I was probably in my hundredth cookie when I suddenly felt a presence behind me. I knew it wasn’t Naomi because my friend had gone upstairs to get her phone.
“How are you slim like a runway model when you eat like a pig?”
The cookie fell to the floor instantly from my tottering hand, and my heart erratically went over the fence.
What was Adam doing here?
What did he want? Why was he right behind me? And where was Naomi now that I needed her?
I was stiff, rimrod straight on the high kitchen stool, whilst my pulse jumped haphazardly when Adam suddenly started trailing his finger down my arm.
I inhaled sharply the next minute, when he bit my ear lobe, when he slid his hand around my waist, when his kooky breathing slammed into my hearing neurons.
How could someone be so brash? How could someone be so entitled? Did he think he could have his way with me because he was hot, because I was a mere statistic to him?
He must be out of his mind!
I jumped out of my stool without giving him any warning, a smile flashing across my lips a second later, when I heard him gasp harshly. I wish he had fallen to the ground.
Willfully stilling my nervous nerves, I turned around to face him, swallowing down saliva as I took in the fine imagery of his chest which was bare of any clothing. He was only wearing beach shorts.
Damn! Adam was so hot!
Clearing my throat, I awkwardly picked a cookie from the white plate on the counter, pretending it was normal that he was hitting on me.
“What do you think that you are doing,
Adam?” I asked, biting down on the cookie which I knew might get stuck in my throat—my nerves were jumping. Even though Adam had never raised his hand on me, had never joined the bullying gang, he was still a culprit for enjoying my misery. And there’s the fact that he had been the one to kickstart today’s episode of bullying with just a question.
“What do you think I am doing? Don’t you want it? Isn’t that why you wore such an outfit? To bask in the attention of the opposite sex…” Adam stated coldly, perusing my frame. I was still wearing the bikini. I felt naked under the unabashed scrutiny.
“No, that’s not true. I didn’t know you all were coming. Shouldn’t the school still be in session? Why are you people here?” I asked him, mentally slapping myself for mustering up a boldness that I didn't know I had.
If someone had told me that I would be talking with Adam this way— standing in the kitchen, a tray of cookies between us—I wouldn't have believed it, not in a million years.
Seeing as Adam’s gaze had never left me or rather my boobs since we stood opposite each other, I would say Naomi was right. Wardrobe malfunction had contributed to my bullying for so long.
“Well, the principal had told us to go home for playing around with you. Isn’t that so cruel, huh?” Adam queried, his countenance still aloof.
Yet, I scoffed, before I could stop myself.
And then, realizing the misstep, I shut my eyes out of habit, expecting a knock for exhibiting such rude behavior in front of the Prince .
But I heard him laughing—a rich timbre that sent tingles down my spine.
When he stopped, I wanted him to continue. It was the first time I had heard him laugh. It was beautiful.
“You have really grown wings. I don’t know if that is a good idea or a bad one.” He muttered slowly, as he stepped into my space.
His sudden closeness made me a nervous wreck and a mushy fellow at the same time. And when he placed his index finger on my belly and began to trace invisible lines around it, his head dipping low as if he wanted to kiss me, when his eyes met mine in a heart racing melody, I became flabby.
“…But I would let it slide because I want to kiss you so badly. I want to know the taste of my playtoy’s lips.” He whispered smoothly, bringing my attention to his well shaped lips.
God, I was curious too.
For a second, I was tempted to know what the feeling was like, kissing the son of our high and mighty lycan king, even though I knew it was a forbidden territory for me. If Claire should find out…I am dead.
“What do you think?”
His gaze kept dropping to my lips intermittently.
But I was silent.
Foolish me just stared at his lips and kept imagining how those seemingly red entities would feel on mine.
I was beginning to think that letting Adam have my first kiss might not be a bad idea after all.
That’s what his closeness did to me. It got rid of my common senses and reduced the weight of his numerous sins against me.
