My breath was now coming in pants, I was terrified. It was dark and I couldn't see anything. I couldn't hear anything other than my racing heart and my heavy breaths. I could still feel him near me.
"Shhhh.... I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." He said in an almost inaudible whisper.
I could feel him come near me. I tried moving back, but it was futile, I was already against the wall. My hands were at my sides, he held my hands, gently caressing upwards to my shoulders. I could feel his breath hot on my face; I could feel him staring at me. I had no idea how he could see in pitch darkness. He seemed to know exactly where I was and in what position.
He gently placed one of his hands on my cheek, while the other was placed gently on my back. He wiped away the tears that were falling down my cheeks with his thumb. I hadn't even realised I had been crying. He kissed my forehead, and then moved to my left cheek, my right cheek, and then down to my chin, he planted feathery kissed along my jawline, to my collarbone, he then moved upward to my neck. As he kissed me I don't why, but I wasn't afraid, I felt like everything that was happening was right. In fact I felt like kissing him back. I knew what I was feeling for this person was wrong, God, I didn't even know who he was, yet I felt so attracted to him.
I could feel my pulse in my neck beat against the touch of his lips. He was kissing me softly on my neck. He then suddenly stopped and abruptly pulled away, I don't know why but I didn't want him to stop, I felt sort of rejected when he pulled away. We both stood in silence for what felt like hours. I could hear him breathing a little heavy now.
"Who are you?" I whispered, breaking the silence.
He came up close to me again, I took in the smell of his after shave mixed with his cologne, and he really did smell good. I could feel his breath hot on my face again. He didn't say anything, but I could feel his stare piercing though my eyes. He then inched closer so our noses were touching I closed my eyes taking in his scent, it was intoxicating for me, he then planted a passionate, yet gentle kiss on my lips. The next thing I knew the door was opened and he was gone.
I was left standing in the spandrel alone. I was still standing against the wall, shocked, astounded and breathless. What just happened?
Who was he? Why did I like what just happened? Why didn't I want him to leave? Why was I attracted to someone whom I haven't even seen?
Questions were rising in my head. Questions that I didn't have any answers to.
So much had happened in one day here, not even a fraction had happened in my entire life back home. I was afraid, and to be truly honest pretty excited too. Who knows what was to happen in the next month?
I then realised that I was sitting and thinking when I should run out and see if I could find who was with me in the spandrel.
I ran out of the library, I looked every place where my mystery kisser could be, but there was no one to be seen. How could I be so stupid, instead running after him I was sitting and thinking?
The bell signalling the end of the day rang and the halls started filling up, students coming out of their classrooms.
"Hey Tia." I turned around to face a smiling Jen.
"Hey Jen." I replied with a poor smile.
"So how was your first day of American school?" asked Jen making finger apostrophes at the word American.
I chuckled in a sarcastic way and replied, "Let's just say it was definitely a day I wouldn't ever forget."
We made our way to Jason's car, Jason was already there chatting with two guys. I really didn't want to meet anyone else right now, so I decided to sit in the car and wait 'till Jason was done socializing. As I was about to open the car door Jason called out to me, "Hey Tia."
"Arg..." I whined to myself as I turned around and walked toward Jason.
"You called, Sir Jason." I said sarcastically rolling my eyes.
Jason chucked slightly and then said, "Hmm... Miss Australia, I see you've finally learnt to speak with respect to higher authority."
I rolled my eyes at him and said, "Higher authority, you wish Jason!"
"So why'd you call me here?" I asked.
"So that I could get a kiss." He replied with a smirk.
I dazed out thinking, could Jason have been the mystery guy?
"Hey Tia, relax I'm just kidding. I don't kiss girls without their permission. I might be a player but I'm no pervert." Jason said startling me out of my thoughts.
I smiled at him; Jason seemed like a nice guy, I didn't want to spoil a developing friendship.
"Yeah 'cause I won't be kissing you, not even in your dreams!" I said with a grin.
"Well that only time would tell." Jason replied with a smirk as he moved closer to me.
I got the smell of his cologne; it most definitely wasn't Jason, as he smelt nothing like the guy in the library.
"Um... if you two are done flirting, may I get an introduction?" asked a pretty hot guy.
He had sandy coloured hair with green eyes. He stood quite tall at maybe around 5'11 or so. He was strongly built; I could see his muscle through his tight shirt.
