TAINTED HEARTS (ENGLISH)

TAINTED HEARTS 08

Chapter 08

After he left, I wanted to run as fast as I could. But I couldn’t stand up. My knees were weak. I just let my face fall onto the table. I needed to avoid him, even just until graduation was over. These coming months would be dangerous for me. I could not afford to forget.

I waited for a few minutes. When it was time for the next class, I had no choice but to stand. I grabbed the things beside me, breathing heavily as I entered the next class.

The following classes were quieter. When I got home, I was completely exhausted and collapsed onto the bed. I squeezed my eyes shut and remembered what happened in the library. I bit my lip and touched it. I couldn’t forget the way he licked his lips in front of me. My cheeks burned hot, and I rolled around in bed, trying to erase the memory from my mind.

“Xena, are you inside?”

I stopped rolling when Mama knocked.

“Yes, Mama!”

“Come outside and eat!”

“Yes! I’ll go later, Mama!”

I held back a scream of frustration and buried myself under the thick blanket, still in my uniform. Mr. Andromeda was the one paying for my tuition and allowance. It would be shameful if he knew I was acting like this.

The next morning, I prepare early. I didn’t want to be late because I didn’t want to face him at the front. It would only make things more awkward for me, just like the first day I came late.

Only a few students were in the room when I sat down. Minutes later, everyone entered all at once. Following them was Sir Lennox.

His eyes found me quickly. I cleared my throat softly and straightened in my seat. I didn’t look away because I didn’t want him to think I was intimidated.

He arranged his things on the desk. Then he looked again at my seat while undoing the first and second buttons of his dress shirt. A bit of skin from his chest showed because of it.

Heat spread all over my body when, after unbuttoning, he slowly scraped his upper teeth against his lower lip. Watching him, my lips parted unconsciously. I wasn’t sure, but I felt like he was deliberately seducing me.

No one else in the room noticed that his eyes were on me, because the other girls were busy watching what he was doing as well. There were more women than men in this class, and the few men around were just chatting without a care.

I took a deep breath and leaned heavily against the backrest of my chair, weakened by what he was doing. I resolved to ignore him. I knew I couldn’t avoid him since we were in the same school. My only choice was to ignore both him and my own feelings.

“All face on the paper!”

He walked around the class slowly, observing the students who were quietly answering. Whenever someone raised their head, he scolded them.

He stopped beside me and held onto the backrest of my chair. I gasped softly when I felt his finger touch my back. It moved, tracing small circles. My hair stood on end.

Everyone else was bent over their papers, focused on the exercise he gave. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to read again the incomprehensible question.

Subtly, I leaned forward to distance my back from his finger. My lip was almost wounded from how hard I bit it.

He was doing this on purpose. I was sure of it. He was testing how long I could keep ignoring him.

“You’re doing great, Ms. Peña Vega.”

His voice almost echoed in my ears. I didn’t turn to look at him, but he remained by my side. I froze when he placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it firmly. He quickly withdrew it and walked toward the front.

“You all only have fifteen minutes!” he said as he walked.

I watched his broad back until he turned and our eyes met. I glared at him sharply. He slightly sat on the edge of his desk, arms crossed, fingers resting against his lower lip, staring at me, seemingly amused by my reaction.

My glare weakened when I lowered my eyes. My lids grew heavy. I didn’t know what he was up to, and I was scared. What if this continued and I fell for him? I hadn’t realized it would be this difficult to control and suppress my feelings. No matter how much I scolded my heart, it refused to listen.

I knew I had been attracted to him since the very first day, but I thought it was normal—every woman here felt the same way about him. Some even openly flirted with him, like Abigail. So why me? Of all the women here, why was he approaching me?

Those who finished were dismissed by Sir Lennox. There were only five of us girls left inside. Some, I thought, were deliberately stalling. Me, I simply couldn’t understand the questions. On other days, I would have finished quickly. But because of what he did, I was distracted. My mind kept drifting, and I kept forgetting the questions.

I couldn’t risk being left alone with him in the classroom. So even without understanding, I answered carelessly just to be done and get out before the others.

When there were only three of us left, I stood up. I hastily gathered my things and went up to his desk to hand him my paper. He was already seated behind it.

“I’m done, sir.”

Arms crossed, he stared at me. I bowed my head while he looked up since he was seated. He raised his hand and slowly took my paper. I exhaled heavily as I walked toward the door.

“I guess you didn’t understand the questions, Ms. Peña Vega.”

I froze at the doorway at his words. I turned back toward him. The last two girls were just handing in their papers.

