F I V E

ARABELLA. 

"Ara. " I hear Dex whisper behind me, but I don't turn to him, and when he calls my name again; I raise my shoulder slightly and tighten my grip on the brush, focusing on the faint yellow lines across the board. 

"Arabella!" He calls in a tiny yell this time and I groan, turning to meet his eyes. "What?" I snap and he pushes his head back, looking a bit taken aback. 

"Damn. Why are so pissed?" He asks and I sigh, "You know how I am when it comes to art class. You aren't exactly helping me focus. " A half-truth, and a half-lie. For the other half, I'd rather keep to myself, and ignore the fact that it truly bothers me. 

"Are you sure that's all this is about?" Dex asks and I throw him a small smile. "Of course it is. I'm sorry for snapping at you. What do you want?"

"Nothing. " He replies nonchalantly before a grin takes over his face as he grabs his phone. "I just want to show you this picture. "

Before Dex turns his screen to me, I know what awaits me and the surprise doesn't come as a shock at the image of the wavy hair girl across his screen. It's a new post from her boyfriend; she has her earphones plugged in her ear, a small smile on her face and one hand tucking her hair behind her ear as she stares at the distance. And to think my best friend follows the guy you'd consider his enemy just to get access to images like that. 

"You need to stop with the obsession. " I tell him as he turns his screen away from me and he shakes his head. "Definitely not. How do you expect me to forget a girl who looks like this?"

"Sam will seriously murder you if he ever finds out about this. " I tell him and he frowns. "You have such little faith in your best friend?"

I let out a small chuckle. "Just be careful. "

"I am, Arabella. " He sighs as he looks back at the screen. "It's why I don't go close. I know I don't have a chance, but then again; the thoughts of her are killing me. I can't help it. "

I reach out a hand to rub his and he meets my eyes. "Poor you. "

He scowls and swats my hand away, and I laugh, holding a hand over my mouth to suppress the sound. When the urge settles, I look back at his screen, and I sort of understand why it should be hard for him. Veronica is an incredibly pretty girl. With wavy hair that falls off her shoulders and her ocean-like blue eyes; she easily passes off as one of the prettiest girls I've seen around and it's no surprise that she catches the eye of my best friend the first day he saw her. Only if she wasn't reserved, barely talks to anyone and has a boyfriend whom half of the school population is afraid of. 

"Stay strong. " I say to Dex, earning another glare from him before I turn back to my board, my chest rumbling with laughter. 

"And what do you find so funny, Miss Leovough?" I raise my head at the sound of the woman who stands in front of us, and I shake my head. "Nothing, Mrs Walker. I'm sorry. "

She gives me an eye before she looks away, and my chest drops as I return my attention to my board. 

"That seems like something you deserve. " Dex mumbles over my shoulder, and I raise my middle finger to him, earning a cackle before I lift my brush. Just as I look at the door, I manage to catch onto the blur. It's a blur, and I barely saw anything, but I can almost swear it was him. With a girl trailing behind him. 

The way he walked right past me earlier flashes through my mind, and I clutch my brush close as I start to move it with a disturbed mine. 

~

"Why are you going that way?" Dex asks when I turn in the other direction and I say, "I need to use the restroom. Go on without me. "

"Or you want me to come with you?" He teases and I wave him off, earning a chuckle before I leave in the direction. 

Opening the door, I stride inside to find it empty and I walk into one of the stalls, letting out a breath at the relief that floods through me as I finish my business. 

Moving from the seat, I furrow my brows at the sudden sound that comes from outside before I pull my skirt down and proceed to unlock the door, only to be pushed back in with a hand clamped to my mouth, muffling my attempt to scream. 

My wide eyes meet the familiar silver eyes as I'm pressed to the door and Alexander lifts a finger to his mouth, pressing it to his lips in a gesture to silence me and I give a small nod. 

He slowly removes his hand from my mouth and looks away to the door, turning his ear to it. 

