Scalding Hot Chocolate

by Jaliza A. Burwell

  Glancing around, I tried to find everyone. The twins were at their cubby, talking with another student animatedly. “Where’s Dayton and Koen?” I asked.

  Bryce glanced around. “I think Dayton is helping a student clean up. There was a juice mishap. Koen will be in soon. He needed to make a phone call.”

  A chair off to the side called to me. I beelined for it and sighed as I sat down, fighting another yawn. Feeling hot, I took off my jacket.

  “Are you okay?” Bryce asked.

  “Yeah, why?”

  He hovered over me, not looking impressed. That darn frown was back again, his hands shoved into his black jeans. “You look exhausted. Maybe you should go home and get some rest.”

  Shaking my head furiously, I said, “No. Nope. Not happening. My kiddies want me here, and frankly, I want to be here.”

  Bryce scowled before blowing out a slow breath. “Just take care of yourself, and if you need to rest, let us know.”

  “Of course.”

  A little boy came laughing into the room from a door off to the side, and a moment later Dayton came through with a small smile, eyes light with happiness as he looked around the room. It was like a moment of watching a lord look over his subjects.

  He’d be a good king. He had my vote for sure.

  His eyes met mine, and his expression lit up as a massive grin spread across his face.

  “Maddie, glad you made it. Ready to help keep the rugrats in line?”

  I smiled. “Sorry, I’m the leader of the rugrat faction, so you’re never going to stand a chance.”

  After chuckling, he said with a smirk, “Looking forward to it.”

  Something crashed, and Dayton winced. He closed his eyes briefly before turning to see what disaster had managed to transpire with a sound like that. “Kylie, I told you if you wanted the crayons, to ask and I’d get them for you. Now pick everything up and put it away. You don’t have time to draw.” He walked away as he talked.

  “Here.” A cold bottle of water popped in front of my face, and I jerked back at its sudden appearance. Bryce held it out to me. “Drink it all before we leave.”

  “I can’t do that. I’ll end up going to the bathroom every thirty minutes.”

  “You need your fluids.”

  “What’s wrong with her?” Koen was at Bryce’s side, staring at me. It took me a moment to realize it was him, my attention stuck on his face.

  “What’s on your face?” I asked.

  He blinked, trying to figure out what I was talking about.

  “That!” I pointed to his glasses. “Since when?”

  Koen moved closer and pushed my finger away with a scowl. “Don’t point, Maddie. And they’re only glasses.”

  “Yes, but I’ve never seen you with those before.” I kept looking at them, and my cheeks heated, unable to look away. I really, really liked him with glasses on. It—I don’t know—made him feel more… real. Yeah, real. For a moment, I thought Koen was going to roll his eyes, but then I remembered this was Koen; he’d never do such a thing.

  “Maddie, what’s wrong?” Koen moved closer, showing his concern.

  “Nothing,” I said, my eyes darting to the side. A clear sign of my truthfulness.

  “She’s tired.” Bryce had to open his big mouth.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Sure you are.”

  I was determined to keep my bickering going with Bryce, because I was a goddess when it came to winning this kind of sparring matches. Koen wanted no part of it, and by the way he grabbed the water, wanted it to stop. He twisted the top off and shoved it back at me, somehow managing not to spill it.

  I wanted to learn that trick.

  “Drink half of it before we leave.” His no nonsense look told me he wasn’t going to take no as an answer.

  “Fine.” I grumbled under my breath about him being a butthead as I grabbed the water from him.

  He raised an eyebrow as if he heard me. My eyes widened. That had to be impossible. Unless… I eyed him, trying to determine which supernatural creature he would fit best.

  Shifter? Vampire? An incubus.

  Vampire. Had to be a vampire. He dressed fancy enough for it and didn’t seem to care that he had to sacrifice nice clothes today.

  Koen wore a dark red sweater that looked super soft and matched it with black trousers. His getup made him look delicious and sophisticated, which was interesting because we were among children, and they tore sophisticated people apart. No matter where we were, or what we were doing, children always had a knack for getting sticky fingers.

