Voiceless Love

8. More than innocent

Zoey came in looking a bit fatigued this morning. Her eyes were puffy and polished, red like she'd been rubbing them.

I tried to not make a big deal about it but when she smiled as she waved, taking the seat next to me, I became more curious.

No one smiles like that and waves when they're in a bad place. And I didn't think I'd ever see her cry or at least the aftermath after an emotional breakdown.

Mrs. Brown was rambling on about diamond-shaped poems for today's lesson yet, of course, I couldn't care less.

Zoey had her head down the whole time and ever since class started. It's weird. She looked fine yesterday. Yet what do I know about what goes on at her house?

She seemed okay when we ran into each other at the therapy center. She was happy. Laughing at my frustration, yeah, I noticed.

And now that I think of the situation, where she was copying me, It was kind of funny.

I raised my hand to poke her and she instantly glanced up from resting her head on her arm.

Her eyes weren't as puffy as before but were still glossy. Yet their color had sparkled in the light, making me clear my throat, forgetting what I was doing.

I pointed to my eyes than to her but she only stared back at me like I was a wall.

Her expression looked so bland and numb, I only stared back. I pointed at her outfit and gave her a thumbs-up, saying it looked good today to make things less bleak between our gazes.

She looked back at me and I saw the corner of her lip curled upward ever so slightly.

"Okay, everyone get to your partners and work on your poems," Mrs. Brown's voice picked up in my ear. I didn't panic at first but when I saw people beginning to move around, I got confused. I thought she meant our partners for the project.

"Levi, dude," I looked up to see Brady towering over me. "Come on, you're with Rita for the practice lesson, I'm taking your seat," Brady said and my heart sank, did a backflip then jumped off a cliff. Oh, fuck no.

My eyes landed on Rita as I stood up. I grabbed my bag and went over. And as soon as I sat down, my chest was like a magnet to her hand. Her fingers pressing into my peck, I cringed.

"So," Rita leaned in, licking her teeth as she tried to be sexy by getting a pencil. "What should we write about, honey?" I could feel her gaze on my mouth.

I turned my head, averting my eyes from her and letting them land on Zoey as she was working with Brady.

She was looking at Brady as he talked and I could tell she was writing stuff down to communicate with him. But her smirk was gone. She stared at him like he wasn't there like she was zoning out on him.

Come to think of it, from my angle she looked very tired, maybe exhausted.

Rita blocked my viewing of the two and put her fingers on my chin, making me look her in the eyes. "Whatcha looking at, baby?"

I widened mine because of her closeness. I raised my hand and pushed her back. Her hand left my chin and heaved a sharp breath. I was uncomfortable.

I looked her in the eyes as she smirked, her hand snaking its way up my thigh. I wanted to push her off but I didn't. I haven't fucked in a hot minute.

She lightly gripped my package, causing me to bite my bottom lip. My eyes lingering around the room, making sure nobody was watching. But to my surprise, she was.