WARNING: Unedited
P.S. A little surprise in this chapter. It involves a girl you all know so well ;D
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Stubborn Hearts:
XI. Succumbing to the Hungry Lion
AMANDA
It was during Lunch when realization slapped me across the face also seeing Melanie grinning at me while sitting beside me, fidgeting in excitement. It was just two words that escaped her lips that made me stop mid-bite from my sandwich. It was then that fear surged through my veins, burning my insides as my body stiffened from just those simple words.
Yearbook Club.
It was the club that I had no decision into joining rather than being forced into by the girl sitting beside me. I didn't know much about cameras besides the basics. I wasn't much interested in clubs at my old school. Besides that, I...didn't even want to step into the classroom that would be managed by a girl who not only screamed out danger and brought fear to me, something inside of me was hypnotized by her. It may sound strange but those golden blue eyes held mine captive in wicked trances. Maybe it was the fear that smothered me whenever I was around her or just the lure she had. Along with her beauty, everything about her wrapped a rope around me and pulled me to her.
Was it because of her 'bad girl' vibe attracted me to her? It was plausible. Mostly everyone wanted to have that taste of rebellion in their lives. But her vibe was different than the usual cliche. She was far from rebellious.
"...I heard about what happened with Lois," Melanie's voice snapped me out of my thoughts and brought my attention upon her. She looked solemn and worry filled those hazel eyes of hers. But there was another emotion in those eyes. Something that was well hidden. "Is she alright?"
"She's pretty bruised up but she'll be okay," I told her, taking another bite of my sandwich.
I was becoming antsy.
My heart was pounding hard against my chest and my nerves were going crazy. I knew once Lunch was over, I would have to go to Yearbook Club and enter the lion's cave. I would have to face the girl with those hypnotizing eyes. I would rather be stuck in a room with Helena than her... No, that would be worse. I don't if I could trust my body when it came to Helena.
"I wonder who hurt her," Melanie hummed softly as she drank the rest of her Sprite.
"Yeah..." My voice trailed off as my gaze suddenly landed on Helena who talked with Ella outside the cafeteria.
Helena looked furious while Ella had her head bowed, her ash blond hair covering her face. I suddenly felt angry at Helena. Why was she treating Ella like that? Ella was a precious flower. I wanted to march over there and protect Ella from Helena. But they Helena pointing her finger at the delicate girl as her violet eyes blazed with fury, I knew I couldn't do anything. It almost seemed as if Helena was scolding her for something she did bad.
"Why is Helena arguing with Ella?" I bluntly asked Melanie who looked up from her book and narrowed her eyes on the two girls outside the cafeteria.
I wanted to hear what Helena was saying so badly. I wanted to know why she was so mad at Ella but I understood why they were outside. The cafeteria was loud with chatter and laughter. Some girls would usually scream and start fits of giggles. Since the incident with Lois, there were a few security guards at every building, walking amongst the hall, keeping a watchful eye on everything. There was still no news as to whom hurt Lois but my gut told it had to do with Helena.
"You shouldn't worry about things that don't concern you, Amanda," Melanie said, closing her book firmly. Her voice sounded so...bitter.
It grabbed my attention and when I looked at her, I was stunned to see her hazel eyes hard. The joyful and excited girl was gone replaced by someone cold and bitter. But being bitter didn't suit her. Her autumn hair was braided into a fishtail and the spring dress she wore fitted her body perfectly making every girl envious of her curvy body. Melanie was beautiful, I won't lie. She would be a perfect model in the runway. Though, despite her beauty and charming smiles, I didn't like this bitter side of her. It was like seeing Ella all over again except Ella seem like she couldn't hurt a fly but...Melanie could.
Maybe that was my imagination to think that but when I met her, I knew she was hiding something along with Helena and Dani. But her secrets were darker, almost...cynical.
As soon as the bell rung, all that bitterness vanished from her eyes replaced with joy and excitement again. It almost scared me that she could change her expressions so quickly like an actor playing its parts perfectly.
"C'mon!" She jumped up from her seat, shoving her book into her bag. "Let's go to Yearbook Club!"
I sighed and stood up, throwing the remains of my food in the trash and walked along with Melanie to the main building. I wasn't that excited to go to club. I hardly knew what to do. All the other members told is that we had a project to do this Friday at the championship game. I'm guessing we had to capture everything and see what photos would be perfect for the school's newspaper. I clutched my bag to the side and pushed open the door of the cafeteria and welcomed the soothing cool breeze. Students begun to head to their dorms or to practice; some lingered around with their friends.
