TAINTED HEARTS (ENGLISH)

TAINTED HEARTS 15

Chapter 15

I was still able to attend the next class after what happened. I closed my thighs tightly and bit my lower lip as I remembered what happened. The intensity of the new feeling I felt was addicting.

When I left the classroom, Josh and Minerva startled me. They were hiding by the side of the classroom door, so I didn’t see them right away.

“What are you two doing here?”

“Let’s go watch in the gym!”

“Watch what?”

“There’s a basketball game!”

“You’re here just to invite me to watch?” My tone already carried refusal. Lennox usually arrived at the parking lot around this time. “Just the two of you go. I need to go home.”

Minerva pouted.

“Come on! Just join us, even just for one quarter! You don’t come with us anymore! This is the first time in a while that I invited you!”

I bit my lip, guilty that I hadn’t been joining them when they ate out at food stalls and street food. I was always with Lennox during breaks or lunch, he takes me to the restaurants he makes reservations for.

“Alright then!” I finally replied. “But only for a first quarter, okay? I won’t finish it.”

Minerva dragged me until we reached the school’s large gym. It was already crowded and noisy since the game had already started in the middle of the gym. The squeaking of shoes of the players on the polished court floor was loud and clear.

All the seats were full, so we were positioned at the very bottom. We stood at the side, right beside the opponent of our school’s group. One group was our schoolmates, judging from their uniforms. Their opponent was from another school.

I averted my eyes from the players when the women roared as the other school’s group scored. There were girls in uniform who clearly weren’t from here, probably visiting just to support their school. I also noticed that many girls from our school were cheering for the opposing team. It seemed they knew the other team.

I glanced at the player who scored, the one they were screaming at. He was holding the ball and running toward the hoop near where Minerva and I stood. I stared at him. He was tall and handsome. Maybe Lennox was just slightly taller. His hair was messy, and he was sweaty from the nonstop running.

“Kian! Shoot it in!” his teammates shouted, laughing.

He scored again, and the women screamed once more. He ignored the cheering crowd and just kept playing. He licked his lips and bit them often, making the women go even crazier.

When he scored once more, our school called for a timeout.

I observed him as he ruffled his hair, now drenched in sweat. He walked toward his team’s bench. His head was bowed as he stared at his shoes. When he raised his gaze, it landed straight on me. Our eyes met since I had been watching him, wondering why the women were screaming for him.

“That’s a nice shot, Kian!”

He looked away from me once he reached his teammates. He turned his back, but I didn’t remove my gaze from him.

His aura looked like the boy next door—pleasant to the eyes and looked clean even when sweaty. His body build was also good, and his haircut suited him. He’s handsome, but I don’t think he’s friendly since he knew how to snob the whole crowd cheering for him.

I was about to look away because my phone vibrated, but he suddenly glanced back in my direction. He caught me still staring at him. He smirked and raised a brow, as if silently asking why I was staring and what I wanted.

My lips parted slightly to answer that look, since he wasn’t averting his eyes from me. But I closed my mouth again when my phone stopped vibrating in my bag. In the end, I just smiled and shook my head to tell him I didn’t want anything from him.

The game was starting again when I finally managed to get my phone from my bag. I had missed three calls from Lennox. I was planning to call him back, but then I remembered I hadn’t bought a load. So instead, I just kept watching the game while waiting for him to call again.

The women were screaming the name Kian Evans. I looked at the player earlier and read “Evans 01” on the back of his jersey. The girls behind me gasped when he looked in our direction before shooting the ball.

“Oh my god! He looked at me!”

“No, not you! Me!”

“What are you talking about? He looked at me!”

The girls behind me squealed as they argued, while I panicked when I felt my phone vibrating again. Before it stopped, I quickly answered it. Before I could even say hello, Lennox’s angry voice greeted me.

“Are you coming out, or should I come get you?”

The speaker inside the gym was loud because the announcer was declaring the winner. I didn’t even realize the game had ended since I had been watching that player. His last shot had also sealed their victory.

The winning players ran toward their group seated beside us. But one player approached where I was standing instead, grinning. I was shocked when he stood in front of me, and his teammates hollered like they were watching something interesting.

“Hi.”

I froze and looked up at him. My phone was still pressed to my ear, with Lennox on the other end.

“Hey! Kian’s making a move!” one of his teammates teased.

The guy chuckled before reaching his hand out to me.

“Kian,” he introduced himself.

Confused, I stared at his hand. I was stunned for a moment, wondering what I should do.

