A dangerous spark

The voice rang ever so familiar. I froze in place as my dream replayed in my mind. The sound, the tone—everything felt the same. But my memory faded before I could fully recall his voice. Maybe it was just my illusion, I thought.

I excused myself quietly and stepped away from the lively conversation, heading towards my room. But after just a few steps, my father’s voice halted me.

“Fiona got admission into your university, isn’t that exquisite? Come here, girl,” he called.

Typically, my parents would treat me like a princess in front of everyone but like an outcast in private.

I rolled my eyes subtly and turned back to the grownups, forcing a polite smile.

“How brilliant, Fiona,” Marian muttered, her tone dripping with false sweetness. “Your mother was telling me that you love art. I’m sure your tiny hands will grow some muscle by the time you resume.”

Her words stung more than I wanted to admit. Her voice carried that familiar bitterness I’d always noticed from our neighbor’s wife. I knew where it came from—jealousy. She could never have children, no matter how hard she tried. I did feel sorry for her, but deep down, I couldn’t ignore the whispers I’d heard about her being dangerous. A part of me believed she deserved her misery.

“Marian, I’m sure she’ll do just great,” Mum replied proudly. “We did our best to train her well. My baby will make us proud. Right, baby?” She smiled at me.

“I’ll try my best, Mum,” I murmured, managing a small grin. Everyone laughed—everyone except Jalen. His eyes never left mine for a second, not until Marian tapped him gently.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to tidy my room,” I said softly, turning on my heels before they could object.

But even as I walked away, I could still feel Jalen’s gaze burning into me. I turned slightly, and yes—he was still watching. His eyes carried a knowing look, as though he understood something about me I didn’t. It felt like he had so much he wanted to say but couldn’t.

Once in my room, I forgot to lock the door behind me, and I've never experienced that. I have a habit of pulling off my clothes the moment I close my door and jumped onto my bed. My heart finally eased, though my mind couldn’t stop circling back to Jalen—and that voice.

I hugged my pillow tightly, wondering how freedom would finally taste once I left this house.

I was drifting close to sleep when a knock landed softly on my door.

“Coming.”

Jolting upright, I wrapped my towel loosely around me before running to get the door. My parents usually barged in without warning, and that has caused me to lock my door so that polite knock told me it wasn’t them. Still, I wasn’t expecting him.

“May I?” Jalen asked, peeking through the slightly open door.

“Sure,” I replied quickly, opening the door slightly. Then my towel fell, exposing my naked body to him. I gasped, and my eyes widened as he stared at me deeply, his Adam's apple budged and he quickly turned away.

“Oh my god… I'm sorry, I,” I stuttered, quickly picking up my towel. Heat surged through my throat and my face flushed.

“You should get dressed,” he suggested, “I'll wait outside for a few minutes,” he added.

“Oh no, um… I'll dress up in the bathroom, come in please,” I gestured.

He stepped inside, his eyes scanning my room until they landed on one of my paintings. He walked closer, brushing his fingers lightly across the edge of the canvas.

“Your paintings are beautiful,” he muttered while I dressed up. “Where do you get your inspiration from?”

“Thanks,” I muttered. “Um… I just imagine things and paint them. Sometimes I get ideas from music, a little bit from nature, and mostly from exciting moments or emotions.”

“Hmm.” He nodded thoughtfully. “I see you prefer colorful tones to minimal aesthetics. That’s good—it gives you a creative edge.”

“You think so?” I asked, feeling the heat rise through my body as his gaze met mine again. My heart wouldn’t stop pounding.

“I know so,” he said softly. “Pardon me for walking into your room like this. Your dad mentioned you had some of your work I could look at, to see if you needed any guidance. But from what I see, you’re doing just fine already—just a few brush improvements, and you’ll be great.”

I smiled shyly striding to my bed before sitting. I tried to keep my composure, but when he sat down beside me, my breath hitched. My hand pinched my thigh so hard it stung. For a moment, it felt like I was back in that dream again. His voice, smooth and deep, echoed through me.

I wanted him to say something again, just to confirm it. But I couldn’t bring myself to ask.

“I should take my leave now,” he finally spoke, standing up. “I guess I’ll see you more often in school.” he added. And I could swear I saw his length already hard.

As he turned, his finger brushed against my hand. The touch was light, but my entire body shivered. A soft moan slipped from my lips before I could stop it. I turned away quickly, hoping he hadn’t noticed, then stood up.

“I’ll see you out,” I said quickly.

I took a few steps toward him—but my foot tangled with the edge of the rug, sending me tumbling forward. Jalen reached out to catch me, but we both lost our balance.

I landed on top of him, my palms pressed to his chest, our eyes locked. My lips parted slightly as I realized how dangerously close we were. His breath grazed my neck, sending a shiver through every inch of me.

His gaze deepened, intense and unspoken. My heartbeat grew louder, my body heated, and a tight ache spread through me.

He leaned closer—so close that our lips were only inches apart. I closed my eyes, waiting—wanting—just a touch.

But then—

“Honey? Jalen!” Marian’s voice echoed down the hallway.

I jerked away from him immediately. He stood up, clearing his throat as he brushed dust off his neatly pressed suit.

“I… I’m… it wasn’t—” I stuttered.

“It’s not your fault,” he said calmly. “I should go. See you in school.”

And just like that, he left.

The door closed behind him, and I could faintly hear Marian’s voice.

“There you are! I’ve been looking for you. Let’s go home,” she whispered.

I leaned against my door, breathing heavily, my palm pressed to my chest.

What just happened?

If Marian had walked in a second earlier, she would have caught us in that compromising position. The thought terrified me—but at the same time, what scared me more was how real it all felt. Exactly like my dream.

But I wasn’t ready to come to any conclusions—not yet.

I walked to my wardrobe, pulled out my suitcase, and began packing my clothes. The thought of meeting him in school filled me with more excitement.

***

The morning of my freedom finally arrived. The cool wind brushed softly against my skin as I rolled my suitcase out the door. My father’s driver was already waiting at the gate.

I glanced back once at my parents standing on the porch. With a faint smile, I waved goodbye as the car engine started, and we drove off, my excitement grew with every passing mile. My face stayed glued to the window, watching the world blur by until we finally arrived at the university.

I stepped out slowly, taking in the grand sight before me.

For a moment, everything went still. The excitement faded into nerves. A shiver crept up my spine, and chills spread across my skin.

I was here.

Finally free—

But somehow, the air around me felt strange.