My First Time

Ch.4

Alexa’s Pov

The pizza was tasty, but the conversation with Akila was not.

"So, are you still a virgin?" he inquired, causing me to nearly choke on the slice of pizza I was enjoying.

"Pardon?" I managed to cough out, and he grinned, casually resting his ankle on the opposite knee.

"Please don’t tell me you’re a sexphobe?" I rolled my eyes and set my slice of pizza down on a plate.

"Don’t you have any regular questions? Like, what’s your favorite color?" I asked, and he let out a soft chuckle.

"Let me guess, princess pink?" he shot back, and I tightened my jaw.

"Do you have an issue with me or something?" I exclaimed, and he shook his head.

"Not at all, I just believe that if we’re going to live together, we should get to know each other better." He shrugged as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

”Yes, I’m a sexphobe. I’m a virgin and my favorite color is green,” I stated. A smile spread across his attractive face as he took another bite of his pizza.

"You should see my dick." He winks, and I scrunch my face in disgust.

”Good to know.” was all he replied. Instead of expressing my annoyance, I took another bite of my pizza and headed to the kitchen to tidy up.

”Do you have a boyfriend?” he inquired when I returned. I raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

”You’re quite nosy, you realize that?” I said as I sat down, his gaze still fixed on me. He simply shrugged.

”And you never respond to my questions without throwing in a smart remark first,” he noted. I sighed and stood up, pretending to brush off imaginary dirt from my jeans, inadvertently drawing his attention to my legs. Although it was completely unintentional, it caused him to forget his question.

"Yes, but unlike you, not every guy's world revolves around s*x," I defend, feeling exasperated.

"Oh my god," he repeats, looking shell-shocked. "How the f**k are you a virgin? I didn't know those still existed past high school."

"Shut it," I snap, feeling ridiculed at this point. What's so hard to believe about me being a virgin?

He raises his hands in surrender. "Well, at least now I know for a fact that I would never sleep with you."

Ouch.

"What? Why?" Not that I want him to or anything, but still. You can't just say that to someone.

He raises an eyebrow, "I don't sleep with virgins."

"Mhm, so you do have a heart. Interesting," I tease, intrigued by this new revelation. For some reason, it boosts my self-esteem. I was expecting him to comment on my looks or say something about my breasts being too small.

"Goodnight, Akila," I whispered, pivoting on my heels and heading towards my bedroom.

I had no clue how long he remained awake because I changed, brushed my teeth, and practically collapsed into sleep.

"Pumpkin!" I felt someone jolt my shoulders, and I woke up abruptly, staring directly at Akila’s teasing grin. He was wearing low-slung jeans and no shirt. It was hard to resist staring at his chiseled chest, but that urge vanished completely when I realized he was in my room. In the morning. While I was dressed in a tank top and boxers.

"What the hell are you doing in here?!" I shouted, sitting up. He stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest, drawing my gaze to the small tattoo on his upper arm.

"There’s a girl in my living room who says she knows you." His response left me puzzled until I figured out it must have been Essel.

"Thanks, bye," I mumbled, stretching my limbs. It wasn't until I got to my feet that I noticed he was still there. My attempt to intimidate him clearly wasn't effective, considering he was at least half a foot taller than me. I found myself fixated on the tattoo instead of his face. It depicted a small dragon coiled around the letter 'J'. The sound of him clearing his throat snapped my focus back to him, away from the ink on his skin.

"Um, could you please step out?" I requested as courteously as possible, and he let out a soft chuckle.

"Sure, if you're finished admiring me," he replied. I shot him a glare.

"Your head is firmly lodged up your own backside," I retorted, and he laughed as he made his way to the door.

"A body part of mine that you’ll also be ogling," he quipped over his shoulder as he exited. I was about to protest that I wasn’t, but I didn’t want to eat my words as I caught a glimpse of his backside before he disappeared.

"Alex!" Essel called out, and I winced at the shrillness of her voice. I responded with a quick 'coming' and hurried to get dressed, tying my hair back behind my head.

I skipped the makeup because my mother claimed they were crafted by demons as I walked into the front room. Essel was perched on the sofa, gazing at Akila with admiration. It was evident he was smitten, as he hadn’t bothered to wear a shirt and didn’t even glance up when I entered.

"Do you even have any clothes?" I inquired as I took a seat, and Essel playfully smacked my thigh, making me wince and shoot her a disapproving look.

"Yes, your friend didn’t seem interested in seeing them," he shot back with a casual shrug. I was left speechless while Essel laughed.

"Wear less if you want, see if I care," she responded playfully, and I felt the urge to facepalm.

"I might just do that," he winked, striding into the kitchen, and I shot a glare at her. She snapped out of her Akila-induced daze and raised her eyebrows at me.

"What?"

"You know what! I told you last night, he’s a jerk!" I whispered angrily, and she shrugged.

"But he’s a hot jerk," she attempted to defend him, and I interrupted by raising my hand.

"Shut up," I snap, and thankfully she does. "Trust me, I would love to switch places with you right now, but we can't."

"Wait, does Latif know?" Essel asks with caution.

"You know, that you're living with a boy?"

I shake my head anxiously. "No, I haven't talked to him yet. Do you think I should tell him?"

"Are you serious? He's definitely going to find out, so it might as well come from you."

"I don't think he's going to appreciate that."

Essel sighs with sympathy. "Yeah, but it's not like you're going to do anything with this guy."

"But still."

"What?" I inquired.

"Well, Akila mentioned that there's a dance troupe downtown seeking new members!" she exclaimed. I raised both eyebrows in surprise. That was not what I had anticipated.

"Really? Afro beat?" I asked, and she nodded enthusiastically, her grin wide.

"So hurry up and get ready! Akila has their contact number!" she squealed, jumping on him in a hug, which made me raise my eyebrows. I wasn't keen on those two getting too close.

"Alright, I'm off," I responded. I found myself talking to myself since Akila and Essel were deep in conversation, and I rolled my eyes as I headed back to my room for my jeans. I picked out my Vans and ripped jeans, pairing them with a tank top before reappearing in the living room. To my surprise, instead of them being all over each other, Akila was gone, and Essel was smirking.

"Sad girl," I said with a hint of sarcasm, and she laughed, grabbing my wrist.

"Akila is waiting outside for us," she told me, and I couldn't help but smirk.

"I hope he's wearing a shirt," I muttered. She turned her head to glance back at me, giving me the chance to lock the door.

"I doubt it," she scoffed, and I chuckled, giving her a friendly pat on the back.

"Stop being so inappropriate and hurry down those stairs." I really wasn't keen on taking the lift again; it felt too cramped and, to be honest, resembled a death trap.

"I can't believe he's doing this for us!" she exclaimed as we arrived in the lobby.

"He just wants to get into your pants," I replied bluntly, making her gasp in surprise.

"To hell with that, as if I care, he's attractive," she shrugged, and I laughed.

"Essel, he's practically a walking STD," I grumbled. She just laughed, choosing not to respond.

Akila was completely absent when we stepped outside. I didn’t even know what kind of car he drove, making it impossible to spot him.

"Where is he?" Essel's voice was filled with confusion, but it quickly faded beneath the sound of a revving engine. I turned to see a black jeep and a very attractive guy in a leather jacket sitting in the front seat, wearing a smug grin. If this was his version of a game, he was destined to lose.