The Oracle Has Spoken

4

I woke up and looked at my phone in a panic. I was late for my first class. I threw on my clothes quickly and grabbed my bag rushing out of my dorm room door towards the exit. As I opened the door to find Lucian sitting on the concrete with two cups of coffee in his hands. When the door slammed shut Lucian looked up and stood up quickly.

"Rachel, hey!" Lucian yelled as he jogged carefully to catch up to me.

"Hey, Lucian. Sorry, I'm actually in a rush."

"Yeah, I figured when I texted you good morning and you didn't respond by six-thirty. That's the time you would usually get up and get ready to where you would have enough time to pick up your usual coffee at Starbucks." He said as he handed me a french vanilla cappuccino, it was still hot.

I stopped walking and stared at him cautiously. "You were watching me long enough to know when I got up for school, how long it took me to get ready in the morning, and what I wanted for my coffee?" 

Lucian's cheeks flushed and he kicked his feet at the ground in embarrassment. "Yeah, but I promise I'm not doing it anymore. I just know how you are without your morning coffee. Well, from a distance anyway. I figured if I picked it up for you since you were running late, it'd help you out. I didn't mean to overstep." 

I watched as he looked up at me shyly trying to gauge my reaction. I took a small sip of my coffee and breathed a satisfied sigh. I looked back at Lucian whose blush had darkened dramatically and decided to let it go. But a question remained present in my mind. "Lucian, you never . . . watched me . . . get dressed, did you?" I asked tentatively.

"No! Never! I couldn't disrespect you like that. I mean not that I wouldn't want to see! Um, I mean- f**k. What I mean to say is you are attractive - s**t. I'm not making this any better, am I?" His whole face was a bright shade of scarlet as he stumbled through his explanation. I couldn't help but laugh at his nervousness. As I laughed he stopped talking and stared at me as if in a trance.

"What's wrong?" I asked due to his reaction.

"Your laugh. I've never gotten to hear it. I've always been at a distance. It's . . . spellbinding." He takes a step closer and stares at my lips. "The voices want me to ask you something . . ." 

I stare in waiting as he stands in front of me awkwardly. "And?" I ask expectantly."

"Can we- I mean I. Can I kiss you?" He finishes. He's so nervous. That's so cute. I smile slightly and give a light giggle. 

His face changes at my giggle and he steps closer again. I breathed in his scent and became entranced at how alluring he could be. I pulled him closer to myself and his breath hitched. "Kiss me," I command and his lips crush against mine. They are hungry for me but he manages to remain gentle. 

I wrap my arms around his neck as I move my lips against his and then he pulls away and whispers close to my ear, "Aren't you running late?"

I stare into his eyes for a minute before I say, "Not anymore. Wanna do something today?" 

He smiles brightly, "Absolutely! I'm free all day!"

I laugh at his excitement and he stares again. He doesn't ask this time as he captures my lips once again and moves them in rhythm with mine. I feel the hair at the nape of his neck and entwine my fingers between the strands. He wraps an arm around my waist and his free hand cups my face gently. He pulls me towards him and presses his body to mine, I moan against his lips at the feel of him. His lips stutter in their movement and he murmurs against my lips, "If you keep moaning like that I don't know if I'm going to be able to control myself. I'm at my limit already just feeling you in my arms."

I look into his eyes and resist the urge to say 'Then don't control yourself.' I wanted us to go slow, but I was finding it hard the closer he got to me. He wasn't at a distance anymore; and I was happy with the new-found closeness, but not ready to go all the way yet.

"Then maybe we should stop," I whispered reluctantly.

"Maybe," Lucian agrees but doesn't move away or take his eyes off my lips.

I make it easier for him as I pull away. I lace my fingers through his and I pull him towards a nearby cafe.

                                                                               ***

We enter the cafe to find Raven and Oliver sitting in the back corner. Oliver was leaning toward Raven in a suggestive way and I blushed slightly. I could feel their heat from here.

Raven looked up at the ding above the door and his eyes met mine. He smiled and waved us to come over. Oliver looked up, but his eyes moved past mine to Lucian. His face darkened as he recognized him. 

"How do you know Oliver and Rave?" Lucian asked as we neared the table.

"Oliver and I dated in freshman year of high school for a month. It obviously didn't work out, he realized he had feelings for his last ex-girlfriend, Anna. She was great, honestly, they were great together. But she got busy with her architectural internship and they broke up because of it. Raven is good for him though. He's happy now." I looked back at Lucian and saw the strange look on his face when I stopped and turned toward him. "Don't get jealous. Barely anything happened between us. We kissed once, and it was nothing like what we just shared." 

Lucian's eyes softened and he nodded slightly. I can tell he's calmed down as we come up to the table.

"Hey! What are you guys doing here?" Raven asks happily.

"Playing hooky," I say with a smile. "I woke up late this morning and got a little . . . sidetracked." I continued as I leaned into Lucian's side. I could practically feel his heart hammering from where we touched.

Oliver's eyes traveled between us before he said, "So you guys are together now? Weren't you coming to my door crying to spend the night because you feared for your life because he was stalking you?"

My smile faded as I looked at Oliver's accusatory expression. His eyes dart to Lucian's and he says, "Did you coerce her into dating you when she didn't want to?" he stands and gets in Lucian's face. "Did you force her?"

I shove myself between then and glare angrily at Oliver. I practically growled as I said, "He didn't force me to do anything! We talked, came to an understanding, and everything is fine now. He promised to stop following me. The only reason he was stalking me in the first place was that he couldn't build up the courage to talk to me." 

Oliver glares at Lucian for another second before he says, "I better not ever catch you pulling your old s**t. Rachel's family, I will f**k you up if you f**k with her."

Lucian looks down at me and smiles despite the animosity coming from Oliver, "I would never do anything to hurt her."

I smile back up at him and think to myself, 'Maybe this could work out after all.'