Adam must have gotten tired of waiting for my answers because he dipped his head and pecked my lips softly. However, that was for a start, because immediately after that, he wrapped his hands around my waist, drew me closer to him, and pecked my lips again. He withdrew his face thereafter, taking note of my facial expression, to know if he should go on. I knew he was waiting for a go ahead, so that it wouldn’t be like he was bullying me into kissing him. Foolish me thought that the act was cute. I must have nodded my head at one time, because before I could say jack, his lips were on mine, and this time around, his tongue was attempting to push past the protection of my lips into my mouth. Yet I was not responsive. Not because I wasn't into the kiss, but because I didn't exactly know how to kiss. . “You haven’t kissed before?” A note of incredulity rang in his voice, as he withdrew from me the second time.I shook my head in reply, wondering if he would go away when I heard him
“Let her go, Claire.” Adam said, his voice as cold as steel. He folded his arms across his chest, sporting a countenance of aloofness.Behind me, Claire stilled. But that was to be expected. Adam has never rebuffed their attacks on me.I gasped, however, before I could ruminate on Adam’s strange behavior, when Claire roughly pushed me away from her. I fell to the group in a piteous heap.“That was totally unnecessary, Claire.” Adam walked up to me, to the shock of Claire and me, and helped me to my feet. “What are you doing, Adam?!” Claire screeched, flinging her hands apart in frustration. “Every girl, but her. She is cursed, for god sake! Did you forget that?”I would be surprised if the others by the pool weren’t hearing her questions.Adam said nothing in response.I was in Adam’s arms now. And I was so confused on what to do. Watch the lovers spat, or hurry upstairs to Naomi? Could I even shrug Adam’s hold off me?Fortunately, Adam made a choice for me.“Go upstairs, Maya. I wi
“Maya, get to the dining table for dinner,” I heard my mother shout from the kitchen, and nodded before I could stop myself. I should be talking. I mused, my eyes unable to leave the outfit that Naomi had finally settled on, the outfit I will be wearing for tomorrow’s classes. I still found the whole stuff overwhelming. The outfit consisted of a black crop top, an oversized blue jean jacket and baggy black striped denim jeans. I would be rocking it with Noami’s chunky boots. And this attire sufficed because I had refused to wear anything tight like the short skirt she had brought out or the tiny pants that had hugged every curve I owned. I didn't want Adam thinking that I was dressing up because of him. But was that notion unavoidable, especially since the whole school knew of my wardrobe?What manner of bullying will color my day tomorrow? Claire’s angry face before I left for Naomi’s room still colored my vision. I instantly jumped out of my bed when I heard my mother’s voice f
I found my mother sitting on the short row of steps in the backyard. “What are you doing here? Was the pasta that bad?” She asked, immediately I sat down.I huffed, shaking my head in disbelief. “Of course not, mom. It’s just that I was lost in my thoughts. I was wondering why your face seemed so sullen. And I kept wondering what the Lycan king had said in the meeting about me. My mind conjured up the worst thoughts, and believing that, had caused me to drop the fork. Mom, I could never be unhappy with your food. Never think of that again.” I replied, placing my hand across her shoulder, whilst pressing myself to her. She hugged me then by the side, rocking me gently, more to console herself than to reassure me. Anything to make her feel okay. I thought, wrapping my arms around her too. Perhaps Lent was right. I had been the cause of the uproar tonight. If I hadn’t let go of the reins of my mind, if I hadn’t believed the stupid imaginations of my mind, then the fork in my hand wou
“Are you sure that you are okay with going to school today? You can tell Naomi about the recent developments when she comes to pick you in a few minutes' time. You don’t need to go to school.” My mother started, as her eyes made a trail, from my head to the chunky boots which adorned my feet. I had told her that Naomi would be picking me up this morning for school; there was no need for me joining a still furious Lilian in her car. However, I understood my mother’s worries. Tucking me into bed last night, she had asked me why I had kept the bullying from her all these while. I had told her that I hadn’t wanted to trouble her with my troubles. But she had been adamant with the theory of being better off knowing about the situation before it had been brought to the council. “Mom, I will be okay. No one will touch me, not after what the king had proposed. I will be fine. Naomi will be with me too.” I answered, putting my books into my backpack, despite the knowledge that I wouldn
“Maya!” Naomi shouted my name, extricating me from my wholesome thoughts. A smile bloomed on her lips when our gazes met. A smile that wavered the next second when she just realized something—the furrows on her forehead were enough giveaway. I am sure it was because of the news. Her parents must have told her.“Hey babes, good morning.” I greeted her, nudging her by the shoulder when she pouted and looked away. “Come on, you know it’s not my fault. Let’s get out of here though, before they bear holes in your head with their eyes.” I said, dragging her by the arm to her bike which was a few feet away from her. She turned then, chuckling softly when she saw the looks on the faces of my siblings and my father. “I bet they didn’t see the change coming. Their loss really.” She got on the bike, and handed me a helmet. “Yeah, thanks.”I will miss this bike too. I thought, as I hung my arms around her waist. Maybe, I could get mine when I got to the city of humans. Maybe, I could learn h