“Um . . .” Should I take his hand and introduce myself since he was introducing himself?

“Xena!” I was still thinking when Lennox’s shout reminded me of him.

I almost jumped at the loud call of my name. Along with my surprise, my eyes found him. He was across the court. Though far, I couldn’t miss his angry glare and clenched fists.

“Are you coming out, or should I drag you out?!”

My eyes widened. I glanced around and only then realized that many eyes were on me and Kian.

“Sorry. I have to go,” I told the guy in front of me.

His mouth fell open as he looked at the hand I hadn’t taken. I ignored it. I turned to Minerva and Josh to excuse myself. As I ran out, I could still hear Kian’s teammates teasing him—that he got rejected even before he could start courting.

Once outside, I glanced back at Lennox inside. His brows were still furrowed, his face still full of anger. Yet I couldn’t help but notice how he stood out. There were many handsome students in this school, many younger, but even with his age, his charisma was unmatched.

I bit my lip when our eyes met again. I didn’t know if I should feel thrilled or nervous that despite the many beautiful women here, he was only looking at me. When we got into the car, he didn’t say anything. I had been so entertained watching that I didn’t notice the time. I even forgot Lennox was supposed to fetch me.

“Are you mad?”

I chewed on my lip again when he didn’t answer. His gaze was dark on the road as he drove.

“Sorry. Minerva dragged me,” I whispered, touching his arm.

I felt him tense at my touch. He glanced at my hand on his arm and let out a deep sigh.

“I waited for an hour in the parking lot. I called you not just once, but you didn’t answer. Then, I catch you exchanging looks with another man? How do you think I’ll react?”

His jaw tightened.

“I’m sorry. I got carried away. I forgot the time.”

He turned to glare at me. I bit my lip again and withdrew my hand from his arm.

“Carried away? Carried away staring? I was standing there watching you! I saw you staring at him in awe while he was playing!”

I couldn’t answer. I was only watching him because the women were screaming for him, and he often had the ball. He really was good, and yes, it was amazing. I sat up properly and held onto my seatbelt when he sped up. That’s when I realized he was truly upset about what I did.

The car stopped in front of my house. His gaze was fixed on the road, his anger still in his eyes. I didn’t know if I should talk to him, because by the looks of it, even if I spoke, he wouldn’t answer.

I pouted as I got out. He didn’t leave until I had gone inside the house. He also didn’t get out of the car, which he usually did whenever he dropped me off. Even though I felt disappointed, I understood—he was angry.

As I went upstairs, I thought of Lennox and what the right thing to do was when he was angry like this. What was the proper reply? Talk? Silence? Should I call him? Or let him cool down for tonight?

In the end, exhausted, I fell asleep immediately after cleaning up, hugging my pillow.

I was roused from sleep when I heard my phone ring. I reached for it with one eye closed. It was two in the morning, according to the screen.

“Hello,” I answered hoarsely.

“You didn’t text me good night.”

Even though I wasn’t fully awake, my mood lightened upon hearing his voice.

“Sorry. I fell asleep.”

We were both silent for a while before he spoke again.

“I’m outside.”

My eyes flew open. His words drove away my sleep. I jumped out of bed to peek at the window. He was indeed outside, leaning against his car.

I wasn’t sure if it was because of the sudden wake-up or my rushing to the window, but my heart was pounding hard when I saw him. I didn’t even know why, but even though we had just been together, I already missed him.

I didn’t hesitate to run downstairs. I was only in my sleepwear and hadn’t changed. Opening the gate, I hurried to him.

“Why are you still awake?”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

I smiled and hugged him. He took a deep breath and hugged me back.

“Do you like that guy?”

I laughed and shook my head.

“You were drooling over him like those women.”

I shook my head again, smiling widely as I buried my face in his chest. I listened to his heartbeat. It was strong but calm, unlike mine, which was racing. Because . . . why did it feel like from his questions . . . he was jealous?

“I don’t like how you looked at him,” he whispered as he gently stroked my hair.

“Mmm . . .” I loved the sound of our heartbeat.

“Answer me,” he said. “Do you like him?”

“I love you, Lennox . . .” That was my answer.

His hand stroking my hair suddenly stopped. As his hand dropped, I lifted my gaze to him. I couldn’t read what was in his eyes. Confusion? Darkness? Shock? Fear? What for?

Despite that, and even if my tongue almost retreated from his unclear reaction, I clearly repeated my words.

“I think . . .” I smiled. “I already love you . . .”