"Yeah I mean you guys have been going for it, without even realising that we still here." Said a cute guy.
He had dirty blonde hair with sea blue eyes, he too was built muscular but was slightly shorter than Jason and the other guy.
Jason smirked and said, "Sorry guys, this is Tiana, or Tia. She's the foreign exchange student, she's from Australia and she'll be living at my place during her stay here."
"Tia this is Mason" Jason said pointing to the tall green eyed one.
"And that's Drew" he continued pointing to the blonde one.
"Hey guys." I greeted feeling my cheeks warm a little.
Both of the guys were staring as if I were some alien from space or something. I did feel a little uncomfortable when their eyes scanned my body up and down numerous of times. I guess that's what you call undressing someone with your eyes.
I cleared my throat and said, "Um... Mason, Drew when you done checking me out, you can speak to me, I do understand English."
Jason laughed and Mason and Drew looked away a little embarrassed.
"Hey Tia, it's nice to finally meet you." Mason said offering his hand for me to shake.
"Yeah, nice to meet you." Drew added shaking my hand.
"Man you really are hotter up close. You know that?" Mason said.
I blushed a bright pink and said, "Excuse me?"
"Oh shit, did I say that out loud?" Mason asked more to himself.
"Yeah jerk, you need to think before you speak; now Tia's going to get all big headed." Jason told mason slapping his head.
"Ha-ha very funny Jason, by the way you were looking at me this morning was clearer than Masons comment that I'm hot."
"Besides I know I'm hot, so I don't need to hear it to believe it." I said smugly to Jason flicking my hair over my shoulder.
Gosh speaking like that was not like me, I never felt so conceited. It was like the air in this place made me a whole different person. I couldn't believe I actually said that, not to mention that I was actually flirting with these guys.
Mason and Drew laughed and Jason just glared at me, he had that I'm-so-gonna-get-you look on his face. I just smirked.
"Yeah, yeah guys laugh as much as you want, you should've seen you faces a few minutes ago." Jason said looking at Mason and Drew.
"Dude, this chick's got something about her, which I've never seen on any other girl!" Mason said.
"Yeah man we got a real cracker there." Drew added.
"Um... in case you guys didn't notice I'm still standing here." I said in a duh tone.
"Whatever guys. Anyway I'll see you tomorrow. "Jason said as he sat in the driver's seat.
"Bye guys" I waved and went to sit in the car.
"Well they were nice." I told Jason as he drove.
"You just like them because they were checking you out." Jason replied.
"Awe are you jealous?" I teased
"You wish babe." Jason said with a smirk.
The word 'babe' got me remembering Riccardo. Remembering Riccardo gave me butterflies. Just thinking about him made me restless.
After a long queue at the McDonalds drive-through we finally reached home. I was quite tired. So I ran upstairs and changed into something more comfortable. I sat on my bed and rested my head against the headboard thinking about the day's events. I couldn't believe so much had happened in one day.
I pulled out my diary and started to write,
Dear diary, so much has happened today I just don't know where to start. Let's first start with meeting the most gorgeous man I've ever laid eyes on. Riccardo Massimo Bararini, that's his name. When I'm near him I don't know why but he makes me restless, he makes my heart beat super-fast. When I touched him today, I felt sparks. I know that sounds cheesy but there's no other way I can put it. He on the other hand probably hates me, he looks at me as if I stole his favourite toy when he was a child, and he's still holding a grudge. But then there are times when I see care in his eyes, but before I can comprehend he changes his attitude. He has the most gorgeous eyes, if there was a definition for perfection it would be Riccardo. Then there's the mystery kisser who pulled me into the spandrel in the library he kissed me, and instead of pulling away or reacting in a way any normal person would, I enjoyed it. I didn't want him to stop. I know this all sounds crazy but I don't know what got into me. It's like the air here brings out a different Tia. Anyway let's see what happens tomorrow. But no matter what I will find the mystery guy, even if I have to smell every guy in the school to match his cologne I will. Will write soon.
Love
Tia
I put my diary away and put on my laptop to log onto Skype. Ever since I arrived I haven't spoken to Paige, she's going to be pretty mad, but what could I have done I just didn't find time. Better late than never right?
"Hey Paige!" I greeted as Paige's face appeared on the screen.
"Do I know you?" Paige asked sarcastically.
I sighed, "Look Paige I know I should've called yesterday already, but I didn't find time, I just arrived yesterday. Give me a break, don't you pity me? I'm so far away, away from you, Jai and my family." I pouted.
