Rejected Once Loved Twice

Chapter 2: A night and a kiss with a THEM

"Mind if I sit?" he asked again; this time there was concern in his eyes.

I nodded nervously. Liam took the seat beside me, spawning that expensive cologne all over me. I gulped gently again as my nerves were now on edge. He ordered the same drink as mine, only with ice.

"I didn't think I would meet anyone here, especially with the party on campus," he said.

I came back to the world with a start. "I forgot you spend most of your time here," I said, remembering how he had been since his breakup with Natasha months ago. "Drinking, I mean."

Liam gave a half-smile. "Yeah, it helps me think. What's your name? I don't think I've seen you around."

"I don't like crowds," I admitted nervously. "I'm Lyra."

We ordered two more rounds of whiskey, and I was getting piss-ass drunk. The booze had emboldened me. "I caught my boyfriend cheating on me," I blurted out. "I just want to forget about him."

Liam's eyes darkened. "That guy's an idiot."

I stood up, losing my balance. Liam caught me, his strong arms steadying me. "Come on, let's get you somewhere safe."

He lifted me to some room that wasn't familiar and laid me on the bed. When he turned away, I grabbed his shirt and drew him back in to kiss him hard. It was a rough kiss built of anger, pain, and the urge to forget.

Liam stood back a moment in shock, then took an answering kiss from me with a tender touch, soothing.

As we kissed eagerly, I unzipped Liam's shirt with trembling fingers. He growled softly against my neck, his breath hot, as he undressed me in a mix of urgency and tenderness. Briefly, latterly, he stood naked in front of me, his body much more remarkable and muscular than I had ever imagined. His size took my breath away for a moment.

I didn't hesitate as I dropped to my knees, taking him in my mouth. The taste and sensation overwhelmed me as Liam groaned, his hands tangling in my hair. A moment later, he drew me up gently and pushed me onto the bed.

Parting my legs, he positioned himself and entered me with a strong, fierce stroke. The intensity of it all made me cry out in pleasure. He moved into a rhythm almost animalistic, a growl escaping from his lips as his eyes darkened to an intense red.

Liam's movements quickened, each thrust pushing us closer to the edge. His growls grew louder, his grip on my hips tightening. It was as if he were a beast, driven by primal instincts. But the pleasure was overwhelming, drowning out any other thoughts.

In the end, we were lying exhausted and tangled in each other's arms. Liam's eyes returned to normal, focusing on me anxiously. "Are you okay?" he asked with a soft voice.

With weak knees, I nodded still trying to catch my breath. "Yeah. Thank you, Liam."

He pressed a soft kiss into my forehead. "Anytime, Lyra. I am here for you."

The pain of Bryce's betrayal still burned inside; however, it was dulled, at least for this night. And in that moment, that was enough.

We lay there, our bodies intertwined, as Liam drifted into a peaceful sleep. But I lay awake, thinking. What was I supposed to do? I had just slept with Liam—the guy who was famous on campus for sleeping with most of the girls. His breakup with Natasha had only enhanced that reputation. And still, with the pang of guilt now eating at me, I kind of didn't feel sorry. At least I did something to get back at Bryce for what he did to me.

The morning light filtered through the curtains, and in panic, I looked at the time. I had a class in an hour. I dressed myself quickly, my movements frantic, hurried. Liam was nowhere to be found, and a strike of loneliness pegged at me, but it was pushed back—there just wasn't time for it now.

I tumbled out yesterday, dodging the prying eyes of a few who witnessed me leaving Liam's place. My heart was racing as I walked back to my dorm, trying not to pay attention to all of the whispers and stares. Just needed to get through the day.

Finally, I made it to my dorm, gasping for air and quite mussed. Sarah and Ava were sitting in the common area. Their eyes went wide at the sight of me.

"Lyra, where were you?" Ava asked. There was a mix of worry and curiosity in her tone.

"Long story," I said gruffly, hastening to go straight into my room to collect all my stuff for the class. No time for that right now.

She followed me, her brow furrowed. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm fine, really," I lied, forcing myself to smile. Ava didn't look convinced but nodded, letting it go.

Minutes later, the three of us walked down the hallway to class. My heart sank as I turned a corner and saw Bryce and Natasha in a corner, kissing. A surge of jealousy and anger washed over me. Seeing them together, even though Bryce and I had broken up, was just painful.

Bryce looked up, catching my eye, and smirked. My stomach churned, but I refused to give way in front of him. Determined to prove the exact opposite to him, that I could move on too, my eyes scanned the hallways until they rested on some tall guy who happened to wear different student regalia. Feeling no shame at all, I took his arm and brought him close as my lips pressed onto his in a bold kiss.

The hallway gasped. What were they gasping for? I deepened the kiss, reached out to take the guy's hand, and placed it on my ass. The kiss was intense, and through it his surprise sort of melted into reciprocation.

Ten or so seconds later, I pulled away, grabbed my bag, and walked off to ignore the shocked expression on that guy's face. Ava and Sarah fell into step behind me, both chattering about how crazy this was.

"You really told him off," Sarah said, a slight tingle of excitement in her voice.

"That was crazy, Lyra," Ava joined in. "Who was that dude, anyway?"

I just shrugged, playing it cool. "Just some dude who happened to be there."

When we went in, everyone was talking about the new substitute teacher. We all sat down and waited for class to begin. The door opened, and he walked in—the guy I had just kissed. My heart dropped.

"Good morning, everyone. I am Mr. Ethan, your substitute teacher for the next couple of weeks."

I felt drained of blood. Ava and Sarah exchanged wide-eyed glances.

Mr. Ethan's eyes searched the room until they finally rested on mine for a moment, then he continued, "Let's get on with today's lesson."

As he began to teach, I felt my mind racing. What had I done? How was I to face him now? My heart pounded in my chest, and I found it hard to focus on anything he said. Oh my God! I can't believe I just kissed my teacher.