  It was their magic trick, and I knew by the end of the day, he was going to fall victim to it. And if he didn’t, I was going to make sure he did.

  The silence may have dragged on long enough as I got lost in my thoughts because Koen sighed. “You’re not as quiet as you think you were. You can call me a butthead all you want. I still want you to drink the water.”

  Bryce laughed as my face became beat red, and I was tempted to hide in the bathroom and dunk my face in cold water.

  I’d ruin my clothes, but darn, that cold water would feel so good. I was overheating here, and I had already taken off my jacket. I couldn’t take off much else while in the presence of children.

  I drank the water like a good girl, hoping that would at least help calm me down. Why did Koen have to be so good-looking with glasses on and why did he have to be so smart?

  As I glared at Koen, I put the cap back on. He smirked and nodded, happy with the fulfillment of his silly demand. I wasn’t a child.

  “Okay,” Dayton called out, gaining everyone’s attention. “Time to get going. All the children gather, we’ll ride the bus. Chaperones, you are more than welcome to drive yourself or ride with us.”

  In short time, all the kids were in line like good little ducklings, ready to leave. Bryce stood at the back, teasing the kid at the end. Lawson and Lee were hopping around in the middle of the line.

  “Are you going on the bus?” Koen asked.

  “I didn’t think about that,” I said, wondering if it’d be a good idea to take my car or save on gas and go on the bus. I didn’t really like the idea of being on a bus full of kiddies or not having an escape route if I needed a quick getaway.

  I hated to admit it, especially after the whole failed showdown against Bryce and Koen, but I didn’t feel all that well. I needed to be able to put a window down.

  “I should probably drive.” I bit my lip. That sounded tiring too.

  Koen sensed something from me. He had to have used that third of eye his or his superpowers. Either way, he asked, “Want to ride with me? It’s about an hour drive from here.”

  My eyes widened, not expecting the offer. It felt a little intimate. A car ride with Koen?

  I narrowed my eyes. “What kind of music do you listen to? Because if you listen to something stuffy, I’d rather not.”

  He chuckled. “I listen to whatever you want to.”

  “Full control over the radio?”

  “Yes, you’ll have full control. If we leave now and get a head start, I can stop at a Dunkin or Starbucks and you can get a hot chocolate too.”

  I refused to hesitate against an offer like that. “Deal.”

  “Come on then.”

  He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. After a quick goodbye and promises to see the twins soon, Koen led the way to his car. He drove something shiny, black, and perfectly him. It fit with him as a lawyer, and I hadn’t expected him to drive anything else.

  Inside was roomy and all leather. My butt squeaked as I shifted around, which made me giggle and move around some more. The seats even had warmers in them. Super fancy. The car purred to life, but he didn’t move.

  After a few moments, I looked over. “You know, the car works better when you put it into drive.”

  “I will,” he said. “When you put your seatbelt on.”

  “Oh, sorry.” I quickly snapped the contraption in place, feeling a little embarras
sed.

  While Koen worked on getting navigation set up, I did music, plugging in my favorite playlist. Pink of course was involved. So were Halsey, Shawn Mendez, and The Chainsmokers.

  “You have an interesting taste,” Koen said as Imagine Dragons came on.

  “Only the best. A song needs to have good tunes, but also good lyrics. These people tell stories. They speak to the soul. I can put it on, close my eyes, and go on a journey with them.”

  “Who’s your favorite?”

  “You’re listening to all my favorites.” I huffed. “Why do people insist a favorite be chosen? Especially when there are so many different types, and different reasons. It’s like asking for me to choose a favorite between the twins.” I pursed my lips for a moment. “Okay, I lied. It is possible to pick. Yesterday, Lee helped me with the dishes before bed, so he was my favorite. This morning, Lawson woke me up with kisses and a snuggle, so he was my favorite. Who knows which of them will be favorite tomorrow.”

