Chapter Twenty Eight
Dustin King
"Hook me." I held my gloves up over my face, ready for Lydia to hit me with her best shot.
"You hooked me." Instead, she winked flirtatiously.
"Nice try. Hoping to throw me off guard, are you?" It was working. I smiled but caught myself relaxing. Repositioning my gloves, I waited for her to strike.
"I'd never do such a thing." She shook her head innocently. I sighed and dropped my hands. "Okay, alright." She moved on her tiptoes, back and forth and sent a right hook my way. Predictable. I rolled my eyes.
"I saw that coming from a mile away, Lydia. Flirty comments won't fly in the ring. You'll have to find another way to get past your opponent's defenses." I realized too late how my words might have sounded. But Lydia didn't flinch.
"Oh, no worries. Those comments are strictly reserved for you anyway." Lydia took a step towards me. I was perfectly okay with that. I wouldn't want her flirting with any other guy. "So what's next, coach?"
"Coach?" I raised my eyebrows as she nodded. "Well, since you asked..."
"Yes?" She urged me along.
"How about a combination?"
"I can do that."
The remaining twenty minutes that we had consisted of practice, albeit sloppy practice. Neither of us could seem to pay proper attention to what we were doing. Our attention was only loyal to who we were doing it with.
"We should probably get heading to school." I took off my gloves and shoved them into my backpack. "Because, you know, the quadratic formula and all that is crucial for survival."
"Or... we could run away together, never look back."
I paused in the process of zipping my backpack closed. As tempting as it sounded, I really couldn't afford to let my GPA slip any further than it had.
"Or not..." She trailed off, shaking her head.
"It's tempting." Was I really entertaining the idea?
"Really?" She asked, taking my hand. Was this really something I wanted? I shrugged.
"You're tempting." I flashed a quick smile, throwing in a wink. She really did have no idea.
"I am?" Lydia teased, pressing her warm body flesh against mine. Her lips tickled my ear. "Am I now?" She whispered.
"No..." My breathing slowed, and I wondered if she could feel my heartbeat intensify. Dipping my head, I placed my lips against her neck, letting them linger as I breathed her in. I wanted her closer, impossibly closer. My hands, resting on her hips, begged for that. My entire body craved hers. "You're irresistible."
She let out a deep laugh, filled with lust. "Good..." She muttered, dropping her hands down to her sides. "Well I'm going to go take a cold shower."
Yeah. That's a good idea.
---
I dropped my gaze to the ground. I wasn't intimidated, but I wasn't up to provoking Casen today.
"I'd recognize that blonde mop anywhere."
I quickened my pace.
"Hey, King!" He caught up and, deciding that avoidance had already failed me, I turned to face him, straightening my stance.
"That's me."
"Can we talk?" He motioned to an empty classroom. Would I be stupid to follow him into a fight? Or was he just stupid for thinking he could beat me?
"Go ahead." I kept my feet firmly in their place. If he wanted to say something, he could say it out here. What he said to Lydia wasn't private, after all.
"Fine, here it is then." He nodded and I watched his adam's apple bob up and down. I studied his body language, waiting for him to throw a punch. Sweat laced his brow. He raised his arm, and I braced myself, but instead he just held out his hand. "Truce?"
My eyes lowered from his to his outstretched hand. I studied it, half expecting it to turn into a fist at any moment. It didn't. "What?"
"Yeah man, a truce. This is my apologizing. So I'm sorry. What I said was- it was stupid and petty and I regretted it the second it came out of my mouth. And for Lydia's sake I think we should just call a truce, be friends." He rambled, his hand still extended to me.
He had a point. As harsh as his words to her were, I wouldn't want to be part of forcing her to choose between us. It was her call. "For Lydia." I took the hand he offered, shaking it with a firm grip.
He pulled me in close and whispered something in my ear. "But if you hurt her, you're dead King." Casen threatened.
"I'd never hurt her."
"Let's hope for both of our sakes, you're not lying." He nodded and let go of my hand. "Good talk."
Like he could talk.
I stared at his back as he left, taking note of the swagger, until he disappeared around the corner.
---
"I saw you and Casen talking." Lydia said, waiting for me to explain.
I shoved in a mouthful of apple, only offering, "Mhm," as a response to her unspoken question.
