Echoes of Desire

3. TEST

Aanya was getting ready for school. Last night she had stayed up late at night preparing for Mr. White's test. She knows he would make it extra difficult. He was cruel like that.

She got dressed in a simple midi skirt and cardigan along with some socks and loafers. She didn't bother to brush her hair, so she put it in a messy bun. She looked nice.

She entered the classroom and saw Blake already sitting beside her seat. He smiled when he saw her entering the classroom.

"Hey, are you prepared for today's test?" He started.

"I can't say I'm not prepared but you know how Mr. White is. So I'm a little nervous." She replied with an unsure smile.

"Yeah, I heard. He's a little cruel don't you think?"

"He's always been like that and hates everyone. No matter how good your marks are, he doesn't do favouritism." She said giving him a light laugh.

Before Blake could say anything, Mr.White entered and started giving out the question papers.

"You'll be getting 40 minutes to write and exactly at 9:40 put your pen down. I won't be repeating this." Everyone started writing before he could finish saying.

Armond perched his butt on the desk and crossed his arms over his chest. He didn't look any less than a model doing that and he knows what effect he has on people. He uses that to his advantage.

He was watching her with his eye glasses perched up on his nose while leaning onto the table. He did not want to behave this way. A grown ass man feeling affection for a young woman. Whatever he was feeling for her, he had to stop.

What was he expecting anyway? That she would like him? Fall for him? Get close to him? A young 20 year old girl falling for a 29 year old man. Her teacher at that.

He wanted to quit teaching at his college. He wanted to stop coming to teach in order to avoid her. To avoid his unholy thoughts. His immoral thoughts. But the notion of not seeing her alone haunted him to his core. He only wanted a glimpse of her and kept himself at a distance. He just needed to take a glimpse of her to make his mood better.

But he had to put a stop to his feelings. Because he knew. He knew that he would only break her dreams. He was a cruel man. An innocent, fragile girl like her would not be able to handle him. She would not be able to handle his evilness. His thoughts were evil. He would only be a menace to her.

If he were to get close to her heart, he would keep her caged, cut down her wings, prevent her from flying and keep her only to himself. He would tie her up if he needed to.

However it was not fair to her. She radiated goodness. Complete opposite to him. So he had to stop.

He couldn't bring himself to do that to her. She had big dreams. Dreams that did not involve him. And he wanted to keep it that way. One look at her and he knew she was naive and he would manipulate her even if he didn't want to. That's just how he was. He manipulated people to get what he wants. Manipulation was in his nature.

Even when was he a little kid, if he wanted a toy, he would always get it. He would gladly hurt a person if he had to. But he would always gets his favourite toy.

He was mesmerized by her when he saw her for the first time. Her scared and blushing face, the way she carried her timid self, the way she stuttered in his presence, her tear filled eyes. Everything she did made him drawn to her more and more. And to stop himself from doing something that could eventually put both of them in trouble, he picked on her. To make her hate him. To make her despise him. Even if it killed him inside.

However another part of his sick brain, as sadistic as he was, liked it when he embarrassed her. When he demeaned her. The way her eyes would brim with tears, her face would get red, lips trembling. The way she would let her hair fall to cover her face from him. It made her all the way more angelic.

Aanya could feel his eyes on her but she didn't let it effect her. She solely concentrated on her test. She didn't let her heart focus too much on him and his stare.

Before the bell rang, Armond collected the papers and went straight to his office.

On the other hand, Aanya was a little nervous. Even though she did well in the test and attempted every question, she knew Armond will surely find some faults.

Without wasting any time she got out of the class and went on her way to the next class while stopping on her locker. She took out the materials she would need for her next class when She heard her name being called from behind. She saw Blake running upto her, so she closed her locker and turned to him.

"Aanya, wow you're a fast walker." He panted and laughed a little.

"Oh did you need something? I was just going to my next class."

"So here's the thing." He started while scratching his neck. He didn't think this through."I know this is so sudden but I am attracted to you. Would you like to go on a date with me?"

"Oh, I don't know what to say. And we only met yesterday. So it is very sudden, Blake." She didn't know what she was saying. To say she was shocked would be an understatement. It's only been a day, how can someone be attracted to someone in a day. They were not even friends.

