CHAPTER 2: COLD SHOWER

Waking up to the blaring sound of her alarm, Hazel groaned in incredulity that she again, for the second day in a row, forgot to disable the alarm on her phone.

"Shit," Hazel ran one hand down her face, then lazily felt for her phone on the nightstand.

"There - off," she whispered groggily, as she disabled the alarm that was set for 5:30 am Mondays through to Fridays.

"I'm still so freaking tired," she murmured to herself. She snatched one of her pillows and placed it over her face in hopes it would magically help her back to sleep, but her mind kept going back to the dream she had last night.

'The way she melted under his every touch.'

'The way he bit her lips ever so tenderly.'

'The way his voice sent shivers up and down her spine, and not to mention the way his mint green eyes scorched into her hazel ones, caressing and captivating her heart, all while igniting her soul.'

Hazel felt the heat formulating between her thighs.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly as her breathing accelerated.

"FUCK!" Hazel yelled in the pillow before she flung it to the floor and then threw her legs off to the side of the bed.

She worked to relax by doing breathing exercises.

Inhale - exhale, inhale-exhale.

After a few minutes of doing that and her breathing finally steadied. However, the chaos between her legs was still in full effect. Even though she wasn't a virgin she wasn't one to masturbate.

With her eyes closed and her head tilted, she sought to ease the desire she felt by pressing her thighs together.

"Oh shit! This is not working," she stated to herself while rubbing a hand behind her tensed neck.

"A cold shower should fix this." Hazel got up from the bed. She felt the sweet nectar soaking the seat of her underwear.

"How the hell can an imaginary guy do all of this to me?" She questioned herself as she hurried to her bathroom.

After her much-needed cold shower, she wrapped herself in a towel and headed over to the sink and brush her teeth. She glanced at her face in the mirror and realised her beautiful hazel eyes were looking as tired as she felt.

"I really need to catch up on some proper sleep." She face-palmed herself.

Hazel had been going to sleep a bit later than usual since it's the summer holiday.

She had also been catching up on her paintings and drawings. Her passion for art was so intense that when she got lost in it, she loses track of time.

Hazel grabbed some concealer and used it to mask the bags beneath her eyes.

This thing is magic, she thought, as she watched the bags vanish before her eyes.

She concluded she was awfully tired to straighten her hair, so she put her waist-length, thick curls in a messy bun at the top of her head.

She stepped out of the bathroom and headed over to her walk-in closet, there she chose a plain white tank top and a knee-length floral skirt.

She later got dressed and was about to head to the art room when her phone buzzed with a text message from her best friend Gabrielle.

She was just about to head to the art room when a text from Gabz came in.

Hazel hadn't seen her since she left her graduation last Thursday and it had been four torturous days.

Gabrielle's grandpa was in town for a couple of days and he made her promise that she'd spend as much time with him as possible since she'd be heading off to college in the Fall.

*Gabz* Morning Haze, I'm coming over, I need to talk to you about something, it's important.

*Haze* Morning Gabz, what could be so important that it has you up at 6:30 in the morning?

*Gabz* I can't explain this shit over the phone, so I'll be there at around 8:30.

Knowing her friend, Hazel knew she'd be there at least half an hour later than she said she'd be. She swore this girl was never on time for anything.

*Haze* OK babe, see you at 9 then. ?

*Gabz* Bitch you know me so well. ?

Hazel rolled her eyes and chuckled in amusement.

*Gabz* I bet your sweet ass, you just rolled your eyes at my last text. ?

*Haze* And you, my friend know me so well. ?

*Gabz* Of course I do, I am your bestie for Christ's sake. See you in a bit - love ya. ?

*Haze* OK - love ya. 2 ?

Gabrielle Smith and Hazel Valentine had been best friends since like forever.

Although Hazel had been homeschooled since she was eight, they still managed to see each other every day - except for the past couple of days.

Even their moms were best friends. They met when they were in high school. They even went to university together where they met their dads.

Hazel didn't get the chance to know her mom, sadly she died giving birth to her.

Her dad raised her for the first eight years of her life. He was the best dad she could have ever asked for.

He was so adventurous and full of life.

He died two months after her eighth birthday, from a rock-climbing accident.

Strangely his body was never recovered.

Hazel was then left in the care of her mother's younger sister, Julia, and her husband, Pastor Abraham.

She checked the time on her phone, and she realised she still had two and a half hours before Gabz got there and breakfast was going to be served in an hour and a half time.

Instead of heading to the art room, she grabbed her gym bag from her closet and headed to their home gym.

Did I mention her aunt and uncle are completely loaded?

