Say I love you

13

As I lie in bed at night, a mixture of shame and regret grips me. With my face buried in my pillow, I let out a muffled cry, letting my emotions out in a sigh of despair. With a jerk, I throw my pillow against the glass window, letting out a thud that echoes in my silent room.Through the glass, I catch a glimpse of the dim light coming from Bradley's room. His shadow appears on the walls, and I can clearly make out the silhouette of the girl who shares his night. I don't know her, but I know she goes to the same high school as me. A hint of jealousy creeps over me, mixed with profound incomprehension.How can I look this arrogant guy in the face after letting him treat me like that? How could I ever regain my dignity after letting myself go into his hands, being touched and fingered like a common doll? My gaze remains fixed on his window, filled with anger and frustration.A nervous laugh escapes my lips as I let out a frustrated, perfunctory cry of shame. With a nonchalant gesture, I roll over in bed, my phone sitting carelessly on the shelf beside me, vibrating to announce a notification. With a distracted glance, I see Anna's message: "I'm here".Without wasting a second, I rise from my bed with a casual attitude and rush down the stairs to open the door, but to my surprise, she's nowhere in sight. I let my gaze wander in the darkness of the night, but to no avail. I reread Anna's message to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me, and indeed, she did tell me she was there.Just as I'm about to close the door, a hand suddenly rests against the flap, making me jump with fear. "Hi," he says in a detached tone, glancing behind me. Despite myself, my eyebrows furrow slightly, but my wry smile doesn't leave my face: - What are you doing here?- Your friend just left... She asked me to inform you that she had to go back because she received an urgent call. I think her battery was flat, which is why she didn't write to you.- Fine, thank you.I'm about to close the door nonchalantly, but he stops me with a quick gesture, grabbing the flap with a casual air: - Are you alone?- Yes, so what?" I reply in a detached tone.- Do you need company?" he says with a smirk.- No, I don't... And I think you've already got company," I say, gesturing lightly to his room.- I had a party, so there's bound to be people in my room, even if I've forbidden them to enter. So, you still don't need my company? he continues, accentuating the tension between us.A shiver electrifies my whole body at his words, my n*****s harden under my tank top, and it's certainly not because of the cold. I try to conceal this detail by crossing my arms, but this gesture immediately draws his gaze to my chest: - I-I... come in," I stammer, unsettled by his insistent gaze.I shifted to make way for him, but he stood there, his gaze still fixed on my breasts, which showed through the fabric. His nonchalant attitude contrasts with the intensity of the situation, leaving a palpable tension between us.With a smirk, he looks up at me and casually says, "Charming."- It's because of the cold, I quickly justify to myself because I know for a fact he's referring to my chest pointing in his direction for no reason at all.- I didn't say I wasn't, he scoffs, obviously knowing I'm lying.He enters my house with disconcerting ease, not bothering to observe the furniture or focus his gaze on a particular point as I did for him. His irises are simply planted in mine, creating an electric tension that seems to intensify with every passing second.As I try to maintain my composure, he slowly approaches, exuding an aura of confidence and casualness that leaves me both intrigued and exasperated. His every move seems calculated to heighten the tension inside me, and I feel my heart racing as he stops just inches from me, his warm breath caressing my skin.In a teasing whisper, he whispers, "You know, you don't need to justify yourself. I know exactly how you feel." His wry smile and sparkling eyes betray the game he's playing, savoring every moment of this tension that seems about to explode.As our gazes challenge each other in an emotionally charged silence, I feel my self-control waver in the face of this casual, charismatic man who seems determined to bring the tension to a climax.- Follow me.Unperturbed, I climb the stairs to my room, leaving a heavy silence behind me. I can't hear his footsteps echoing behind me, but I can feel his insistent gaze on me. When I turn around to see what he's up to, I catch him casually ogling my buttocks. I roll my eyes, annoyed, but Bradley doesn't back down and calmly tries to justify himself:- These shorts are really too small to be decent.- That's exactly the point," I retort sarcastically.He bursts out laughing, aware that I'm not serious, but that doesn't stop him from continuing: - I bet you really enjoyed what happened tonight between us... in my room.- Don't get me wrong, Bradley, I wasn't serious," I replied, maintaining my apparent composure despite the palpable tension between us.He climbs the stairs with disconcerting slowness, finally reaching the last step between us. His arm reaches for my waist, our eyes collide, and I try to establish a boundary between us, aware that any relationship with Jordan would be compromised if I succumbed to the advances of his best friend: - I'm suggesting a certain distance between us.- If you wanted to keep a distance between us, you wouldn't have invited me into your home, let alone your bedroom.His retort echoes as he slides his hand under my tank top, brushing my breasts, teasing my n*****s. I feel the electricity of his touch, but I try to keep my composure, not to give in to the temptation that is building between us.