The ride back to college was eerily quiet, the words of Officer Corbin echoing in my mind. "First step in gaining the upper hand against anyone, you need to know their quirks and familiarize yourself with their mannerisms." While I wouldn't claim to know him inside out, I had a sense of how he operated. One of his quirks was being consistently irritating, and being a jerk round the clock was another.
Clearing my head, I reminded myself to stay focused. If he even suspects what I'm up to, it won't take long for him to retaliate. With determination, I made my way to his class.
The familiar hallways rushed past as I climbed the stairs. Suddenly, my body collided with someone else's, and I heard a sigh. "We need to stop meeting like this, sweetheart," a familiar voice murmured, wrapping an arm around my waist. Looking up, I met Alex's beryl-colored eyes, twinkling with amusement.
"Hi," I breathed out softly, melting into his embrace. His warm scent enveloped me, and I closed my eyes, feeling safe in his arms.
"I missed you," I confessed, feeling the tension of the day melt away.
"Hmm," he hummed, holding me tighter. His gentle swaying calmed my nerves.
But then, I felt something cold glide down my neck, and realization dawned. He wouldn't... Disgusted, I pulled away, only to be pulled back into his embrace as he nuzzled his sweaty face against me.
"Gross!" I exclaimed, trying to break free from his hold.
He chuckled, clearly amused by my reaction. "God, I'm going to miss this," he remarked, finally releasing me.
After cleaning myself up, I asked, "What do you mean?" before the bell interrupted us.
"I'll explain later, let's go," he urged, grabbing my hand as we rushed to class.
As we entered, we were met with a pair of angry eyes belonging to our professor. He looked like he was about to erupt any moment. We quickly took our seats as he pointed us to the front.
Halfway through the class a circular was brought in. Not giving it much thought I focused back on my book.
My head snapped up as soon as I heard Alex's name.
A couple of other guys and girls name was called out.
A total of eight members.
I looked at Alex but his focus was ahead.
"All of you are selected for this years annual science fest taking place in Brooklyn. It will be a week long trip, accommodations will be made by the college."
Signing on it he handed the circular back.
"Mrs Keith will be accompanying you on the trip. Feel free to not drop by my office and go see her if you have anymore questions."
A couple of people laughed thinking he was being sarcastic.
So this is what he meant earlier.
My eyes dropped down. My mood soured.
My eyes moved towards the source of my displeasure.
My own customized jinx.
Feeling the weight of my eyes he turned around, his own narrowed in surprise noticing my glare.
His head tilted to the side as he observed me.
I glanced at him, my mood souring. My gaze locked with his, and he flashed an amused smile, scanning me from head to toe. Then, unexpectedly, he winked at me, leaving me flustered.
My gaze quickly averted.
Discreetly I looked around noticing everyone focused on their books.
Mine focused back on the one lying in front of me but the words blurred together.
I heard a snicker followed up by a cough disguising it.
Jerk!
***********************
My strides were quick as I followed him out of the room.
Trailing behind him just a couple of steps behind. His long legs quickly ate up the distance.
The rest of the classes were dismissed and the students filled out in the corridor blocking my way.
Hurriedly I moved around the corner I saw him last turning at.
The hallway was empty.
After a lot of contemplation I decided to just directly head to his office.
Quick couple of turns later, I was standing in front of the oak double doors.
The devil's lair.
His name hung on a thin silver coloured name plate.
Nicholas Carter, Lecturer Mathematics Department
Just as I raised my hand to knock
The conversation from the morning came back.
"How far do you think you can get before he hurts you too?"
A pair of lifeless eyes flashed before mine.
Hesitantly I took a step back.
Maybe this was a bad idea.
Looking around I noticed the once again empty corridors.
When I turned back my eyes fell on the partial opened door.
Before I knew it my curiosity overpowered the caution, I had pushed it further and took a step inside.
The room was partially lit as the windows were propped open.
I took a couple of steps in. An oak wood table was set in the far left side of the room along with a desk chair.
A couple of books carelessly thrown on top of it.
But he was nowhere to be found.
Yeah.. This was definitely a bad idea...
Just as I contemplated leaving, strong arms encircled my waist, pulling me back against a warm chest. A hand covered my mouth, and I tensed, feeling a brief kiss on my cheek. The familiar voice whispered mockingly in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.
"Hi, sweetheart," he said, his tone dripping with amusement
Struggling against his hold, I managed to mumble, "Get off of me!"
