A quiet knock on my car window jolts me from my thoughts. I glance outside to see Mackenzie standing there, arms crossed, a determined look on her face. With a sigh, I step out of the car and lean against the door, mirroring her pose with my arms folded.
"I was about to leave, Mackenzie," I say, adopting an unbothered tone.
"Don't leave..." she replies softly.
I straighten up, a smirk curling my lips. "Or what?" I challenge.
She holds my gaze, unwavering.
"Or will you miss me?" I tease, letting my eyes wander down her face, lingering on her lips, then tracing her neck, collarbones, and curves.
"Damn, Mackenzie... you're sexy," I whisper, the words slipping out before I can stop them.
She tilts her head, locking her eyes onto mine. Slowly, her hands glide to my neck, fingers tangling in my hair. A shiver runs down my spine. As my gaze falls to her lips, I can no longer contain my desires. Our lips collide fiercely, and I pull her closer, feeling her legs wrap around my waist. I spin her around and press her against my car, trailing kisses down her neck. She moans—a soft, sultry sound that sends my world spiraling.
Suddenly, a loud voice breaks the spell: "Cheer for your varsity football team! The Falcons!"
I snap back to reality, the abruptness hitting me like a slap in the face. I can't shake the memory of that dream—or nightmare, really—that's been haunting me since Friday night. It felt so real. I woke up overwhelmed with desire, frustrated that even my dreams can't seem to handle themselves. I replay the dream in my mind far too often, and it's maddening when I come back to the reality of being alone, trapped in this gym during a dull school assembly.
School assemblies make me want to scream. What do they think this is? High School Musical? Honestly, I can't focus today, and I just want this ridiculous assembly to end. My friends and I are sitting together in the bleachers, and I glance across to see Mackenzie with her friends. Oddly enough, her boyfriend is missing. What happened between them Friday?
"Nathan, you missed a lit party on Friday. Why'd you dip so early?" Dustin calls from the row above me, leaning in like he's genuinely curious.
I barely glance back, keeping my voice as bored as possible. "Nobody worth sticking around for..."
Connor, sitting across from us, raises an eyebrow and grins like he's onto something. "Mackenzie was there, though," he says, throwing me a look that's way too playful for my liking.
I roll my eyes, keeping my tone dismissive. "Yeah, so? She's a pain in the ass. She was annoying me."
Connor smirks. "Right... that why you couldn't take your eyes off her all week?"
The guys chuckle, and I shake my head, scoffing like it's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. "Please, if I wanted to stare at something, it wouldn't be her," I say, folding my arms, trying to sound like I couldn't care less.
Dustin laughs, nudging Connor. "Sure, bro, whatever you say."
I shrug, keeping my face neutral even though I can feel the heat crawling up the back of my neck.
"So, you're giving up?" Haze chimes in, his voice taunting, like he'd love nothing more than to see me fold.
I shift slightly to face him, refusing to let that smirk get under my skin. Giving up? No way. I'm not letting Mackenzie have that kind of power over me. She thinks she can mess with my head, but I'm going to show her who's in control. This isn't over—this is just the beginning.
"Nah, man. I'm just having fun with it," I declare with a grin, playing it off like I've got everything under control.
Dustin chuckles and leans in. "What are you planning to do to her, you little freak?"
I turn to him, winking in an exaggerated, cocky way. "Make her obsessed with me, bro."
We laugh, and Dustin pulls me into a bro handshake.
"You'll introduce that little saint to the nasties, huh?" Marco joins in, chuckling.
"Bro! You think she's a virgin?" Dustin jumps in, his voice buzzing with excitement like he's already betting on the answer.
Virgin or not, I don't really know. She could be... And suddenly, the thought messes with me. What if she is? What if she's not? Why the hell do I even care?
"Virgin or not," Haze chimes in with a sly smirk, "she looks like a good time."
Dustin gives him a playful shove, and the boys nod like they're all in on some joke. But Haze keeps going, pushing buttons that shouldn't be pressed.
"I'd make her take all of my load in her mouth, you know what I mean?" Haze grins, his tone going from cocky to crude.
Dustin cracks up, but something about it hits me wrong. "Bro, what the hell are you saying?" he laughs harder, but I'm not laughing.
I echo the same, but my voice is serious. "Yeah, what the hell are you saying?"
The way he talks about her rubs me the wrong way. He needs to chill.
"Me and her are getting close. I might tap that before you do," Haze brags, puffing up his chest like this is some kind of competition. "But don't worry, you can have my leftovers."
The air shifts. The boys fall silent, and Marco covers his mouth with his fist like he can't believe what just came out of Haze's mouth. I shoot Haze a glare that could burn a hole through concrete.
"Shit!" Marco mutters, trying to lighten the mood, but it's already too late.
"She isn't desperate, Haze. She won't settle for Walmart when she can have Chanel," I say, breaking the silence with a scoff, trying to sound unaffected, even though I can feel the anger bubbling up.
"We'll see about that... She's got great boobs, by the way. When they pressed against my chest when we hugged? Almost gave me a boner," Haze adds, completely unfazed by the tension he's stirring.
"Wait, Haze, you hugged her? Bro, what's with the romance?" Marco asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, man. It makes girls wet," Haze says smugly. "I'm sure it made her wet. I'll get in her pants in no time."
That's it. This jerk is really asking for it now. I can't stand him. My fists tighten, and before I do something I'll regret, I decide to leave the bleachers. I can't make a scene, not here, not now.
