Sinner

6| Practice

In kingdoms, it's always just one game. It's not like a season. It's just random games between schools and kingdoms. Because the locker rooms were inside, we all headed back into the building. 

I was walking behind everyone. My shirt was off and thrown over my shoulder, all of us sweating and panting. I chugged on my bottle, nearly choking when I saw Venus. 

She's normally already gone by the time I get here. I think their teacher held her back because she was late. She was also sweaty and panting. 

"Vee, wait up!" She spun around, waiting for one of the girls from her class to catch up to her. "Jesus, what happened to Ms. Beatrix? She's never made us dance so much," the girl panted. "Anyway, I'll go shower, bye." 

Venus stared at her in shock. "Bitch. She took the last shower," she said to herself. 

I smiled, walking over to her. "Hi, Venus," I grinned. 

She rolled her eyes, rushing to get into the girl's locker room but I grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. She let out a cry, clearly exhausted from her dance class. 

"Long, tiring practice, huh?" I asked, trapping her against the wall. 

"Very. And I'm very exhausted for your drama today. Please," she clutched her hands together in front of her chest. "Spare me." 

"Are you begging?" I smirked. 

She straightened up, tilting her chin up. "No. Never." 

"Then why should I spare you?" I leaned down, bringing my face closer to hers. 

She sighed in exhaustion, leaning her head against the wall and looking up at me. "Then what do you want? Why are you here in your semi-nakedness? Go shower," she nodded, pushing at me. 

"The showers are full. Both here," I pointed to the boys' locker room. "And there." Then to the girls' locker room. "But if you want, we can definitely shower later," I smirked. 

"You're disgusting," she scoffed, her cheeks getting a little redder than they already were. "Get away," she demanded. 

"You're in no place to be barking orders, darling." 

"I'm not your darling," she spat. She tried moving away but I grabbed her waist, pinning her body to the wall. And lucky us, the halls are completely empty too. "Caden!" She tried pushing me off but stopped when her hands touched my bare skin. Her breathing stuttered as if her breath had got caught in her throat. As if she was shocked and a jolt of electricity ran through her. 

Which is exactly what it felt like when she touched me. I took a step back, tracing the spot she touched with my hand. 

She blinked, staring at the floor, both of us clearly surprised at the sensation we just felt. "I hate you," she said, nodding to herself. Like she was trying to make herself believe it. 

"I hate you," I said. "I hate you so much that sometimes, I can hardly breathe," I blurted out. 

She swallowed. 

The door to the boys' locker room opened and two of the guys stepped out, glancing between Venus and me with curious gazes. But luckily, they both knew better than to ask or comment. 

"Luckily, you don't hate me so much that you can't shower," she smirked. 

I rolled my eyes, walking into the boys' locker room and taking my towel from my bag, and then taking one of the shower stalls. I hung the towel on top of the door and turned the water on after stripping out of my clothes. I stood under the freezing cold water while waiting for it to heat up. I put one hand on the tile wall and took in a deep breath. 

Why the hell did that happen? What the hell even was that? 

It was like when she touched me, my body automatically went into a state of shock. And it really did feel like I was electrocuted in that exact spot. And I genuinely couldn't breathe for a while after her skin touched mine. I kept thinking, the gears in my head turning as I showered. 

Why the hell did that happen? Do I really hate her so much that I can't breathe when I'm around her? 

But it's true. Sometimes, I can't breathe around her. My heart stops all the time, I can't function. 

Is that really hate though? 

"Caden?!" 

I snapped out of it, turning the water off and grabbing my towel. "What?" I called out. 

"Last period starts in ten minutes! Hurry! I'm leaving!" Roman called out. 

"I'll meet you in class!" I called out while wrapping the towel around my waist. I stepped out and put my jersey and shorts in my gym bag to take home and wash and then I took out my clothes from earlier and went into a changing stall to change. While ruffling my hair with the towel, I forced myself to stop thinking about her. 

When I was leaving the locker room, a few girls were coming out of their locker room, the door was constantly opening and closing. On my way, my eyes fell inside. The only person still in there was Venus. 

There were two girls holding the door open for one of their friends who was quickly grabbing her bag and catching up.

Venus was just in a towel and grabbing her clothes from her dance bag. 

I was walking right past but then my feet screeched to a halt when I saw her. 

She huffed, pulling the towel off and wrapping it around her hair and I saw that she was in nothing but her bra and underwear. I looked her up and down and then left before the girls holding the door realized. 

I think I've really underestimated Venus Jade Princeton. And her beauty, both.

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Chapter 6

I think he's a little surprised, lmao

a little starstruck if you will

next chapter: brunch