When he looks back at me, I take a swallow at how fucking close he is. His features are presented before me and I can't help, but admire the curled eyelashes that's mesmerizing in a way. His hot breath blows across my face and I'm sure he can hear the fast beats of my heart, one that's caused by the closeness. I look down at our lower bodies, aware of the way his body is pressed to mine, eliminating what should be my space and taking my warmth with him. 

Lifting my gaze to him, I wait for him to speak, curious as to the reason behind his actions and when he doesn't utter a word; I open my mouth to speak, only to be hushed by his hand over my mouth again, his palm pressing into the flesh and sending tingles across my body. 

"What are you doing?" The sound is repressed against his palm and Alexander shakes his head, "Don't say a word. I want her gone. "

"Uh?" He looks away from me, pressing his chest to mine as he tries to turn his ear closer to the door, and my hands fold into fists by my side, pressing against my skirt as I try not to move and make this position any worse than it already is. 

When Alexander turns his head again, his lips are almost brushing against mine and my heart skips a beat as I look into his eyes. I watch as his gaze lowers, before he meets my eyes again and his legs are pressing against mine. I feel his other hand drop to my side without any warning, brushing against my waist and creating a sudden warmth in my lower belly; one that I'm all too familiar with. 

Please, no. 

The sound of my heavy breathing mixed with his is loud in the air that surrounds us as Alexander's head inches closer, and my gaze drops to his lips, my tongue unconsciously peeking out to wet mine at the sight of them. 

Closer... Closer... And—

"Alexander!" We both jump. Me more than him, and he's quick to leave a tiny space between us as he gazes back at the door, and that feminine voice comes again. "Alex, I know you're in there. I saw you go in. Come out, pretty boy. Stop avoiding me. "

The voice becomes more recognizable with each word that she speaks, only because I've heard it several times in one of my classes. 

"Who's she—" once again, Alex silences me and I sigh, keeping my mouth shut as we listen to the footsteps. 

"Alexander. " She speaks again, her voice higher this time, and I wait for him to make a move, but he doesn't. 

"Alexander. Come out, baby. I've got a lot of things to show you. " I roll my eyes at the tone she uses while Alex remains still, and when she doesn't speak for some seconds, everywhere going silent; he presses a hand over my head and leans against me. There's that spark again, and I'm forced to turn my head away. 

"Alexander!" 

"Fuck. " He cusses, finally taking a step back and leaving me some room to breathe. I take a lungful, loosening my fists. 

"I don't think she'll leave that easily. " I whisper to him and he turns his head to me. "I don't want her following me around. "

"She wants something from you, clearly. " I say to myself more than him, and my attention is brought back to Alexander when he wraps his hand around my wrist, yanking me out of the stall. 

"What are you—" I don't get to finish before Alexander pushes me out of the door, closing it behind us and my guess is confirmed as we stand in front of Nina. One of the popular girls in school. Quite a beauty with her long black hair, one that she expertly pulls off, complimenting her other features might I add. 

She looks between me and Alexander before her gaze settles on him. "What were you two doing in there?"

"What would a boy and a girl do inside the school's restroom?" Alexander responds and I snap my head to him with wide eyes. 

Nina chuckles. "Please, Alex. I know what you're playing at, and you should know it won't work. The girl has a boyfriend. "

"Might as well have me as the sidepiece, don't you think?" Alex surprises me by saying, and he gazes down at me with a strange look on his face before he continues, "And I don't do two at the same time, unfortunately. Maybe I'll take you once I'm done with her. "

Nina scoffs. "I don't believe you. She isn't the type to—"

The rest of her words are muted, and my eyes are widened when Alexander slides a hand around my waist and brings me to his chest. His eyes roam around mine for a second, before he looks down and closes his lips over mine. 

I stay frozen for several seconds, with my hands on his arms as I let him kiss me, trying to grasp the reason why this shouldn't be happening amidst the softness of his lips over mine, his touch on my waist, and his chest pressed to mine. 

That attempt fails me when Alexander slips his tongue inside my mouth, his other hand lifting to the side of my face.