HURTS LIKE HELL

5. Bad Intentions

Trigger Warning: This chapter includes teacher x student themes and sexual content.

Kara

I raked my fingers through the soft waves while admiring my new look in the mirror. My hair was now a deep shade of charcoal so dark it made my pale skin paler and my rosy lips a pint darker. The waved layers cascaded all the way down my back until the curled ends caressed my waist. I didn't get extensions but it sure looked like it. The face-framing layers were cut short and wavier compared to the others, just the way I wanted it. Oddly enough, this darker shade sharpened my features. It made my eyes brown eyes pop and my skin appear more luminous.

After I've worn my outfit for the day, which was a low-neck, grey plaid cami-top and high-waist mini skirt set, I started to apply my makeup. It was my usual, and I quote "slutty eyeliner" look. It was a blessing that I didn't need fake eyelashes since mine were already thick and long, a swipe of mascara made them high enough to almost touch my eyebrows. I did my contour and finished by coating my lips in a cathedral shade lip tint.

"I look like Nessa Barret", I mumbled while staring at my reflection through the mirror.

On one ear, I wore my silver studs that trailed from my earlobe to helix and a chained cuff earring on the other. Wearing ear cuffs was an everyday ritual for me, it has been for while - perhaps I was in that high-school era. I felt naked walking around without wearing one, the same goes for my rings. I zipped up my black platform ankle boots, wore my denim black jacket and grabbed my backpack before walking out the apartment door.

"Jesus", I hissed when my forehead came in contact with a hard chest. "Fucking move, you almost ruined my makeup."

When I tilted my head upwards, I met Kaleb's azure eyes. He stared at me strongly with a hard look, his jaw tensed and tight. He took a mild step back, keeping his gaze aligned with my glare. His eyes glanced down at the bandaged hand I rewrapped last night before bed. It was healing, slowly. An ointment Keon once gave me deserved all the credit. It was after she saw the cuts and bruises that marked my body a few weeks back. She was worried. Extremely worried. But she didn't push me with questions. That's one thing I loved about Keon. She respected what I chose to keep hidden.

"Did . . did you dye your hair?" I noticed how his eyes widened for a split second when he asked.

"Yeah."

Kaleb opened and closed his mouth, unsure of what to say. He went silent for a while and I somewhat realised how of all people, I was always patient with this one.

"How's . . how's the hand?", he asked timidly and shift his gaze to the floor.

"Fine", I groaned out and slide past him to walk away. I didn't feel like talking to him, now or ever again really. 

"Kara . . ."

I hated  whenever he said my name. Especially, when he said it like that. Like it pained him to say it. My name. It somehow meant more to hear it said from someone I cared about. 

"What?", I asked a little too harshly and winced before snapping my head in his direction.

His eyes were soft when they settled somewhere over my shoulder. I counted the silent beats that passed as I waited for him to speak. The silence between us was so fucking defeating and excruciating, that I wanted to tear my god damn ears off. However, somehow, our eyes communicated when they met for that slightest second.