"Go on one date with me and if you still don't like me we can just remain friends."

She was helpless because she didn't know how to be Stern. So she couldn't help but lie.

"Blake, I already like someone, i'm sorry but I can't go out with you." She lied straight through her teeth. But she didn't know that someone else was already listening to the words coming out of her mouth.

~

Armond on the other hand sat in his office and started checking on the papers, her paper on the first. She really did good but there were some minute mistakes on two of the answers which could be looked away. However, he decided to deduct her marks from those two answers just to spite her. He really was cruel. He just wanted to humour himself with her cute scared, red face.

Armond knew that Blake was also good in his studies. He was the topper in his previous college's entrance exam, so Armond then checked Blake's paper next and only deducted 1mark from his paper.

Just then he remembered he left his glasses in the classroom, so he got upto retrieve them. As soon as he opened his office door to step out he immediately stopped himself. He saw a certain student running upto his little darling.

He heard their whole conversation. He couldn't help but seeth in anger. Who was this kid that she liked? But only she could answer this question. He watched that brat named Blake leave and waited till his darling turned around. He watched as her eyes widened in shock and he gave her a little smirk.

He crooked his finger and gave her a come hither gesture and closed the door.

~

After turning down Blake, she sighed and wiped the non existent sweat off her forehead. She was not used to lying.

She turned around and saw Mr. White watching her with both hands stuffed in his pants pocket. She could already tell he was angry by the way he was looking at her. His eyes were red, blazing with hot anger. Her eyes widened in surprise and shock when she saw him calling her. So today was the day she would die in his hands, she thought humourlessly.

Reluctantly, she walked towards his office and knocked on the door. But she didn't hear any answer. So she knocked again.

This time the door opened and she was slammed into the wall beside the door. Aanya was now trapped between Armond and the wall. His hands on both sides of her head and he pushed her further into the wall. He was breathing heavily unable to contain his anger. He brought one hand to her waist lightly caressing it.

While Aanya was confused and a little nervous because of the closeness. If she breathed, her chest touched his. Her body was burning, her cheeks the deepest shades of red,eyes wide with shock. She was starting to feel things. Things she didn't feel before.

Gradually, his breaths came closer and closer and hit her cheeks. He breathed in the scent of her hair. His nose skimming her cheeks and went down to her neck. Aanya was breathing heavily because of this exchange. She closed her eyes. His smell was intoxicating. She wanted to drown in his scent. She didn't know what was happening to her. She had never felt this way before but she didn't want this to stop. All of this was new. Why can't she push him away? This was clearly wrong whatever it was happening between them

"Tell me, do you like this Blake boy? Are you enjoying the little attention he is giving you?" He spoke near her ear, his lips caressing her ear. His voice husky and words coated with jealousy. He didn't want to act this way. But she brought out this side of him. He didn't want to care about her. But that pure essence of her made him all the more captivated to her.

She opened her eyes as soon as she heard his words. She couldn't speak. What was he talking about.

"Or is it someone else. Tell me who's this kid that you like,hmm?" He asked as he kissed her cheeks. His lips moving along the length of her neck then her ear, kissing the skin behind it which caused her to let out an involuntary whimper. "Tell me" he bit her earlobe. She gripped his shirt tight with eyes closed tightly.

"No one. I lied to him to avoid going out with him." She said looking at him. Why was he asking these questions? Why did he want to know who she went out with?

She closed her eyes and lowered her head. She couldn't think coherently as the feeling of his lips caressing her neck was too overwhelming. She fought back the moan that was about to escape her lips. Then her eyes jerked open and pushed him back.

She shouldn't be doing this. She was his student. How could she let herself get swayed like this. She was ashamed of herself. She was right. He was a sin. A sin she was bound to commit.

"I'm so sorry,sir. I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." She started apologising, her figure shaking violently.

"Why are you sorry?"

She looked dumbfounded at him.

He went to his chair and sat lazily. His right leg over his left leg, one muscular arm resting on the armrest with his face resting on his fist and other carelessly resting over his thick thighs as he kept looking at her.

Aanya kept her eyes down. She felt her knees shaking and felt her legs would melt anytime now.

"Come here." He called her over and gave her the answer sheet.

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