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Lace
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Chapter 11: Lace (Vanessa's POV)
I sighed in exhaustion and relief as I moved towards my bed once I came out of the bathroom, now dressed for bed. I lay down flat on my stomach and hugged the pillow that was under my cheek, closing my eyes. I couldn't bring myself to fully believe we were going to do what we planned to. Me and... Aaron.
I never ever thought I'd get remotely close to him after what happened between us in college. Well, what almost happened. My eyes snapped open and I stared ahead, zoning out into the dark while reliving the memory in my head. It shouldn't be so vivid, considering we were drunk. But I remember it much more clearly than I wish I did.
"You don't come to a college party and not drink, Van," Cole said pointedly, handing me a shot glass. Cole was not only my roommate's and close friend's boyfriend, but he was also my friend and the host of tonight's party at his parents' house. Cole has always lived near the campus and often hosts parties because his parents are always traveling.
"In my defense, I didn't want to come to this college party. But your girlfriend dragged me here."
"Drink up, come on," he shrugged, downing his own shot.
I looked down at the vodka. I shouldn't have been drinking, I most certainly was not twenty-one. But I was in college. I downed the shot, cringing and sucking in a breath through my teeth, handing him the glass.
He filled up another one, handing it to me.
"No," I whined as his girlfriend, Amy, showed him beside me, lifting the glass to my lips.
"Come on, come on, come on," she squealed as I drank it down.
I had another one after that or maybe it was two more. It wasn't long after that that I had no idea what I was doing. Someone pulled me to dance with the crowd but somewhere along the line, I lost my dance partner, whoever it was. I was just moving with the crowd when my back collided with someone.
I spun around and realized it was a guy. An insanely tall guy. I took in the black fitted v-neck and the jeans. The t-shirt, I realized, was full sleeves but the sleeves had been bunched up at his elbows. Someone fell somewhere on the dance floor and the crowd surged backward. I mumbled a small, "Ow," as I was pushed further into the stranger.
I fisted the shirt to avoid crashing into him full force but when my hands landed on his back, I realized whoever he was, he definitely worked out. I huffed in frustration and let go, trying not to get crushed in the ground. I spun away from the guy to leave when a group of people stumbled and then like dominos, people on the floor were falling. I squeaked, losing my balance.
I was prepared to land on my ass but froze when I felt someone grabbing my waist from behind and steadying me. It was the same guy and he held us both up while people got back up. I didn't feel him let go, but I did feel his firm and taut front pressing into my back.
I slowly spun around, tilting my head up, my eyes going wide when I recognized that face.
Aaron Sinclair.
"Griffin," he nodded once, catching my arm before I stumbled.
"Prof—" I stopped myself. He wasn't my professor anymore. "Aaron," I corrected. He's my rival now. I tried walking through the crowd but the place was so packed that there was nowhere to go.
He took up most of the space since he wasn't dancing or moving. Just standing there like a barrier. I moved forward, feeling someone brush against my back but failed to realize that only brought me closer to Sinclair. He was just staring at me, a cup in one of his hands. I met his gaze, taking a step closer. It felt like a staring contest. Everything felt like a competition with him and I wanted to win.
"Oh, are we making this a competition too?" he mused.
"Hmm." I tilted my chin up higher.
"And what does the winner get?"
"That depends on what the winner wants."
He nodded slowly. "Fair enough." It was as I held his gaze that I realized he was also fairly drunk. From his movements and body language, one wouldn't think so. But his guard was down. Normally, he rarely spoke and when he did it wasn't with amusement but with disdain. My eyes began to sting but I only blinked when I couldn't survive any longer and they teared up. "I win," he gloated.
I groaned, rolling my eyes. "So, what do you want?"
"What do I want?" he echoed, his eyes scanning my face. He took in a breath and then tilted his head to one side in thought. His eyes got caught on my lips. "I can take whatever I want?"
"Hmm," I nodded. "So, what do you want?"
"I won't tell you." He leaned down a bit, meeting my gaze, our faces in level. "I'll just take it." He leaned forward, smashing his lips on mine.
I don't know what got into me. If it was the way he kissed or if it was just his pretty face. But I was grabbing at his shirt, pulling him closer, his hands were on my waist, his cup lying somewhere on the floor now. Aaron was tall, no doubt, sitting at a height of six foot three. And it was a struggle to maintain our balance in the crowd.