Paige raised an eyebrow and said "Okay don't pull out the emotional blackmail."
We both laughed and Paige thundered me with questions, "How's the place you staying at? How was your first day of school? How many hot guys did you see? Are you living with a hot guy? What's school like? Did you make any new friends?"
"Whoa there, take a breath." I told her laughing.
I told her everything that happened, from Jason and his friends, Emma and her friends to Riccardo and the mystery kisser in the spandrel.
Paige's mouth was hanging wide open and in an 'o' shape her eyes pretty much matched the shape of her mouth as well.
"You kidding right?" she asked.
"What couldn't happen in your entire life here happened in one day there?" she more like asked.
"Yep." I replied popping the 'p'.
She took a deep breath and started to scream out excitedly, "Oh I'm so excited, I wish I was there when it happened, you need to fill me in on every single detail. When you speak to that Riccardo guy tomorrow, you need to tell me word for word."
"What? I am not speaking to Riccardo again; I don't even want to look at him. So just forget it." I said matter-of-factly.
"Forget what?" asked a smirking Jason leaning on the door frame.
I narrowed my eyes at him and asked, "Don't you know its bad manners to ease drop on someone's
conversation?"
"Technically I wasn't eavesdropping since I only heard the last part." He replied as he made his way to sit next to me.
"Then you should know to knock before you enter someone's room." I said throwing a pillow at him.
"Awe were you discussing something personal?" he asked smirking.
"If it had something to do with tampons and bras and stuff, it's cool I'm a big boy I understand." He added grinning.
I blushed brightly and said, "You are such a jerk."
"Now you don't need to start throwing compliments." he said with a wink.
I just glared at him,
"Um... I'm still here you know." Paige said from the laptop screen.
"Well hello there, I'm Jason." Jason said shoving me out of the way so he was now facing the screen.
I heard Paige giggle and say, "Hi, I'm Paige."
"You know what Paige? I must definitely make a trip to Australia during the holidays; it seems as if all the girls there are beautiful." Jason told Paige.
I rolled my eyes. Hearing them flirt made me want to throw up. I mean could they get any cheesier.
After listening to Jason and Paige flirt for about thirty minutes me and Paige said our byes and I was left sitting crossed legged in front of Jason.
"Why didn't you tell me you have a super-hot best friend?" Jason asked.
"Um... let me think you didn't ask." I replied in a duh tone.
Jason rolled his eyes and said "I can almost imagine the things I could do with her, she looks so yummy." He licked his lips staring into mid space as he said that.
"You are such a pervert, you know that?" I said smacking his shoulder.
"I prefer the term, a man with needs." He said lying down flat on my bed resting his hands behind his head.
"Oh please, don't defend yourself; you are a pervert, denying it doesn't change the fact." I said smugly.
"I'm not denying it; I'm just saying I prefer a different term." He said with a smirk.
"You are an ass, and don't forget that's my best friend you talking about."
"Jason, Tia" I heard Rose scream from downstairs.
"Crap! I was supposed to call you for dinner, but you distracted me." Jason accused as he sat up.
"Excuse me; you were the one throwing cheesy lines at my friend." I snapped back standing up.
"You talk too much you know that?" Jason said as he slung his arm over my shoulder and headed to the dining room.
"Whatever." I chucked rolling my eyes.
Jason was cool, he got my mind of things, he made me forget Riccardo and his moods. Around him I could be myself. It was like how I was with Jai.
After dinner I headed upstairs. I wanted an early night. As soon as I hit the bed I was out like a baby.
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It was dark I couldn't see anything, I could only hear my heavy breathing, and I could smell something horrible. It smelt like rotten meat or dried blood.
I walked more; the light in front seemed to be getting brighter and brighter. I stopped at a door; my heart was beating fast out of fear. I slowly turned the handle of the door and a dark figure appeared in front of me blocking out the light, a deep scary voice the kind that you hear in horror movies said, "I have been waiting for you." The figure suddenly held me tight around the waist and pushed my head side wards exposing my bare neck. The next thing I felt was an excruciating pain in my neck, it felt as if he was drawing something out of my neck. It felt as if he was drinking my blood?
How was this possible? What was he? Things like this only happen in books and movies right? Tears started falling aggressively down my cheeks and the pain only got worse. Everything seemed to darken around me, until everything became completely black...