wheezy laugh. “What were you saying?”
She blinked a few times before answering, apparently caught off-guard, then finally stuttered, “I was…uh, asking what you wanted to go over first?”
I let out a sigh and turned to my textbooks. I slid out a large, heavy green one labeled “Biology.” With a sigh, I tapped the cover and said, “This is probably my most difficult class right now.”
She nodded and pulled out the same book from her backpack, setting it on the table with a loud thud. I watched her carefully as she flipped delicately through the pages and pulled out one of her many binders to look through the notes.
“We’re not in the same class timeslot, but we have the same professor. We’ll have to take the same exam, and I have loads of notes on this subject,” Alyssa informed me. Her voice had an edge of excitement in it, as if she actually found joy in helping me.
We studied for almost an hour together, our bodies less than a foot apart, and I could feel her warm breath breeze by me as she spoke softly. By the end of the hour, I was anxious and antsy, the proximity between us almost unbearable. I couldn’t stop staring at the soft, bare skin on her neck, desperate to press my lips against her throat and taste it, sweet and supple. I shook my head and focused on the book in front of me.
Alyssa looked at me and said, “Do you want to take a break? You look a little distracted.”
I nodded and shot up from my chair, my muscles tense from being so near to her. She stared at me, semi-confused. I spoke quickly to reassure her. “Yeah, I just have to use the bathroom. I’ll be back.”
I left the classroom and let out a long, heavy sigh. Being in a different room than Alyssa meant I could finally breathe properly. I took a walk down the hallway and cleared my mind of her. I didn’t actually have to use the bathroom, so I headed down the empty hallway and leaned against a wall, taking another minute to collect myself.
My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my jeans pocket. Brittney had sent me a text message. I grimaced, annoyed, but clicked to open the message anyway. My eyes scanned the text on the screen quickly. Hey, take me to the party on Friday?? It was followed by several smiley faces.
I almost clicked delete, but she would be a good distraction, so I texted her a reply saying that I would pick her up before the party. I headed back to the classroom with my phone clutched tightly in my hand. I opened the door quietly and watched Alyssa sitting gracefully at the desk, scrolling on her phone. Before she looked up, I noticed she had taken off her white sweater, leaving her in a tight, white camisole and her little pink skirt.
She looked up at me. “Feeling better?” I nodded, unable to take my eyes off her as I sat down and tossed my phone on the table without a thought. “Great,” she murmured, sliding her phone into her backpack. “Let’s get back to work, then.”
My eyes flicked towards her sweater, and I mumbled, “Were you warm?”
She looked at the sweater that she had folded neatly and placed near the edge of the table and nodded. “Oh…yeah, it’s weird. It’s, like, only forty degrees out, but I was really warm. I feel a little yucky.”
“Want to quit for tonight?” I asked. “I mean, if you feel bad, we can go home and study tomorrow.”
“No, I’m good,” she murmured, clearing her throat.
We worked until almost eight o’clock. The classroom was fairly dark at this point, but we worked diligently. Alyssa explained her notes to me, and she referenced a chart from the textbook. I leaned closer to see the small font printed in the book. We were only inches apart now, our bodies sideways in the chairs so that we were facing each other. I looked up from the book and scooted closer to Alyssa. Unable to refrain a moment longer, I placed my hands on her bare thighs just above her knee. Her skin was incredibly soft beneath my touch, and so warm that I didn’t want to stop touching her.
She looked at me with wild, shimmering blue eyes. “What are you doing?” she whispered, her voice anxious behind the breathy excitement.
“Breaking the rules,” I whispered with a smile, leaning towards her. Our lips touched, and I heard a relieved sigh escape her mouth, as if she, too, had been waiting for this moment.
My thumbs massaged small circles at the top of her thighs where my hands were clamped onto her legs. I pressed my lips roughly onto her soft, pouty ones. Long kisses were exchanged between us, each one as delectable as the last. My hands moved slowly up her leg as our kisses deepened. Our tongues flicked and slid against each other’s as we shared hot, open-mouthed kisses. I needed more of her, more of her skin, and I moved one hand up to her face, holding it firmly as I ripped my lips off hers to press kisses down her throat. My muscles tensed as she let out a soft coo, the sound making me want her more.
I pulled down the strap of her camisole as I kissed her collarbone, the skin so sweet and soft. I could feel her hands on my shoulders, pressing me even harder against her. I grabbed her breasts through her shirt. I kissed her again, and she was ready, kissing me with a hot passion.
