Acting Out [Student/Teacher, GxG]

Never Alone

I narrowed my eyes at her. Annbella was the epitome of my way or the highway, and, although part of me respected her for it, her ability to make me do things I truly didn't want to do based on intimidation alone was beyond annoying. "What are you implying?"

She gave me a tight smile, "Implications are for people who don't have the guts to stand behind their opinions. I'm not one of them." I wasn't sure that was entirely true — Annabella tended to say a lot of things that I wasn't nearly naïve enough to take at face value. "So are you in?"

I considered my options. I was fun — I'm sure some would say I was too fun at times, but that was another issue altogether. It was true that I wouldn't have to see most of these people again after Wrap, but I hoped, at least, that I'd still be seeing Claire. I wondered if she was the type to step on stage and perform choreographed ABBA karaoke with her coworkers, or if she'd sit back with a glass of water and make polite conversation while the madness unfolded around her. I couldn't see her doing either of those things, but she also seemed too professional (as much as I hated to admit it) to get involved in any of the usual shenanigans that went on at events like these. Then again, I vaguely remembered Brielle mentioning a wrap party where Claire had made out with her thanks to the freely flowing liquor supplied by the open bar, so maybe she wasn't quite above the age old tradition of getting regrettably intoxicated and making a fool of yourself to celebrate the end of a project. Annabella regarded me with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms, and I caved. "Fine," I grimaced, "But if you were thinking you're going to get me into a costume, that's a hard no."

"I already got your measurements from Wardrobe," She smirked, "Do I look like the kind of woman to half-ass something like this?"

"You look like you have way too much time on your hands, Annabella. A hobby might do you some good."

She ignored my dig, her lazy smirk unwavering, "I'll owe you," There was a strange weight to her words that I didn't quite understand, "I think you'll find that a favour from me is a uniquely rare opportunity."

"It would be," I mused, taking a risk, "If I trusted you."

"Devious!" She laughed gleefully, her eyes lighting up, "How about I let you in on a secret that might interest you?"

I shrugged, and she leaned in, conspiratorial and mischievous, "I think every girl has an experimental phase," She waved a hand dismissively as if to suggest she was above it, "Mine lasted all of an hour, of course, but before Claire and I ever worked together, we ran in the same circles. I liked the exclusive clubs and so did she. I'll be the first to admit that she knows exactly what she's doing with that pretty mouth of hers, but I think she enjoyed it way more than I did. I was mostly teasing about the crush, but if you were interested in her, I wouldn't say it's completely out of the realm of possibility." She paused, and my face paled, "And, I've heard she loves ABBA."

•••

"You fucked Annabella?" I crowed. I felt like I could've fainted when she'd told me her secret. She knows exactly what she's doing with that pretty mouth of hers.

Her eyes bulged, "Who told you that?"

"She did!" I looked at her in disbelief, "I thought you've always hated her. She wasn't insufferable enough for you to —" I couldn't think of any way of describing what I'd been told without sounding completely vulgar, "To," I tried again, "You know what you did."

"I do know what I did," She rolled her eyes, "She kissed me, and I told her my body was a temple reserved for men and occasionally women with more than two functioning brain cells. Was that the version of the story you got, or did she add a few embellishments?"