“Sir?” I asked quickly.

I swallowed as my two classmates passed me and left. I watched them until the door closed on its own behind them. Which meant it was now only the two of us left inside.

I bit down on my lower lip when I felt his presence behind me. I was facing the door. I didn’t look back, but I felt his palm touch my waist. I inhaled sharply. I froze at his simple touch.

“If you don’t understand the question, do you mind if I teach you?”

I gasped when his chest pressed against my back. His lips were close to my ear.

“If you want, I can teach you everything I know. Everything for my favorite student.”

I didn’t have the strength to face him. I felt that if I looked into his eyes now, I’d faint. He was pressed against me, yet I couldn’t pull away. I couldn’t push him either. I didn’t want to admit that I liked the warmth of his body.

“No, sir. I’ll just fix it next time—”

“Your lips are so red; did you bite your lip?”

I glanced sideways and realized he was peeking at me from behind. He was so much taller that he could easily see my face even from behind me. He licked his lips while staring at mine. I instinctively bit my lip again. It had become such a habit that I couldn’t stop myself. His eyes darkened, and his grip on my waist tightened.

“Didn’t I warn you not to bite your lip?” His gaze became darker, filled with unknown emotions.

I released my lip. I could feel its redness from all the biting earlier.

“I can’t do that! This is my mannerism!”

His jaw tightened. “Then it can’t be helped.”

He bent down, captured my lips, and kissed me. He turned me to face him as he kissed me. The hand on my waist slid up my back, while the other held the back of my neck. My eyes were wide open, shocked, even as his kiss deepened.

I couldn’t move. My eyes were open while his were shut. His kiss grew deeper and deeper. His breathing grew loud. He opened his eyes, parted our lips just enough to let me breathe. I exhaled heavily, not realizing I had been holding my breath.

His drowsy eyes stared into mine. I could only gaze back, lips parted, panting. I still hadn’t processed that he had kissed me.

“Breathe through your nose. I don’t want to kiss a corpse when you die while I’m kissing you.”

He wet his lips with his tongue before kissing me again. This time it was slower but just as deep. He would let go of my upper lip only to suck the lower one. I alternated breathing through my nose and mouth. I didn’t kiss him back, but I couldn’t push him away either.

When he moved forward, I stepped back. My back hit the whiteboard. He pressed me into it and leaned his body against mine. At the same time, his tongue slid into my mouth. I grabbed his arm. Even covered by fabric, I could feel his muscles beneath.

“f**k!” he cursed, then sucked hard on my mouth. He caught my tongue and quickly sucked it.

“Hmm . . .” I pushed him lightly.

My eyes widened when instead of moving away, he only grew more aggressive. He pressed his body harder against me. His lower body moved. Even if I hadn’t seen one in person, I knew what the hard thing pressing against my stomach was. He groaned hoarsely. He tugged my hair down and his aggressive kiss turned into a devouring one, as though he would swallow me whole.

“S . . . sir . . . wait . . .”

His hand moved. The one around my waist slid up to my chest. He squeezed firmly. When I heard noises outside, I finally shoved him hard.

“Stop . . . please . . .” My voice trembled.

His red, wet lips parted as he panted. His eyes were glazed and bloodshot, as if he were drunk and out of control.

“After the last class, we will go straight to watch car racing!”

“How much money did you bet?”

People were talking outside. Their voices faded as they walked farther from the door. Silence fell between me and Sir Lennox. I shoved him hard again once the voices were gone. With clenched fists, I hurried out.

I was shaking, my knees weak, but I still managed to head to my next class. I couldn’t understand the lecture in front, but luckily I had read the discussion beforehand, so even without listening, I could answer when called.

On my way home, my hand flew to my lips. I brushed my fingers over them lightly. Even though it was over, I could still feel his kiss there. His lips had been soft, wet, and warm.

I didn’t know how to feel. That was my first kiss. And even though I knew it was wrong, I couldn’t bring myself to regret it.

I was dazed when I arrived home. I acted normal so Mama wouldn’t ask questions. But whenever I remembered the way he kissed, I couldn’t help but touch my lips.

Why was he approaching me? Why was he seducing me? And why did he kiss me? Did he like me? Love at first sight? But how? We had only just met, and from the very first day, he was already tempting me.

He’s my professor, and I’m his student. We would both be expelled from school if anyone saw us. I didn’t want that to happen, yet I couldn’t deny that I liked his kiss.

“What should I do?” Confused and on the verge of tears, I buried my face into the pillow.