“Blake,” she moaned against my lips, “I want more of you.�
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Her voice was soft between the kisses, and I pulled away, holding her face in my hands. I stared intensely into her sparkling blue eyes and whispered, “I want all of you.”
I wrapped my arms tightly around her small waist and pulled her onto my lap, her legs on either side as she straddled me in my chair. Her face was the same height as mine, and she kissed me softly, her hands running through my hair. I pressed her hips down, grinding our bodies together in fast, rocking motions. I let out a groan from the immense pleasure.
She rocked her hips in the same heady, fast motion as mine, and I could feel the muscles in her thighs tightening around me. Even though her body was pressed against mine, I wanted her even closer. I continued to rock my hips and kiss her deeply as I moved my hands up her shirt, feeling the soft, smooth skin of her back.
I reached for her bra clasp and undid it quickly. She pulled away from my lips for just a moment as she slid off her bra and shirt. “Fuck,” I breathed as I took in the sight of her. Her tight stomach and bare breasts, paired with her rosy cheeks and swollen lips, was enough to send me over the edge.
I leaned into her chest, pressing my mouth against her warm skin, massaging her breasts with my hands as she moaned and moved in soft thrusts against me. I kissed a breast and closed my mouth around a nipple. She clutched me desperately. I felt her fingers around the edge of my shirt, and I pulled away so she could pull it off.
Her hands moved softly against my chest, running along the sensitive ridges of my tensed muscles. I watched Alyssa as she moved and kissed me softly and deliberately. This kiss was different from the others, so tender and gentle, lingering long after she pulled away. She looked at me, her eyes bright with questions.
I maneuvered our bodies closer. Her hot, bare skin pressed tightly against mine, and every nerve was alive inside of me. In that moment, I felt every part of her and every part of myself, hot and melded together, intertwined and entangled. I kissed her again, slow and deliberate, our lips barely touching and then slowly compressing together. No amount of closeness was close enough. Her hands held my face as we kissed. I was so lost in her, the whole world was gone. It was just me and Alyssa.
Suddenly, she jerked away from me, and my body turned cold, my world empty. I looked at her, bewildered, and she stared at me, crossing her arms over her bare chest, her head cocked to the side. “Did you hear that?” she asked in a whisper.
I shook my head and opened my mouth to answer, but she held up her finger, silencing me as she listened intently. We sat in silence for a moment, and as I shifted in my seat, what we had just done hitting me. She looked at me, moving awkwardly. “I heard someone in the hallway.”
I nodded slowly, and we gazed at each other for a long moment. We both wanted more, but we had gone far enough and could have been caught.
Alyssa grabbed her clothes and quickly slid her top on again. She grabbed her sweater and books, stuffing them in her backpack. “We should probably get going. It’s getting late.”
I slid my shirt on and grabbed my jacket from my bag, putting it on before throwing my books into my backpack. I tossed it over my shoulder and peered at Alyssa, who was ready to head out the door. I stepped close to her, and she froze, looking up at me as I spoke. “Hey, Lys, I’m sorry.”
She smiled a small smile and touched my face gently. “Don’t be,” she whispered. I smiled sadly at her and turned to leave. My phone buzzed harshly as it vibrated against the table where I’d left it. Alyssa grabbed it for me and said, “You almost left your phone.”
She glanced at the screen, scowled immediately, and pushed past me without a word, practically throwing my phone at me. Confused, I called, “Alyssa, wait for me!”
I let out a groan when I saw what had upset Alyssa so badly: another text from Brittney. I look forward to our date baby, followed by a winky face and a heart. “Dammit.” I cursed under my breath because I had forgotten about Friday night.
I left the classroom and walked to the parking lot where Alyssa waited in the car for me. She looked like she had been crying, and I felt guilty. I never intended to hurt her, but how could I make her see that? “Lys…” I began softly around a lump in my throat and an odd, hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach.
She shook her head, ending the apology before I could begin. We drove home in silence. I looked over at Alyssa as she drove, still guilty for hurting her. The emotion was raw, cutting me deeply as I stewed in my own self-loathing. I was so intent on protecting her from all those terrible guys, but at the end of the day, I had hurt her. The fact that I had no real feelings for Brittney made the whole thing even worse, and I questioned the way I was acting. Was this really the kind of person I wanted to be?