"It looked tense." She mentioned and I gulped. Was I supposed to tell her what he said? "Dustin?" She pushed. "What did he say?"
I shrugged. "Not much. He apologized."
"Really? Wow..." She muttered, leaning into me and she placed her head on my shoulder. "Anything else?"
"No."
She clearly didn't believe it, staring me down with a doubtful expression. I shook my head for good measure.
"Fine, don't tell me." Lydia said stubbornly and kissed my cheek before she got up.
"Wait where are you going?" This time she shrugged and walked away. "Lydia?"
"I'm running away with or without you." She winked and strutted off.
"This again?" I got up and ran after her, taking her hand to stall her. "Are you serious?" Her eyes confirmed that she was. "Are you sure?" I asked again anyway.
She pulled at my hand and into an empty classroom. I shut the door behind us. "I just... we've been through so much I, want us to be able to just relax and have some time to ourselves."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair, and looked around. We could. Students did it all the time and no one seemed to care enough. "We could... go somewhere." I held my hesitation down. She was right; we did need time for some de-escalation.
"Really?" She looked surprised I agreed. I wrapped my arms around her, taking in the lavender smell of her hair.
"Have everything you need on you?" I asked, jumping the gun on her question.
"Um, yeah." She nodded. "Right now?"
A smile pulled at the corner of my lips. "Right now."
"Do you have everything?" She asked, tugging my shirt.
I winked. "All I need is you."
"Love you." She whispered, but then her face got serious. "Where are we going?"
"This was your idea. Where did you have in mind?" I asked and she smirked, like she already knew the answer before I asked the question.
"Just drive lover boy." She patted my chest.
---
"This place is a dump." I looked around. It looked like brown paint had threw up all over the room. Brown sheets, brown carpet and brown wallpaper. I put my keys down on the table and sat on the bed. It felt like it was going to collapse under me.
"Don't let the bedbugs bite." Lydia winked and I immediately hopped off the bed.
"What, where?" I panicked and she started laughing.
"I'm just kidding."
"Don't scare me like that!" I feigned fear, putting a hand over my heart.
"Didn't mean you bruise your ego, big boy." She teased, sticking her tongue out at me.
"Careful, Lydia," I joked back. My eyes travelled down to her lips as her tongue went back in. "Those are fighting words."
"Are they?" She pressed herself against me.
I nodded, swallowing hard. I searched her eyes as hers stared into my soul. They were filled with lust, towards me and my entire body shook. I couldn't wait any longer, I pressed my lips against hers, immediately asking for access. It was quickly granted and I slipped my tongue through her teeth. Her hands travelled through my hair, clinging onto each strand.
"Dustin..." She muttered.
"Yeah?" I broke apart, thinking something was wrong but she shook her head.
"Don't stop." She said breathlessly and pulled me back towards her. I nodded.
"Okay..." My hands left her waist briefly and I pulled my shirt up over my head. I wanted to be the one to take the first step. She took a second, tracing every inch of my chest. It sent a fiery passion throughout me, passion for her.
I leaned into Lydia, kissing down her jawline and sucking at her neck. She arched her back, letting me hold her weight. I looked at the mark I'd made and kissed it. She was mine. My heart beat could be felt throughout my entire body.
My hands went to her shirt before I could stop myself, but she didn't stop me either. I took off her shirt and threw it to the side. She was so beautiful. I felt like I had to take in every inch of her. I pushed her back against the bed and she took initiative, positioning herself perfectly. I crawled between her legs, kissing down her neck, down her sternum, to her belly button.
She took my face in her hands and pulled me back to her lips, hungrily.
"You sure?" I asked, before I no longer had the ability to speak.
"Umhm." She nodded, biting her lip, but then her face fell. "I don't have a..."
My cheeks heated with embarrassment. "I do..." I muttered and pulled a condom from my wallet, in my back pocket.
"I want you Dustin." Her hands tugged at the clasp of my jeans.
"I want you too Lydia."
"I know." She smirked at the bulge in my pants.
I love this girl.
Thanks for reading!
We hope you enjoyed this chapter of Fighting the Fall! Only three chapters left, including the epilogue! It's bittersweet because it's sad and exciting at the same time. We really appreciate all the support during our journey writing this story. Don't forget to comment, vote and share! We love feedback!
What do you think will happen next? Will Dustin and Lydia's night away go as planned?
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