Chuckling, he released me and turned me around to face him. I found myself pressed against the wall, his body pinning mine. Despite my protests, his grip tightened, holding me firmly in place.
"Are you insane, Nicholas? Why the hell would you do that?" My voice seethed with contempt, every syllable laden with loathing.
Nicholas grinned, his eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction. "Why, darling, you looked like you needed a reminder of who's in control."
I scoffed, my blood boiling with fury. "In control? You're nothing but a pathetic excuse for a human being."
He took a step closer, his presence suffocatingly arrogant. "Oh, but you can't deny the thrill of our little game, can you?"
I glared at him, my hatred burning like a wildfire. "There's no game, Nicholas. Just you, reveling in your own sick fantasies."
He laughed, a cruel sound that made my skin crawl. "Ah, but you're here, aren't you? Playing your part perfectly."
With a venomous glare, I turned away, refusing to dignify his twisted words with a response.
Nicholas's laughter echoed off the walls, a chilling sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Leaving so soon, sweetheart? I don't think so."
I froze, my heart pounding in my chest as I felt his presence looming closer, trapping me against the wall with an iron grip. Panic surged through me, but I refused to show any sign of weakness.
"Let me go, Nicholas," I demanded, my voice trembling with suppressed rage.
His smirk widened, his breath hot against my ear as he leaned in closer. "Why would I do that?"
I struggled against his hold, feeling the weight of his body pressing against mine. "Because I won't hesitate to make you regret it," I spat, my eyes flashing with defiance.
Nicholas chuckled darkly, his fingers tightening around my wrists. "Feisty, aren't we? But I like it. Makes the game all the more thrilling."
I gritted my teeth, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me falter. "This isn't a game, Nicholas. It's a nightmare, and you're the monster lurking in the shadows."
His laughter rang out again, cold and mocking. "Oh, darling, you flatter me. But I assure you, I'm far worse than any nightmare."
As his grip tightened further, a sense of dread washed over me, drowning out any lingering traces of defiance. I knew then that escaping his clutches would be no easy feat. But I refused to surrender to the darkness that threatened to consume me, even if it meant facing the devil himself.
I could feel the tension crackling in the air between us, thick with animosity and an undeniable undercurrent of something else—something raw and primal, simmering just beneath the surface.
"Let go of me, Nicholas," I growled, my voice low and dangerous.
He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against my ear in a mockery of intimacy. "Or what, darling? You'll scratch me with those pretty little nails of yours?"
I seethed with rage, my blood boiling at his condescending tone. "You have no idea what I'm capable of," I spat, my voice dripping with venom.
Nicholas chuckled darkly, his grip on me tightening even further. "Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea. But by all means, feel free to enlighten me."
I struggled against him, the weight of his body pinning me against the wall. "You're playing with fire, Nicholas. And you're going to get burned."
His eyes flashed with something unreadable, a dangerous glint that sent a shiver down my spine. "Is that a threat, sweetheart? Because if it is, you might want to reconsider. You have no idea what I'm capable of."
I met his gaze head-on, refusing to back down. "Neither do you, Nicholas. But I promise you this—if you don't let me go right now, you're going to find out."
For a moment, there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, a hint of something unknown. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced once again by that familiar smirk of his.
"Challenge accepted," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous.
And then, without warning, he leaned in closer, his lips capturing mine in a bruising kiss that stole the breath from my lungs.
As his lips crashed against mine, a surge of conflicting emotions flooded through me—anger, frustration, desire. His kiss was rough, possessive, a silent declaration of dominance. Despite my efforts to push him away, I found myself responding to him, my body betraying me with its primal instinct.
But beneath the surface, beneath the facade of hostility and animosity, there was something else—a spark of electricity, a connection that I couldn't ignore. As much as I hated to admit it, there was a part of me that craved his touch, that yearned for the intensity of his gaze, even as it filled me with rage.
As the kiss deepened, his hold on me tightened, his fingers digging into my skin with a bruising force. I could feel the heat of his body against mine, the strength of his embrace threatening to overwhelm me.
And yet, despite the chaos raging within me, there was a sense of exhilaration, of freedom, in the midst of our tangled embrace. In that moment, there was no past, no future—only the intoxicating present, filled with the heady rush of adrenaline and desire.
But just as quickly as it had begun, the kiss ended, leaving me breathless and disoriented, my mind reeling with a whirlwind of emotions. And as Nicholas pulled away, his eyes smouldering with a dangerous intensity, I knew that nothing would ever be the same again.