We pulled up to the house, and I was relieved that the ride was finally over. I grabbed my backpack and duffle bag full of football equipment, hoisting it over my shoulder. Alyssa left her backpack in the car and walked up the steps to the house. Just before she opened the door, I watched as her body slowly crumpled, falling to the floor of the porch with a hard, thudding noise.
“Alyssa!” I cried out in panic and dropped my duffel bag to rush over to her. She lay on the ground, unmoving, and fear seized my heart. I had no idea what had happened or what to do. I knelt beside her, reaching down gently to touch her face, and called her name again. “Alyssa, please wake up,” I moaned, shaking her. Her skin was hot to the touch and covered in a layer of clammy sweat. Relief shot through me as I watched her slowly blink her eyes open.
“Blake,” she said hoarsely. “I’m not feeling very well.”
I set my backpack down on the ground and scooped up her small body with ease. “You’re going to be okay, kid,” I told her, carrying her into the house and up the stairs to her room.
I set her down gently on the bed as she said, “Thank you.” Fluttering her eyes shut, she turned her head, clearly exhausted.
“Alyssa. You have a fever. I’m going to get you some medicine, okay?” I told her in a strong, clear voice.
She didn’t open her eyes but simply nodded, turning over and curling into herself. I was nervous about leaving her, but she needed something to lower her fever. I ran out into the hall and to the bathroom, pawing through the medicine cabinet, scanning the labels of the different bottles until I finally found something that would reduce her fever.
I ran downstairs, bottle of pills in my hand, collected my stuff from outside, and tossed it in the living room, quickly locking the door behind me. I didn’t know where my mom or Rich were, so I was on my own as far as helping Alyssa. I went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and bounded back up the stairs as quickly as I had come down.
She was still lying in bed, but I watched as her body shuddered violently. She was shivering even though sweat beaded her body. I placed my hand on her burning hot skin, turning her towards me as I sat on the edge of the bed. “Alyssa, I need you to take these,” I said carefully, placing the pills in her hand and handing her the water after I helped her to sit up.
She nodded, swallowing the pills with a big gulp of water. She drank a little more and said, “Thank you.”
“Is there anything else you need?” I asked, unsure how to help her. I watched her as she lay back on the bed, resting her head on her pillows and shaking her head weakly. I hated to see her so fragile like this. I sat on the bed for a while, watching her shake and shiver, feeling useless.
I decided to leave and let her get some rest. I covered her up with the pink comforter, shut her bedroom door quietly, and went to my room and laid down. The day had really wiped me out. I would check on Alyssa in a little bit and take a small nap in the meantime. My eyes closed, and sleep came fast and easily.
My eyes blinked open when I heard a weird sound coming from down the hall. I sat up, looking at the alarm clock near my bed. 2:54 am. I groaned, sliding out of bed, and entered the hallway wearily. I remembered Alyssa was sick and felt bad because I had never gone to check up on
her. I stumbled quickly down the hallway, the heaving noises becoming louder as I neared the bathroom.
“Lyssa?” I called out, peering into the bathroom. She knelt on the ground in front of the toilet bowl in the same clothes as earlier, and her hair fell into her face as she leaned over it.
She was unable to answer me, though, as she gagged and vomited violently. The sight of it made me nauseous, but I stepped into the bathroom anyway, kneeling next to her on the ground. I pulled her hair out of her face, and she rested her head on the rim of the toilet seat, exhaustion visible on her sunken face. Her skin was deadly pale and covered in sweat, and she had dark rims under her eyes. Her chest heaved up and down with painful breaths.
I was nervous and unsure, and our parents must not have heard Alyssa because their bedroom was downstairs. I rubbed her back gently, and standing up, said, “I’ll be right back, Alyssa. I’m going to go get my mom.”
I hurried downstairs and knocked on our parents’ door. My mom opened it after a moment, wary. “Blake?” she asked, confused, rubbing her eyes with her hand.
“Alyssa is upstairs in the bathroom. I think she’s really sick,” I explained in a worried, rushed tone.
Mom followed me quickly upstairs, the concern for her stepdaughter’s health waking her up. “What happened?” she asked as we walked to the bathroom.
“She had a fever last night,” I said. “Now she’s throwing up, and she looks pretty pale.”
When we reached the bathroom, Alyssa was still kneeling over the toilet, sick and dazed. My mom rushed to her side and asked her how she was feeling. Alyssa weakly told her what was wrong, and my mother listened intently, nodding her head as she spoke. I stood helplessly in the doorway of the bathroom, feeling useless again.
