Chapter 11

ZULEIKA POV

Thankfully, school finally closed for the day, and I was more than happy to leave. The day had been one hell of a shitty day for me, from having a discussion with grumpy-annyoing-lanvini, to being dragged into a weird conversation with Dorian, to my brother warning and stating facts about me hanging out with the Blackstone student.

And the classes I attended, do not believe me if I said I understood everything that was taught. My head feels so heavy and throbbing loudly and to make matters worse, my bag felt heavily on my shoulder like I had placed the whole world in it. I just wanted to go home, throw my shoes somewhere, lie on the floor, and sleep.

As I walked out the gate, I heard a voice behind me.

"Hey, slow down! You tryna escape the whole school or what?"

I turned and smiled as I saw who it was. "Freckles."

She caught up beside me, swinging her bag across one shoulder like she always did. In my distress, I had forgotten I was supposed to search out my best friend so we could go home together. We could even chill out but I wasn't in the mood for them...all my mind was screaming at me now was 'SLEEP'

"Are you walking to the bus station?" She asked nodding at the gates 

"Yeah."

"Wow! Why didn't you call Zade to come pick you up?" She asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.

"Hmm, I don't want my brother to pick me up. And besides I think he might actually be busy with the football stuff, you get? So I need to disturb him." 

Freckles stared at me for a while as if she could see through my hasty lie. "Hm. I’ll come with you."

I nodded, grateful she didn't press on the matter, and we walked together. The sun was setting and the sky looked orange and wide. Birds flew in a large circle overhead and it was a beautiful sight to watch.

"So," she began with a smirk, "I heard a little something-something today."

I sighed. "I don’t want to hear it."

"You sure? Because it’s about a certain boy from Black Stone with messy curly hair and a smooth charming smile and a to-do-kill-body."

I groaned. "Another handsome-jerk again? Seriously?"

Freckles laughed out loudly. "Well all the girls are going crazy about him. And ejs the new topic in school. Besides that wasn't why I brought it up. I saw him talking to you. The boy was glowing like Christmas lights after that chat. You give him your number?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

Freckles shook her head. "Too bad. The way he stared at you like you were made of gold. I almost felt jealous."

I rolled my eyes. "Don’t start now, freck."

"I’m just saying. Zulekai out here breaking hearts without trying."

"I told him I needed to study and couldn't go out with him. That’s all."

Freckles made a dramatic face. "Cold. Cold like ice cream in the rain."

I smiled a little. She always knew how to make me laugh even when I didn’t want to.

"Well, I’m proud of you," she said, grinning from ear to ear. "Boys like that don’t know what to do with a girl like you."

I shrugged. "I just want peace. And not a heartache."

She gave me a side-eye. "Then maybe don’t look too long at Lavini and Zade when they're shirtless."

I stopped walking. "Excuse me?"

"You think I didn’t notice? You always pretend you’re not looking but your eyes betray you."

I looked away quickly and then turned and pointed a finger at her. She had the guts to burst into a fit of laughter. "That’s a lie. I don’t look at them. They're just there, always walking around half naked like they're allergic to shirts."

Freckles laughed loudly. "Allergic to shirts! That’s exactly it."

I shook my head and kept walking. "You’re annoying."

"You love it."

We got to the bus station. My bus hadn’t arrived yet.

"Well," she said, "I gotta run. I want to get something. If I don't, I am going to forget it and it's very important to me." 

I chuckled. "Go before you forget."

"Bye, Ice Queen," she said with a wink and ran off.

I stood there for a while, waiting for my bus. When it finally arrived, I got in and sat near the window.

The whole ride home, I kept thinking. About Dorian. About Lavini. About the way my chest always feels tight these days.

When I got off the bus, something felt off. I couldn’t explain it. My feet felt heavy. The air around the house felt strange. Like someone was watching. Or like I wasn’t supposed to be there. I didn’t know what it meant, but I told myself to ignore it.

I moved carefully toward the house. I didn’t want anyone to know I was back yet. I wasn’t in the mood to greet or explain anything. Not like I even thought anyone would be at home except me but who knows, one of them who had sneaked off school and came back home before me. And coupled with the fact, I didn't see my brother and lanvini anywhere after school closed. 

I just wanted to sneak in, drop my bag, and breathe. I reached the door quietly and opened it slowly. No sound. I slipped inside like a shadow.

I made it to the hallway and took one soft step.

“Trying to sneak in, huh?”

I froze.

That voice.

I turned slowly.

Lavini stood there and shirtless, of course.

I cleared my throat and crossed my arms. "Why are you standing here like some security guard, huh?"

He looked at me and raised one brow. "I live here too, or did you forget?"

I didn’t answer.

"And where were you hiding all day?" he asked. "You didn’t attend the frat party like everyone else."

I narrowed my eyes. What was he implying? That I attend parties? Just because he saw me at one party doesn't make me a party goer. "You didn’t come either." I countered dismissively.

I know what he was trying to do....to get on my nerves and make me mad and rage like a bull but I won't give him that satisfaction.

He smirked. "You noticed?"

"Maybe."

He stepped a bit closer. "So you’re watching me now?"

"Eww! No! Why would I be watching you? For your knowledge, I'm just stating facts."

He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his chest — ugh — just there. "Are you avoiding fun or avoiding someone?"

"Neither. And stop asking me stupid questions like you're my father."

He ignored me and continued. "Then why weren’t you at the party?"

"Because I didn’t want to be." I yelled finding myself answering him, despite not wanting to

He laughed lightly. "Just like that?"

"Yes, just like that. Why weren’t you there, too?"

He shrugged. "I didn’t feel like it."

"So we’re both bored now," I missed thoughtfully, as my eyes raked all over the room in clear pretense to what I was doing.

He smiled. "Nah. I just got tired of partying. And besides I'm really moody. Parties don’t fix anything."

I nodded slowly. "Finally, something smart from your mouth."

He raised both hands. "Wow. Shade already? You missed me that much?"

I huffed. "Oh, please. You think too highly of yourself."

He stepped closer again. "Or maybe you just miss seeing me shirtless. And I just so happen to be shirt....." He trailed off smirking at me knowingly.

I rolled my eyes. "Why don’t you ever wear shirts anyway? What’s wrong with you? Walking and parading yourself or rather your not-so-muscular-chest."

He laughed. "What, my chest it's not muscular ?" He asked dramatically and then shifted closer and whispered. "Or tell me something, Zules, you get turned on or something?"

I gasped, my hands flying to my mouth as I stared at him horrified. "What?! No! Your chest isn’t even that muscular." I spluttered out.

He placed a hand on his chest. "Ouch. That word again. That hurt. You sure? You looked pretty impressed last time."

"I was looking at the floor!"

"The floor’s up here now?"

"You’re so annoying!"

"You’re such a liar!"

We stared at each other. Neither of us said anything. I felt like smacking his head and drawing his ears. He was so annoying and it was driving me crazy.

Then he smirked again. "Admit it. You think I look good."

I huffed. "In your dreams."

"Every night," he said with a wink.

I stepped back, shaking my head. "I can’t deal with you."

"You just did. You’re still standing here."

I rolled my eyes and tried to turn away, but I heard him stumble.

"Lanvin?"

He didn’t answer. He lost balance and his leg gave out.

I rushed forward without thinking. "Hey!"

He almost fell but I caught him just in time. My arms wrapped around his back. My hands pressed against his warm skin.

"Lanvin!" I said again, voice shaking.

He leaned into me, breathing hard.

His weight made my knees bend slightly, but I held him tight not wanting to let go.