He pulled away abruptly and led me out of the crowd and to the staircase while catching my breath. He pushed open the door to an empty room and pulled me in with him, closing the door and locking it as I leaned against it, watching him. He turned his attention to me again and then paused, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. "We're drunk," he mumbled.
"I don't care," I shrugged, kicking my heels to the side.
He glanced at my bare feet then took in my height. "Losing the heels doesn't help."
I was barely five foot five.
Still am, actually.
"You sure?" I lifted a brow, moving up to stand on his shoes.
He stared down at me and then suddenly pulled me up, holding my thighs as my legs went around him. "Don't you hate me?" he asked, moving to sit on the untouched bed.
"I do," I nodded, straddling him. "Don't you?"
He paused but never answered and just kissed me again.
Luckily enough, we didn't have sex that night. We made out, and clothes were discarded but nobody got naked and nobody had sex. Far from it.
I stared at the ceiling I could faintly make out in the dark, my hands resting on my bare stomach, only in my bra and underwear. "I have a project due," I mumbled.
"Do you? That strategy project? The one where you're given a fake business and have to design a marketing strategy for it and present it?"
"Hmm."
"You should be fine. I mean if you're as smart as you say."
I glanced at him. I could see his bare chest and toned abs from the moonlight. I knew he only had his briefs on because I took his jeans off earlier.
We both were ready to have sex then and there but for some reason, we didn't. We broke apart to catch our breaths and just never continued. We just started talking.
"It's a start-up."
"Ah... those are tougher."
"Hmm." I blinked slowly, my eyes getting droopy.
"You'll be fine though. You'll ace it."
"I know," I barely said before dozing off.
I remember the next morning I was woken up by a phone. From my mother. Who was at campus right then, waiting to meet me. Like we planned.
"Lo siento, lo siento, mucho, Mom," I whispered, slipping my dress back on. "
¿Por qué estás susurrando?" she asked me why I was whispering.
What was I supposed to say? I slept with my old student professor? Of course not. "Um..." So, I lied. "Estoy en el dormitorio de mi novio. Él está durmiendo." Which meant 'I'm in my boyfriend's room. He's sleeping.'
"¿Tienes un novio?" she gasped. 'You have a boyfriend?'
"Sí. ¿Dónde estás? Estoy de camino," I rushed out, asking where she was and saying I was on my way before she even answered. I glanced at Aaron once and thought he was still sleeping. I tiptoed out and left before anybody noticed me, rushing back to campus to meet my mom.
Later, I told her the truth. Well, some of it. That I was at a party the night before. I still kept the boyfriend lie going.
Aaron made it a point to use it against me for some time. He would talk about how I would have told my mom everything if something happened between us. But neither one of us wanted those rumors, so we agreed to pretend like it never happened.
My alarm rang persistently the next morning, no matter how many times I turned it off. I blinked, sitting up and realizing I fell asleep last night thinking of that memory. I groaned and got out of bed and ready for work.
I was scanning the closet when my phone rang. I answered it without looking. "Hello?"
"We should go somewhere together after work."
I stopped, glancing at the screen. There was no name on it but I knew that voice. "Aaron, how did you get my number?"
"From the office. Did you hear what I said?"
"Yes, I did," I huffed, "where?"
"Dinner, maybe. Or at least make people think that way."
"Fine," I agreed. A dress would be better than the blazers and button-ups I usually wear then.
"Save my number. Without any emojis or curses."
"No promises," I said and then hung up without waiting for a reply. I pulled out a dress from my closet. It reached about midthigh and was white. The underdress was satin and white with white lace sitting on top, flowers embroidered into it in blue, mostly. It seemed cute and something I would wear to a date. It's lace, too. And lace usually tends to mean something special or fancy. "Lace it is," I sighed.
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Chapter 11
I'll attach their outfits in the next chapter when they go for dinner
also some of y'all thought she got pregnant... in what though one night lmao y'all gotta chill because ngl I hate the pregnancy trope. sorry, not sorry. it's different if it's a married couple but unexpected pregnancies in books? vomit
next chapter: stranger