Wrong Injection

CHAPTER 13

"There," he said, placing the brush back on the dresser. I was speechless, my eyes wide with surprise. "Shut your mouth." He teased and I quickly closed it and turned around, looking at him with wide eyes, still in awe of his hair-styling skills.

"Max, did you just pull my hair up into this?" I asked, still in awe, pointing at the ponytail and he chuckled as always.

"You've got to learn; it's easy." He said and I stared at him, stunned.

"Wow, Max, wow. How did you learn how to do this?" I asked and he looked at me hesitantly.

"Promise you won't laugh if I tell you."

"I promise."

"I used to play with dolls when I was little." He hesitated and I gasped loudly, my mouth hanging open in shock.

"Max, are you serious?" I asked, still in shock. I couldn't believe that Max, the tough and confident guy I knew, had just admitted to playing with dolls as a child.

"They weren't mine though. They belonged to my female cousins. I played with them whenever they came visiting."

"Shocking," I said and he chuckled, looking a bit shy. "I think I should start calling you Maxlyn," I teased as I rushed to grab my backpack.

"You dare not," He jokingly warned and I reached for my backpack, saying "Maxlyn" again, just to tease him.

"You are dead," He playfully threatened and chased after me as I giggled all the way out of my room to join the students on the bus.

After a fun-filled day at the Kakum National Park, we were back on the bus, heading to the hotel. The forest had exceeded our expectations, with its lush greenery and thickness. We had an amazing time, spotting wild animals and taking note of the lessons we learned, despite all the fun we had.

As we sat on the bus, I showed Max a picture I took with one of the monkeys in the park. "Look at this monkey, it looks like it wants to eat my head off," I said, and we both burst out laughing.

I gazed lovingly at the picture of myself with a bird I took at the Kakum National Park. "Oh, this picture is cute. I'll send it to Mom and Bella; they need to see how cute I looked with this little bird." Max's expression changed, and he smirked, grinning from ear to ear.

"Bella," he said, and I shot him a glare. "You need to introduce us as soon as we get to New York," He said, and I scoffed, rolling my eyes. I knew he was interested in meeting Bella, probably to try and charm her like he did with every other girl. But I wasn't going to let that happen, even if Bella agreed to it.

Later, Max and I decided to spend some time on my balcony, working on our laptops to jot down our experiences and observations from the Kakum National Park. Max was fully focused on his assignment, but I found myself distracted, unable to shake off the memory of last night's kiss with Sultan King West. A part of me wanted to confide in Max, but another part of me hesitated, unsure if I should share the secret.
~~~
My heart skipped a beat as the doorbell rang in the dead of night, sending a shiver down my spine. I sat up in bed, my eyes fixed on the door, wondering who could be visiting at such an ungodly hour. My feet hesitated to touch the cold floor as I debated whether to answer the door.

The bell rang again, making me flinch. "Who is it?" I asked nervously, taking slow steps towards the door. But there was no response, which only heightened my fear.

I swallowed hard, my voice shaking as I asked again, "Who is there?" My eyes were glued to the door, my heart racing with anticipation.

Suddenly, Max's face popped into my mind. What if he needed my help? What if he was in trouble? "Max," I called out, rushing to the door without hesitation.

I swung the door open, expecting to see Max's familiar face. But instead, I was met with Sultan's chiseled features, his eyes gleaming in the dim light. I was taken aback, my voice caught in my throat as I stared at him with wide, shocked eyes.

"W-what are you doing here? How did you get my room number?" I was confused and stunned, unsure of what to make of his sudden appearance.

"Can I come in?" He asked. I hesitated, licking my bottom lip before tucking my hair behind my ear. I didn't like the game he was playing, and I didn't want to let him in.

"I'm sorry, I cannot let you in," I said boldly but Sultan just smirked and walked up to my face.

"You need to leave. I honestly don't like this game you're trying to play with me. I swear, I hate it. Why do you keep coming after me?"

"I don't know, I keep asking myself the same question." He took a step closer, his eyes staring deep into mine. But I looked away, feeling uncomfortable and unsure of what to do.

"Whatever it is, please end it. I'm not mentally prepared for you coming after me. Just stop." I pleaded.

"Why?" His response was simple and I licked my lips, unsure of how to respond.

"Just leave." I tried to push him away, but he held me firm, his lips moving against mine in a gentle, yet insistent kiss. I felt a surge of emotions, a mix of surprise, fear, and... something else. Something that I couldn't quite explain. Sultan's kiss was like nothing I had ever experienced before. It was as if he was pouring all of his emotions into the kiss, and I was helpless to resist. I felt myself melting into his arms, my lips responding to his, despite my initial resistance.