Why was the time damn slow? Shouldn’t it be time for lunch? I wondered, my eyes catching the square clock that has been hanging in our class, since forever. “You shouldn't have bothered coming to school today if you were going to be this distracted.” Naomi whispered as she brought her head and book close to me like she was showing me something. The professor was looking at us.I shrugged at her question, not knowing what to say. She was right. But what she didn't know was that I had come to school to catch a glimpse of Adam for the last time.It was stupid. It was a lame expectation. Nevertheless, I was yearning for an alone time with him again. “You could have waited for me at your house. You know, spend more time with your mother...” Naomi was saying, and I just nodded along, not having anything to contribute to the discussion. The bell rang for lunch then, and we all breathed out in relief. We, as in the whole class. It was obvious that I wasn’t the only one bored out of my head
Adam’s eyes remained fixed on me as he spoke on the details of the party that had been arranged in my honor. This caused flurry tingles to assail my belly continuously. “Does this suit your taste, Maya?” He asked suddenly, and my cough started all over again.Naomi snickered before handing the water can to me for the second time. She must be finding this very hilarious. Well, wasn't it? And why the hell was I coughing? Was it because he was addressing me in public or what? Jeez, Maya, get a grip on yourself.“Maya..” He called again, ignoring Claire’s rude snort. The girl must be gritting her teeth at this point. She must also be wishing that I was dead and buried, for having gotten the attention of the king. Well, too bad it was only for tonight. I would have loved to torture her the more with this facade that Adam was putting on. I was sure that he was trying to make amends because his father had instructed him to. Naomi pinched me then. “He is calling you, Maya. For god's sake,
I should be in the classroom reserved for detention but I was back at the bleak place again. That place thrummed with filth and despair, just like before.I sighed when a woman's despairing cry echoed in my soul, tearing at me, reprimanding me, drawing me back from the edge of a great precipice. Had I fallen asleep during detention?It was just as before.Every cell in my body craved food and something else, something I could lay my finger on, mostly because I had rehearsed the dream by now. Blood.The hunger raked at me with merciless claws until a red haze covered my sight and my pulse hammered with the need for immediate sustenance. Desperate, I scanned the area above my resting place for the presence of enemies and, finding none, burst through the rich layers of soil, into the air, my heart thundering in my ears, my mind screaming. I landed in a crouch in the midst of dense shrubbery and thick vegetation, and took a slow, careful look around me, not in the least concerned abo
It was the last class of the day, and I was counting down the minutes to the clinging of the dismissal bell. Five minutes to go. I thought giddily, throwing a glance at my watch. I was deathly hungry. After I had left the principal’s office, there had been no time to get to the cafeteria. I had returned to class hungry. It became crazier whenever I remembered the detention—a delay to having Laura’s food. “Well, it seems someone is in a hurry to go somewhere.” I withheld a visible flinch, somehow knowing that the lady lecturing us on magic and music was talking about me. I expected a frown on her face, but I saw a smile on her lips rather; a soft smile, as if I reminded her of someone interesting, someone that she cared about. I forced a smile on my lips too, and hers widened. She shook her head, and gathered her supplies on the table. “I will see you all on Thursday. Make sure to get your assignment ready by then. No excuses.” Assignment? She had given an assignment? I felt m
When we got to the principal’s office, he was in a meeting with someone, and so we had to wait by the door till he was done. We waited for about fifteen minutes before the door opened and Prof. Bulock stepped out of the office. When he saw I and Levina, a still milk-soaked Levina, he piqued his eyebrows, keeping his steely gaze on me. “What did you do to sweet Levina? What did you do this time around?” I snorted. “Does it look like I did anything to her? If your mind was free from prejudice as it should be, you would have noticed that. You would have noticed too, that I was her ally and not a foe. So much for the magic you claim to have for observation. Now, if you will excuse us, Prof Bulock, we have to see Mr Lethon.”Professor Bulock was standing right at the entrance, and his hand clutched the knob tight. Still, he was lucky I had held back from putting the emphasis on the right syllable in his name that would highlight a castrated cow. I wondered what he would do if I ever