I glanced to my left side to see Helena still talking to Ella, her expression hadn't softened. It was hard and made her look frighteningly intimidating. Her lips moved continuously yet I couldn't hear anything. I wasn't trying to pry but that itching feeling to listen to their conversation was eating me. I was sort of glad that Melanie and I were heading to their direction and maybe I could hear what they were arguing about. I strained my ear, hoping Melanie wouldn't distract me as we passed by them.
"...don't ever defy, Ella," Helena hissed, leaning her face closer to Ella. Anger continued to fill in those violet eyes. "I have a higher rank than you and I could easily take you out of the equation. I was screamed at for being late. So, don't come yelling at me how it was my fault she ended up like that. I'm not the one who laid a finger on her--"
"But you sent Sam!" Ella exclaimed, looking up at Helena with tear filled eyes.
Suddenly, Helena grasped Ella's shirt in her fist and raised her off the ground like an inch. "Sam knows her job. She has no choice but to obey my orders not your foolish cries. It was her decision to join and know her place. I suggest you do the same, Ella." Helena released her, not caring that Ella lost her balance and fell to the ground.
"Is that how you treat girls, Helena?" Melanie's voice clicked her tongue.
Helena's violet eyes drifted to the both of us, hardly sparing a glance at me as she trained her cold eyes on Melanie. "Do you want to know how I treat people who eavesdrop on my conversations?"
Melanie chuckled, rolling her eyes, "C'mon, Amanda. We're going to be late."
Helena's eyes landed on me and I could feel those butterflies awakening inside of my stomach. My fingertips suddenly became tingly and I was slowly being drowned in those violet eyes. I could see the anger dissipating from her eyes and a small smile graced her lips which called out to me to kiss. I silently craved for those lips but refrained myself from doing. I couldn't shake out the conversation she had with Ella from my mind. Even though Ella was cleaning the dirt from her jeans, I didn't want to leave her alone with Helena. Who knows what else could've happened.
Someone yanked me away from Helena and her beautiful eyes and led me into a building and a flight of stairs. My mind was still stuck on those violet eyes that burned through me and stirred something inside of me almost like--
"I was thinking I lost some members," a low chuckle pierced through my mind, shattering that illusion of Helena's eyes.
I drew my gaze onto the girl with that hypnotizing beauty. Those golden blue eyes were boring through mine before looking me over slowly, engraving my image in her mind. Though, I felt...shy. Almost uncomfortable. This didn't feel right. This girl brought out feelings that weren't meant to be awakened. Fear, anxious, self-aware. Why did this girl have to be graced with something dark and evil? Why couldn't the Yearbook manager be an older woman instead of her? Why was I even part of this club in the first place?!
Melanie snorted, "You expect me to drop out of a club that you're gonna entertain us with your grace?" She giggled, passing by the girl and sat in the front desk closer to the teacher's desk that was bare from any evidence that a teacher taught here.
I walked into the room seeing the rest of the members gazing into the screens of the Mac computers in concentration. They probably were editing and cropping their photos. I was still new to this and I didn't know what to do.
"You know," that dead, emotionless voice whispered into my ear sending cold chills down my spine, "you can sit without me telling you."
I jumped away from, not liking the close proximity between us. "O-okay."
I quickly walked to the back of the class and sat down, turning the computer on. I glanced at Melanie who hardly minded me sitting away from her because she was practically throwing herself at the Yearbook manager. I never thought she would do that but looks can be deceiving.
"Okay, girls," the young woman drawled out, beginning to play with a marker. "Stop what you're doing. We got time to edit those photos you guys took which by the way are beautiful. You guys have talent, no doubt about that. First, I would like to introduce myself. I just started to be the manager of this club today, sort of like a last minute thing."
"Would you be with us the entire year?" A blonde haired girl asked and I remembered her name being Stephanie.
The girl smiled at Stephanie yet her golden blue eyes would drift to me. "Yes, I was given this job to keep you ladies in track throughout the year. After this year is finished, this job would be given to someone else with more...experience in what they're doing. I was told to just keep an eye on you ladies and not do anything rash with the yearbooks." She turned around and uncapped the marker and wrote something on the board. "As I was saying, my name is Rhea Dan--Rhea H. I would give you my last name but I don't want any friend requests on Facebook from you girls." She chuckled along with the rest of the girls, covering her mistake but I heard it.