Abraham's father is from old money, he owned a few chains of restaurants and hotels all over the United States, and his mother owned and operated a well established real estate company, and as their only child, he took over for his Dad while Julia took over for his Mom after they retired.

Hazel didn't know how her uncle Abe still found time to preach on Sundays.

After her workout, her muscles felt at ease and she felt energised. A good workout will do that to you, she thought.

She went to the bathroom to wash her hands. She was way too hungry to change out of her workout clothes, so she just headed straight to breakfast.

The moment she entered the large dining hall, she noticed her aunty Julia eyeing her outfit in disapproval.

Julia was highly polished.

She was a tea-drinking, pinky out, pearl wearing, handheld paper fan, white glove-wearing kind of lady.

Hazel had nothing against her etiquette, but the fact that in the ten years that she had been living with her, she had never seen her let loose and really laugh or even cry. One had to stop and wonder if she's a robot.

Her hair was invariably styled in a bun, and she always wore skirt suits. Even then at breakfast, she looked like she belonged in the company of Queen Elizabeth.

Hazel didn't know if that's how she was raised or if it's something she adopted later in life, because she never spoke about her past.

Whenever Hazel asked her about her mom or what they were like as children, she would shrug it off, so eventually, Hazel stopped asking.

Hazel gently pulled out her chair and sat with a smile on her face.

"Good morning," she sang, cheerfully.

"Good morning, Hazel," they spoke in unison.

"How was your workout, Sweet Pea?" Abraham lowered his morning paper to get a better look at his niece.

"It was great, thank you for inquiring," Hazel nodded her head politely.

He went back to reading his paper when Hazel felt Julia's piercing gaze on her. She took a glance and their eyes instantly connected.

Hazel plastered an innocuous grin on her face.

"Don't you dare smirk at me, young lady!" Julia barked as she squinted her eyes in exasperation, "What in heaven's name are you wearing?" she asked, gesturing with her hands at Hazel's sports bra and gym tights.

"For God's sake aunty, it's just my workout clothes," Hazel answered, rolling her eyes involuntarily.

"Just your workout clothes? JUST YOUR WORKOUT CLOTHES?"

Hazel cringed a bit at Julia's indignant tone. She rested her palms down on the expensive mahogany dining table and closed her eyes to try to alleviate her anger.

"Now, now honey, let's not get angry at the breakfast table," Abraham pulled himself closer to her. He then started to lightly caress her back. He gave her a peck on the cheek, all in an attempt to soothe her.

Julia instantly relaxed.

Hazel saw a ghost of a smile grace her face.

Look how gorgeous she looks! Hazel thought to herself.

Julia was an extremely attractive woman. She had a bodacious body with natural and curvy buttocks that not even money could buy.

"You're right, darling," she sighed and gave Abraham a butterfly kiss on the lips before she shifted to Hazel and offered her an apologetic smile.

"So does that mean you're not angry at me anymore Aunty?" Hazel questioned, offering her her most angelic pout.

"You know your aunt loves you and just wants the best for you - right?" her voice cracked at the end, as she struggled to blink back the tears that now threatened to fall from her eyes.

Hazel quickly got up from her chair and knelt at her side.

She lay her head on Julia's thigh as she spoke, "I know that aunty, and I love you too, so please don't cry - I will go and change - I will cover my body from now on. I'm very sorry I upset you," Hazel rambled on and on.

Julia took Hazel's face in her palms and planted a modest kiss on her forehead. She looked her dead in the eyes and for the first time, Hazel saw emotions dancing behind her chocolate coloured ones.

"It's not about the clothes - Even though I do not approve of such attire," she sniffled, "It's just that you're leaving us in the next couple of months, and we're just going to miss you, we're going to miss you so much."

When Hazel heard those words coming from her aunt's mouth, she couldn't stop the waterworks that were now plunging from her eyes.

"I'm not leaving you guys, it's just college and I promise I'll visit every chance I get."

"I know you will, honey," Julia sniffled. They stood and embraced each other tightly. Julia stroked her niece's cheeks lightly with the side of her thumbs, "I also know that it's a way for you to feel closer to your mom since it's the same university she attended."

Abraham rose and hauled both of them to his brawny arms and kissed them on the forehead.

"I don't like it when my girls cry," his voice was quick to soothe their tears.

Before Hazel pulled away, she whispered to them,

"I'm going to miss you guys too."

As they dried their tears and settled back in their chairs, the servers came out with breakfast.

"Let's bow our heads as I say grace," Abraham said. They obliged and after a heartfelt prayer, they ate their breakfasts in comfortable silence.