Bound To Fall In Love

Chapter 7

Stella's POV

I'm at the back of the abandoned library, I knew Zander will be here any moment from now so I'm not surprised when I see him come in, we were probably the only ones that had a key to this place apart from the school administration after we stole it back when we were freshmen. I was doing my advanced calculus assignment when he dropped his bag next to me.

"Hey," I said, fighting off a blush but he still saw it and smirked at me. I knew we were cool after the small interaction we had during literature class, so I decided to stop avoiding him and confront this head-on.

"I'm sorry I jumped you and mauled you," I say in one breath, best to get it out at once. There's silence for a second then Zander lets out a soft chuckle

"Well I'm not, I like kissing you, though I think I prefer being mauled by you." The blush staining my cheeks probably makes me look like a tomato.

"But really" he sighed, cupping my jaw "it's fine, if you ever want to get off I'll help you. I know you're not ready for a relationship but I want everything with you and I'm willing to wait for you and go at your own pace." The way he looks at me makes me both elated and uncomfortable. I don't know what to do with his affection but I also don't know what to do without it. "Thank you," I say, nuzzling my face into his palm.

Class ended by three and it's almost six, it will soon be time for dinner. I had finished my calculus assignment and was currently studying economics when zander got up.

"You're leaving?" I asked, slightly panicked. It's not like we were doing anything. I just liked having him around, his presence was soothing.

"No, I just have to take a call," he said before stepping out. We weren't technically allowed to have phones on campus but most people snuck theirs in, we were given school-regulated tablets and we were allowed to bring our laptops but phones were strictly forbidden. I wondered who was calling him, it was a bit weird that he left to take the call but shrugged it off, he would tell me if it was important, and went back to studying.

When he came back he looked a bit frustrated but I didn't point it out instead I reached across and grabbed his hand, he glanced at me but didn't say anything at least he looked relieved, I thought, and like that we held hands until it was time for dinner.

~~

It was Friday evening, cheer practice finished an hour ago and I had a quick shower before flopping down on my bed. I heard there was going to be a party tonight at one of the dormitories but I was too exhausted to go which was my excuse when Naseera eventually came into my room to try and convince me to go, after a lot of begging and threats, she finally left me alone to go and help them prepare for the party. She wasn't the social prefect for no reason, she was the life of the party and could breathe fun anywhere she went.

When I heard a knock I thought she had come back for something or just decided that she couldn't rest until I was at the party with her, so I said to come in without thinking about it. Zander stepped in instead and I hated how delighted I was that he was there. I gave him a spare key to my cottage yesterday in the library for emergencies.

"You're abusing your power with the key," I say

"It's an emergency" a spike of fear shoots through me. "What happened?"

"I miss you" he pouts like literally pouts he can be so cute sometimes.

"You're so dramatic you saw me yesterday" I laugh. But deep down I know how he feels, we're so attached and dependent on each other that it has to be unhealthy.

He removes his shoes and arranges before climbing into bed with me. I wasn't wearing much, just a sports bra and shorts but I didn't feel the need to change I liked the skin-to-skin contact though we've never been naked together before, the thought of us naked in bed brings a hot flash of desire through me and settles south.

Zander shifts and positions himself on top of me. "What are you thinking about?" He asks somehow sensing my thoughts. "Nothing" I murmur but avert my gaze. "Tell me," he says and I can tell he's not going to drop it so I blurt out "s*x …with you" he raises an eyebrow and I blush so deeply it probably reaches my chest, you would think by now I would be able to control myself and not make a total fool out of myself all the time

"And what would s*x with me be like" his voice lowers

"Good" I squeak.

"Just good?" My mind goes blank because it would be more than just good and we both knew it. He rolls us over so I'm on top now. I sit up so I'm straddling him and put my arms on his chest. I hate that he's so fit, his body is hard with lean muscles, and it makes fighting this physical attraction so hard.

I lean down and whisper in his ear "probably better than my imagination" and he groans, I can feel his hardness under me but he doesn't touch me, I'm the one in control here and the thought sends a heady wave through me. I let out a breath and hid my face in his neck. I don't know how to play this game and my inexperience puts me at a constant disadvantage. His arms came around me and his hands drew patterns on my bare waist, I wished we could stay like this forever.

I looked up to see he was already staring at me

" You're not going to the party?" I ask

"No I'd rather be here" and my traitorous heart skipped a beat at that.

"I'm glad you're here," I say at last.

"Me too, love." Zander sometimes used that nickname and while we've never exchanged I love you but I've always known that he loves me I just hope he knows that I love him too.

"Will you stay the night?" I ask. It wasn't a school night and almost everyone had gone to the party.

"Yeah I think I will" I get up from my bed to lock the door in case my roommate comes back as he strips out of his clothes, I pick out some sweatpants that I stole from him once and toss them at him. He snorts when he sees that it's his but otherwise makes no comment and I'm grateful for that. He wears it and then drags me to bed with him. I laugh when we hit the bed together and think this will be a good year before I fall asleep.