“How long has this been happening?” I asked Sinclair immediately we left the cafeteria, enroute to the principal’s office. Levina has refused to say a word since we left, but that was okay. People reacted to situations differently. If I would take a bet, she was contemplating her father’s reaction when he finally heard the news. There was a minute silence, during which I inhaled the strength to shout at him if he chose not to talk about this troubling matter. But then, he started speaking. “For a while now. It’s not regular, but it happens occasionally, sometimes in the cafeteria, sometimes in the training field. Actually since her father had been elected the school’s principal.” I sharply turned to look at him. “And how many years is that?” “Five years.” My tongue tasted something bitter and bland. She has been bullied for five years? How had the father stayed unaware all this time? How had no one thought to slither the piece of information to Mr Lethon? Did they hate him an
There was laughter everywhere in the cafeteria. The matrons serving the food said and did nothing. Sinclair sighed in exasperation. I wasn’t sure of Raul’s reaction to his sister’s bullying. I didn’t look. No. I was already transported in time to the cafeteria back at the pack.I was transported to the past, to the particular time when Noah had poured milk on me; to the time when Daniel had joined them; to the time when the entire student populace, or most, had joined them in throwing food at me; to the time when the matrons had done nothing to help me; until Noami had run and called the principal. My fists clenched, while watching the girl sniff. She was about to cry.I didn’t know when I moved, didn’t care to know how I had gotten in front of Rachel in less than two seconds.I grabbed her by the neck and pulled her out of the chair. “Don’t dare use your magic on me, or you are gone, Rachel.” I said when I saw her hand twitching. It was a gamble. A very risky one, knowing th
At Sinclair’s question, I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering about the edge in his voice, an edge that was barely there.I didn’t think he was even aware of it. We had both agreed that personal questions were off the bet. That had been the reason I hadn’t asked him about the thriving issue between him and Raul. Yet, here he was talking about me and Raul like we had something going, like he was curious about knowing what exactly we had going on. I ignored him. “I want to go to college when I’m done here, or rather I want to use it as an avenue for exploring the world, before taking up my responsibility. But my parents want me to take up my responsibility after school.” I stopped my movement then and looked at Sinclair in shock. He had answered my question, the first I had asked him earlier, after my registration at the principal’s office. I had asked him what his plans were after school, and he had told me that he didn’t owe me an answer.My ignorance of his questions must have no
‘That I care about you.’ These words kept ringing in my head, but I knew it was because of the emotions that Raul had worn in his eyes when he spoke them. I didn’t think I would forget them any time soon. It was foremost, the emotion of sheer attachment, which kept bringing back those words. And it was not like I was remotely interested in Raul. No. He was handsome and all that, but he seemed to have caught Diana’s fancy. A few years would determine if it was a childhood crush, or something else. Somehow, a feeling or gut—call it whatever—chose the latter.I sighed at that. This development wasn't good. When had he developed the feelings? Was it when I had rejected Adam publicly in the eatery? Worse, after my conversation with Raul, Rachel hadn’t stopped staring at me. Sometimes she was glaring, some other times she was just staring at me, in amazement or surprise. But those few times I caught her looking at me in that manner, as if I was holding gold, she righted her face b
The desire to be helped floated in my horizon as I heard the question that was tinged with slight hostility.I turned toward the familiar voice, hope soaring in my chest when my eyes met Raul. His gaze met that of the professor’s headlong. Gone was his cheery smile.“Much? I don’t think so, Prince Raul. I actually think I’m being lenient, and I know you know that.” The professor answered, before his eyes finally landed on me.“Detention, Akwoods. If you flaunt it…”He chuckled drily now, before dealing the finishing blow. “I hope for your sake, that you don’t.”Flaunting it wasn’t even an option now, hearing that evil sound. I wouldn’t even dare it.But it seemed Raul wasn’t done pleading my case.Within the next minute, he spoke in that strange impenitent voice of his I didn’t get the chance to hear before.“She’s a new student, Professor Bulock. I think she deserves a stretch of mercy. She’s not yet aware of how things are done here yet. Surely, you understand that.” Professor Bu
My heart pounded in my chest as I awaited the Professor's reaction to my silly outburst. The class was still very quiet, very quiet for my liking. It made me almost berate myself for being so stupid, for being so sensitive. I could deduct from the silence that the old, worn out looking professor was a menace to his students. Yet I refused to cower under his heated gaze, not even with the amount of eyes zeroed on every inch of me.When the professor started walking toward me, when his feet sounded so sure and tacky on the floor as they moved in my direction, I clenched my fists tightly then splayed them on my laps. Then I clutched them again; this time around, they were clutching my trousers with them. I felt a shin of sweat on my eyebrows, despite the good ventilation in the class, and knew that my nerves were breaking out.“You know, I was at the party…”I cocked my head to the side, pretending to be aloof, to be a little interested in whatever he was saying—a good cover to the