  That got him chuckling as he pulled up to a Dunkin. I grinned big before hopping out and practically skipping inside to get my yummy deliciousness.

  Koen was sneaky and managed to pay using the app on his phone to cover my order plus his.

  He got a frozen coffee with caramel. It felt like a complete clash.

  “You feel like a rebel to me right now,” I said, staring at his drink.

  “Why?”

  “I expected something boring like coffee, black. Or boring like tea.”

  “That means I must be on the wild side for you then.”

  That got a giggle out of me.

  “You know, Maddie, just because I have to wear suits to work and have to uphold myself to a higher standard of etiquette because of my position, doesn’t mean I don’t know how to have some fun. Believe it or not, I hate wearing suits.”

  I gasped. “No! That’s like lawyer law or something. You have to wear them. All the time.”

  “Even if I go hiking?”

  “Yes, of course!”

  “What about to an amusement park?”

  I nodded. “Changes nothing. All the time.”

  “And if I like to sleep naked.”

  That shut me up as I stared at him with big eyes, trying to picture that. Koen naked. Darn. I looked at the way his sweater stretched over his frame. Koen was a lean man, but when I hugged him and the way he felt when he touched me, he had to have hidden strength.

  That was a complete turn on. No doubt he was all yummy lean muscles underneath his suit, and he’d look stunning without clothes.

  “I want to see.” I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I prayed he didn’t hear me, but by the huge stretch of a smile across his face, he did.

  No. Oh, no.

  I completely overheated as a full-on nuclear explosion turned me into a furnace.

  Hoping to cover myself, I yelled, “This is my favorite song!” I reached over, turned up the volume, and began banging out the lyrics to Sick Boy, bobbing my head up and down.

  Koen chuckled and focused on driving as I sang my heart out, trying to pretend I never said such a scandalous thing out loud for him to hear.

  I kept like that until I grew tired and settled down in my seat. Before I knew it, I nodded off, and my disjointed dreams were of Koen and me between the sheets, his hot, slick body against mine as I explored him.

  My imagination really was too amazing sometimes. I didn’t need to see Koen’s body to have such a detailed dream.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Maddie.” A gentle hand shook my shoulder. “We’re here.”

  “No,” I whined. “Give me five more minutes.”

  “Sweetheart, I already did. The kids are already gathered to begin the walk.”

  I popped awake, looking around me. We were in a small, rocky parking lot. The bus took up one side. Everyone was already assembled, chatting as they waited.

  “Shoot.” I wiped my face, wincing when I felt the drool around my mouth.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” His question was full of concern.

  “I’m fine, why? Do I look weird? Are there lines on my face from sleeping?”

  He shook his head. “You look exhausted and a little flushed.”

  “I’m okay.”

  Koen didn’t believe me. There was a bag by his side, and he dug through it until he pulled out a small water bottle and passed it to me. “Drink. You need more fluids.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “I’m sure you are. Still, drink it.”

  Sighing, I did as he asked. “Happy?” I asked, holding out the half-finished bottle.

  “No, but it’ll do. Come on, we shouldn’t hold them up anymore.”

  “Then you shouldn’t have made me drink the water.”

  He sighed and gave me a look that said he was not entertained with me. I rolled my eyes at the bossy pants and jumped out of the car, leaving him behind.

  The cool air was refreshing, and I took in a deep breath, letting it cleanse my lungs and clear my hazy focus. There was something about the environment that the city lacked. A crispness to the air, a liveliness to the trees. I loved it.

  I enjoyed Boston because in certain areas, it really did have that small-town kind of feel to it. I’ve run into people I knew all too often for living in a city of nearly seven hundred thousand people. Yet, I’d go to a bus stop, and there was an old coworker. Or I got on the T and there was a client.

  Once, I’d even run into the same girl who served me hot chocolate from my favorite coffee shop. We had run into each other at Target. I was splurging on the candy while she was indulging on yummy smelling candles. We ended up bonding over t-shirts with sassy quotes on them.