Her name was Rhea Dan-something. Why would she want to hide her identity? Certainly, she wasn't running from something.She hardly looked like she was running away when she had the appearance of going ape-shit on someone if you crossed her line. Was she another person hiding something that wasn't meant for innocent ears to hear?
"I'm twenty-two years old," Rhea continued, capping the marker and setting it on the desk. "I live in Witherington, not that far from here. I like tattoos well, more like an obsession with them if you haven't noticed," she chuckled, raising her tatted arms. "I don't like talking about myself mostly because I just went blank right now. So, second thing I want to discuss with you girls is that this Friday, the project Mrs. Dominguez had told me about would be at the Girls' Softball Championship game. Now, this game is an away game so we would be leaving with the softball team. You all know to pack your cameras and your lenses and have those cameras fully charged right?"
The girls nodded.
I sighed heavily. I didn't want to have her eyes back on me but since she was the manager, I had to ask her about me. I timidly raised my hand which quickly grabbed her attention.
"Yes?" She raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow and crossed her arms.
"Um...I'm new to this club so, I haven't gotten my camera yet." I shied away from her gaze and looked down at the keyboard.
"You're Amanda, right?" She mused, a smirk playing on her perfect lips. "Yes, Mrs. Dominguez told me all about you."
I didn't believe her. Something in her golden blue eyes told me another thing. She knew who I was already but did she know way before she started coming here? I didn't quite like the mischief look in those eyes. They seemed too cynical.
"You're still going with us but you'll be with me and taking down notes while I teach you how to use one of our cameras. Understood?"
I wanted to say that I already knew how to use a camera but decided against it.
Throughout the whole club meeting, everyone had to introduced ourselves to Rhea. Though, Melanie never introduced herself as if her and Rhea already knew each other. When it was my turn, I was nervous. I could feel her eyes burning through my skin and I couldn't look away from the screen of the computer. I didn't want to be in that wicked trance of hers. What if I fell deep in those golden blue eyes? After my embarrassing introduction of pure stuttering, Rhea had helped some of the girls in editing their photos but never did I not feel her eyes on me. It was like she was keeping my movements in check. She was like a lion watching her prey carefully.
As soon as the meeting was over, I grabbed my bag and was about to head out when a hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. Fear rand through me as I looked up into those golden blue eyes and slowly succumbing into them. The girls left along with Melanie who only glanced at me for a brief moment before looking at Rhea with narrowed eyes and walking away. The door softly closing behind her. My heart begun to hammer against my chest and my breathing came out unevenly. I didn't want to stay in the same room as her. I didn't trust myself around her. It wasn't a good thing, though.
"Do I make you nervous, Amanda?" She whispered in my ear making me shiver.
Why couldn't she be at least fifty feet away from me?
"N-no," I choked out, feeling my palms become sweaty.
Rhea clicked her tongue, "I don't believe you."
Hands.
I felt hands on my waist slowly traveling to my stomach. The feel of her body behind mine felt...wrong. As if she was the wrong person to be holding me like this.
"I-I'm not lying," I replied, biting my lip, as one of her hands trailed down my thigh.
Slowly, she turned me around to face and I couldn't look at those wicked eyes. I didn't want to be hypnotized by them. But I felt her grab my chin and lifted my head so my eyes landed on hers. There was amusement dancing in those cold eyes. It itched me to know that this was funny to her. My fear. My reaction towards her. I hardly knew this girl yet it seemed she had control over my body like I was her personal puppet.
"Give in, Amanda," she whispered, her face leaning closer to mine. Her cool, minty breath fanning over my face. "Just give in."
I didn't this. I didn't like what she was doing to my body from protesting against her.
She pulled my body flushed against hers and those lips of hers pressed down on mine. I felt nothing in that simple kiss. It didn't awaken the butterflies in my stomach but it didn't revolted me either. It was just a simple kiss that suddenly became heated and I hardly remembered when I responded to her kiss. But all I knew is that I fell into her trance and I hated that.
I don't know how long we were kissing or how long I kept badmouthing myself for kissing this girl who could possibly harm me but all I knew was this had to stop.
And the only thing that stopped us was the slamming of a door.
I jumped away from Rhea, feeling my lips swollen from the lust-filled kisses and stared at the last person I expected to see.