Forbidden

2. Have you been bad, Diane

Static heat clung to the diner’s chiffon white shirt uniform I had on and I knew he had followed me before a startled gasp escaped my lips as Caelian pinned me against the door of the bathroom, his pupils dilated and his eyes heated with desire and lust that sent a chill down my spine.

“Have you been bad, Diane?” the roughness of his voice scraped against my skin, accelerating my heartbeat and making me feel feverish.

“Huh?” I asked half confused, half aroused even as his hand slipped into the little flare skirt I had on, his eyes fixated on mine.

And just as his finger hooked the front of my lace panties, a shrill horrible sound in the air that was so familiar rang, again and again.

A sound that was from the deepest part of hell yet, without it I was screwed.

I sighed as I hit the whining alarm clock with more force than necessary shutting it up.

Even though I knew that the probability of that dream ending with Caelian taking me against the door, or with me bent over the washing sink while he took me hard and rough like a f*****g animal was high, it didn’t take away from how annoying it is that I didn’t see it to the end.

Sighing, I rushed to the bathroom. It seems like I couldn’t even be with the object of my lust EVEN in my dreams.

***

I grabbed my bag and kissed father on his cheeks while grabbing an apple and promising to call Emily since she blocked father’s number a lifetime ago. Though to be fair father was more of a nag than I was and that was something.

Right on cue, I heard the repeated honk outside of my house that made father arch his brow at me.

“Really Alicia?” he asked although I saw his lips curve slightly before he turned away heading for his room.

Alicia was the first ‘real’ friend I had after realizing that there was a reason nobody could see Bonnie, Michael, and Skylar. They were all in my head and how hopeful I was back then for me to imagine three friends!

19 years old me will laugh at that little girl because after I had said Hi to Alicia with my missing tooth and a cheery smile in preschool and she flipped her hair and asked me if she looked dope, it was a done deal. Alicia officially became my best friend, well, to be fair she was also my only friend so I didn’t really have a stockpile of options to choose from.

It was a dream when we had both gotten into the same college and she had stuck by my side ever since. She was also my colleague at work even though she didn’t need the extra money as she was a paid influencer on i********: and her YouTube cooking show is a hit.

But that’s my best friend always showing up and as of this week, she was my chauffeur as my car was still with the mechanic because of outstanding debt hence, were carpooling.

I waved at her immediately I slipped out of the door and she honked even more not minding that it was just past 6 and on the days when my crazy friend wasn’t picking me up from home, it was a peaceful neighborhood.

With a curvy body that makes me glare at my boobs in the shower most times, Alicia was a walking temptation. And although she was my polar opposite and had proven to be loud and blunt, you couldn’t help but develop a soft spot for her with time just like I did.

“Hello to you too,” I muttered sliding into the car then I fixed her a glare. “This is what saying good morning as a normal person sounds like,”

She pouted and nudged me. “Well, just good morning won’t do. It is a new semester bish! A little enthusiasm won’t kill you. We are sophomores.”

I couldn’t help but smile a little at the last part even as Alicia known for her flair for the dramatics slid her wayfarers to her effortlessly looking blonde bun that I could tell was anything but that because I have watched her arranging her hair.

“Are you ready for your second year in college?” she asked me, her smile gleaming, and for the first time, I tried to forget everyone and everything else.

My worry for Dad’s health.

Jordan.

Beth.

And I felt so light when I looked at her with a genuine smile spreading on my face.

“Let’s go kick Sophomore year ass!!” I squealed and Alicia screamed louder even as she turned on the car, revved it up, and sped away with both of us howling like delinquent teenagers.

Sometimes I forgot that was what I was supposed to be.

−A teenager and honestly the rush of being so reckless and uncaring felt so good.

***

“Isn’t he just so fine?” Alicia muttered absentmindedly even as I tried to stay focused as Mr. Alex went on and on about himself. It was English class and it hasn’t been up to 10 minutes and we were already bored out of our minds.

I stifled a yawn even as I glanced at her subject of ogling. Jackson Martin.

You have to be blind if you attended my English class not to know him and although I spend a questionable amount of time in the library than any average teenager and was not so hot on attending all the freshmen parties that were thrown last year, I couldn’t deny that he was a great view.

He was no Caelian but he was the type of guy a normal college girl should be having wet dreams about with raven-black ruffled hair piled on top of each other messily that although I could tell was deliberate doesn’t take away from the fact that it was attractive. Dimpled smile and a husky voice that made women giggle like schoolgirls; Mrs. Evans our Economics teacher was a perfect example. He was perfect, no other word to describe Jackson than perfection but just like every other man that was sculpted like a god and made with a face that made angels weep, he was so unattainable.

And yes, we are still talking about Jackson although I won’t deny that Caelian influenced some of that description but the point is that I didn’t know why my friend will rather preoccupy herself with staring at a man who might as well have player pasted all over him.

“You know we currently have a class like right now?” I asked exasperatedly as I waited for seconds but she won’t budge staring behind me rather dreamily.

I know it was foolish to even assume it, but I worry a lot about everyone not to worry about my friend having her heart toyed with and shattered by a boy that looks like he will be a heartbreaker and chances were that he was.

She pouted. “Like how can anyone choose hearing Mr. Alex rant about his cats over appreciating a fine male specimen.” She came closer to me nudging me conspiratorially. “I was just appreciating art. God’s handiwork,”

I shook my head at her antics and finally gave in to the urge to look behind me as discreetly as possible.

Jackson’s eyes were currently burning holes into his textbook like he was doing everything within his power not to doze off, his white T-shirt was plastered on his ripped body and his leather jacket was lying on his desk while he was slouched on his seat, his long legs spread in front of him.

I wanted to turn and agree with my friend so she could shut up about Jackson, quit staring at him, and perhaps pretend like she was listening while I hoped that Mr. Alex will finally quit talking about himself and teach something, anything.

But fate had an issue with me even though I was like the coolest person ever because that was the exact time Jackson choose to lift his head from his textbook and I froze the minute his brown-colored eyes met mine like he knew that I was looking at him all along.

I turned so quickly I was surprised I didn’t snap my neck but not before seeing a knowing smirk curve his lips.

My face was burning, as I peered into my blank notebook like it was a soap opera. Great, just the right thing I needed to start a new semester, the hot popular guy thinking I was a creep that had a crush on him.

I glared at Alicia who was now doodling absentmindedly and deciding it was best she didn’t know about what had happened else she just might make a lot of fuss and come to conclusions that are laughable like the last time she thought that Jason Tee, one of the popular guys in high school had a thing for me even though his infatuation for her was known to everyone in school except Alicia herself, I frowned at my textbook.