  Despite that small-town feel, it still didn’t outdo a true small town, surrounded by space and parking lots. Out there, it was open.

  Koen rested his hand on my lower back, making me jump.

  “Are you back with the living?” he asked.

  I narrowed my eyes. “Har har, very funny.”

  “Come on, we better do our jobs before there’s anarchy.” He gave me a gentle push to get me walking and we joined the others. I had a little book bag that I had brought with all the essentials of an accident happening. More than prepared for whatever was thrown my way, I joined the group, getting a flash of a smile from Dayton.

  “With everyone here, we promise to be on our best behavior, right?” Dayton asked, eyeing all the kids.

  “Yes,” they chorused.

  “And we will listen?”

  “Yes.”

  It went on like that for a few more rounds as he got them to agree to his terms. Even Lawson and Lee were good. I pursed my lips, trying to find a way to integrate this almost cultish like behavior into my life with the twins.

  The first part of the field trip was a little hike through the woods as a male guide went on about the different plant life, pointing out animal tracks and how he knew which creature the imprint belonged to. It was informative and I completely tuned him out.

  I unzipped my jacket, letting the cool air wash over my warm skin. It ended up being hotter than I expected. Well, more like I felt hotter than I should have.

  “Is the ground swaying?” I asked.

  “What?” Bryce asked, giving me a confused look.

  “Nothing,” I sang to hide my little remark and then moved ahead of him to poke at a pretty flower. Bryce had to nudge me on to keep up with the group.

  I snuck up on Lawson and Lee, intending on giving them a little scare. They were in deep conversation with another boy who looked absolutely jealous of them.

  Curiosity got the better of me. They were so into whatever they were talking about, so I tuned in, always up for some good childish gossip.

  “I’m serious, Brandon. The only way to get to this universe is if you have a twin. It’s amazing there.” Lawson had a big smile on his face, almost dreamy, with a slight dazed look.

  “Yes, the twin universe.” Lee nodded in agreement. “It’s like n
othing you’ll ever see on this world. Everything is brighter, and you feel so much lighter, you can practically fly.”

  “Oh!” Lawson laughed. “And when you go in the water, you don’t need to worry about not being able to breathe, so you can swim down and down and down.”

  Lee nodded. “Or when you jump, you can jump higher than the trees and not worry about getting hurt.”

  “I want to go there,” the other boy, Brandon, said.

  “Sorry, buddy, but you need a twin,” Lawson said.

  Lee finished it off with, “And you don’t have one.”

  The two of them did the creepy twin thing and shook their heads with the same expression on both their faces.

  “What twin universe?” I asked.

  The two of them jumped and turned to me.

  “I want to go. I like exploring new universes.”

  Their eyes widened, mouths popping open. I gave them an innocent look, waiting for their reply.

  “So, how can I get there? Can I be Brandon’s twin? Will that work?”

  Lawson looked over at Lee, clearly at a loss for what to do.

  “You aren’t his twin though,” Lawson finally spoke.

  “Are you sure? We could be. You don’t know that.”

  Lawson and Lee frowned. “Because you’re not the same. He’s a boy and you’re a girl.”

  “Have you heard about fraternal twins? They don’t look the same. One can be a boy and the other a girl.”

  Lee didn’t look like he believed me. “Really?”

  I nodded. “Really.”

  He bit his lip, looking all thoughtful and cute. After some careful consideration, he finally shook his head. “No, Sissy, that isn’t how that works. You don’t come from the same mommy and both of you are different ages. You’re old. He isn’t.”

  I gasped, feigning hurt. With my hand to my chest, “You think I’m old?”

  “Don’t answer that,” Bryce said, coming to my side. “And Maddie, stop teasing the kids.”

  “Aw, don’t ruin my fun.” I looked away and mumbled, “Party pooper.”

  “Come walk with me,” he said. “Let’s have a fun adult conversation.”

  He said that so confidently that I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “No, thanks. You can have those boring conversations with Koen.”