I walk briskly to the exit of the gym, trying to shake off the anger that's simmering just beneath the surface. But before I step outside, I glance back over my shoulder. My eyes find Mackenzie across the room, and—damn it—she's already looking at me.
I give her a cold stare, trying to convince myself it means nothing. Then I slam the door behind me, the echo of it ringing in my ears as I walk away.
I walk aimlessly, needing a moment to breathe. To my right, there's a narrow space between two lockers. I lean against the wall, letting my body slide down to the floor. I hear footsteps approaching—slow, deliberate. My head is down, but I can tell when the footsteps stop right in front of me. They grow closer, and suddenly someone slides down the wall beside me. I feel the warmth of their body against my side, and then I catch a whiff of Mackenzie's perfume. I tilt my head back, resting it against the wall.
"Can I ask you a question?" she breaks the silence.
I turn my head to look at her. She's fiddling nervously with her ring, and I can't help but find her unease amusing.
"What do I get if I do?" I reply.
"Why were you nice to me on Friday?" she asks.
I raise an eyebrow, surprised she even thinks I was being nice. I don't respond, and she turns her head to face me.
"Was it just because of that challenge thing?" she presses.
"Mackenzie, let it go," I say, irritation creeping into my voice.
"You were just trying to prove something, weren't you?" she demands.
I smirk; my little Mackenzie is feeling bold today, holding my gaze without flinching. Her anger is too good to resist.
"It worked, didn't it? You wouldn't be here if it didn't," I reply, a hint of arrogance in my tone.
"What are you trying to prove anyway? No matter what you do, you'll always just be a heartless dick," she retorts, standing up.
"You shouldn't deny your feelings, Kenz," I warn.
"Don't call me Kenz. Haze was right; you're too stubborn," she says, starting to walk away.
What did she just say? I stand up and grab her arm, pulling her back to face me. I tower over her, locking my glare onto hers as she tries to hold my stare.
"Tell me, Kenz, why did you even come to that party? And why did you add me on Snapchat? I know you want to be part of this, whether you admit it or not. I can see it in your eyes—you're intrigued by me. I can read your mind, and it's full of stories about me," I declare.
"Are you kidding? Me? Intrigued by you? By your dumb fucking superiority complex and your—"
I slide closer, eliminating the distance between us until we're almost touching. Her words falter, surprise flickering across her face as her breath quickens, likely from anger. I scan her eyes for any sign of weakness. I can feel the tension hanging between us; it's palpable, and I know I'm not imagining it. Yet her anger seems to overshadow everything else.
"Fuck you," she says, turning her back on me and walking away.
I grab her wrist and pull her into the empty classroom next to our locker hideout. This is a game to me, and I'm eager to see what it means to her. Let's see how close she is to falling for me.
I close the door behind us and push her against the wall across the room.
"What the hell, Nathan?" she exclaims.
She doesn't often say my name, and damn, it feels good when she does.
"You aren't intrigued by me, Kenz. You don't feel this, do you?" I smirk, leaning closer.
She presses her hand against my chest and gives me little pushes. I don't flinch; it's barely even a push. I lift my hand above her head and lean in closer, pushing hers away with my other hand. Our eyes clash in a silent battle.
"Feel what?" she challenges.
I scoff, studying her eyes for anything other than anger. I know she's close to letting me in. My gaze drops to her lips as I bite mine gently, inhaling deeply.
"Feel what?" I echo, mimicking her.
She pushes off the wall, trying to create distance, but it only brings her closer. I cup her face with my free hand, eliciting a surprised breath from her. Still, all I see is anger in her eyes, but there's something thrilling about this tension. My stare hardens, matching her energy, and I gently tilt her head to the side. Leaning in closer, I whisper softly in her ear:
"Feel that."
I place a kiss just beneath her ear, trailing a line of kisses down her neck. Her breath quickens, and I can feel her heartbeat against my lips. I don't usually care much about the pleasure I give to girls, but I could spend hours feeling her respond to me. I know I'm good in bed—word travels that I fuck like a god.
But, building tension isn't something I'm used to, nor do I typically enjoy it, but right now, I wish time would freeze.
I turn her head back toward mine, and finally, I catch a glimpse of desire in her green eyes. Our lips are so close that a single breath could unite them. I look down at her soft, pink, glossy lips, desperately trying to distract myself. Instead, I lift her chin and kiss her neck a bit harder this time. A sound escapes her lips. This sound, it's pure and raw and I wish I could hear it again and again.
I take my time each time my lips connect with her skin; she tastes incredible.
Then she grabs my hand—the one resting on her face—and pulls it down.
"Stop," she whispers, breathless, her cheeks flushed.
In that moment, I freeze, my lips lingering just above her skin. I lick my lips, already craving her taste again. The heat radiating from our bodies mingles in the air, making the room feel stifling.
What the hell is happening to me? My mind races, dizzying in its confusion. I pull back, running a hand through my hair, trying to regain some semblance of control. This isn't how it's supposed to go. I'm meant to assert my dominance, to prove my control, not lose my grip on the situation.
Frustration wells up within me as I clench my jaw, my instincts screaming that I need to walk away. I can't read her right now; she looks frozen in time, caught between wanting more and holding back. It unnerves me in a way I've never felt before.
I turn and open the door, leaving the classroom without glancing back, the tension between us still crackling in the air like static.
________________________________________________________________________________Author's notes
Hi, I know, I know...
Why the fuck would you tell him to stop.
That girl is so dumb sometimes.
Also, I love Connor with all my heart.
He knows what's up.
-with love