Phoenix walked alongside Penelope with his hands in his pockets, just watching the shorter girl.
She was telling him about her dog and had been for the last 20 minutes, but he didn't mind. He was going to be on his best behaviour around her from now on. It was starting to scare him how much he liked this girl.
"So why were you in the neighbourhood?" She inquired, curious about what he was doing in the area.
He was thrown off by the topic change, not expecting her to actually ask him a question. Trying to grasp an answer quickly, something simple and vague came to mind.
"Just to walk, I needed to clear my head." He replied lowly, hoping that she wouldn't press further. He was all for being more approachable but that didn't mean he wanted to discuss his feelings.
Penelope's smile dampened into a small frown, gathering from his tone of voice that something had upset him.
She placed her small hand on his arm and softened her eyes as she spoke.
"You can always come to me if you need to talk Nix."
Phoenix's eyes dropped to where she was touching him. He was uncomfortably aware of her soft palm on his skin and although the sensation was something he was unaccustomed to— he had to admit that he liked it. Genuity was foreign to him; he was used to selfishness and lies but here he was, only seeing the purest intentions in those big, bright eyes.
He wanted to smile, grateful for her caring character, but he couldn't find it in himself to do so. The negative emotions triggered by his father were still swirling and running amuck in his head.
Instead, he showed in actions what he couldn't in words, and caressed the side of her face with a gentleness that he hoped portrayed how he was feeling. His heart was racing as he did so; he was not used to being this...soft.
Penelope blushed at the affectionate touch and looked into his eyes, only to blush harder at the look that he was giving her. The same one he had been giving for the past week.
"Du er så vakker" He murmured softly.
You're so beautiful
At this point, Penelope was as red as roses, her frame made even smaller as she shrunk into herself. Despite being oblivious to the meaning of the foreign words, there was something about Phoenix's gaze that had her stomach in knots.
The two stared at each other for a moment before the shorter girl cleared her throat.
"I-I um, we should go."
Phoenix was looking at her so intensely, she had to quickly flicker her eyes down her body to make sure that she was fully clothed. Ridiculous, she knew, but he made her feel naked—exposed. It took a lot of strength for her to tear her eyes away from his penetrating blues.
He nodded and dropped his hand, although she could feel his eyes roaming her body as she started to walk again. She glanced at him in slight paranoia; her body feeling like it was on fire even though he wasn't even touching her. Her friends would laugh if she described how she was feeling; the virgin in her was really starting to show.
"So, do you have any hobbies?" She asked in an attempt to stir conversation again. All the while her heart was beating heavily, and she felt weighed down by an indescribable tension in the air.
It was silent for a moment and Penelope looked back up at him, wondering if he didn't hear her.
"I draw."
The smaller girl smiled widely and stopped walking to look up at him.
"Really? That's amazing! Even though I take art, I'm not really the best, you know? I kind of like the history more than the actual creative part."
When she saw that he looked amused, she blushed and bit her lip.
"Sorry, I tend to ramble."
Phoenix only hummed, although his eyes still looked at her analytically, like he was trying to figure her out. His gaze was invasive, and it made her feel hot.
"Why do you keep looking at me like that." She murmured quietly, her bubbly exterior suddenly simmering to a shy one. She ran a hand through her hair to make herself look more presentable, just in case her dishevelment was the cause.
"I like looking at you."
His answer surprised her, and she felt her throat close up.
"Why?" She squeaked.
She suppressed a shiver when his hand pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her neck for a moment longer.
"I already told you."
"U-um y-you did? I-I don't really r-remember so..."
A small smirk lifted his lips, the boy garnering much enjoyment from watching the girl stutter and stumble over her words. Phoenix bit his lip as mischievous thoughts ran rampant in his head, urging him to act on his feelings, his dirty, irrational, uninhibited feelings.
"How would you feel if I kissed you right now."
Phoenix watched her closely, his eyes drawing down to her tongue that poked out briefly to wet her lips. He was being unwaveringly blunt, but that was just him. He wanted this girl; he knew that now. He was over being cautious and considerate he didn't care about that shit anymore.
Soft, beautiful, and sweet, Penelope was everything he wasn't—everything he shouldn't have; but it was all the more reason why he craved her.
"K-kiss me? Why would you do that? Y-you've barely talked to me— I didn't even think that you liked me."
Penelope's widened at her words, and she backtracked, "N-not, like, like me, I-I meant, like me as a friend, o-or...yeah."
Although she was cringing from her awkwardness, she couldn't help but feel flustered at his admission. Phoenix wasn't just some guy; he was large, intimidating and painfully ambiguous—he was hot. He wouldn't have trouble attracting any kind of attention, male or female. She was unconvinced that in such a short amount of time, he had taken a liking to her. And if he had, he sure had a weird way of showing it.
"I know that I've been a dick, I'm not used to..." he trailed off, deciding not to go into detail, "I do like you—like, like you." His lips twitched in amusement as he copied her phrasing. "Let me make it up to you."
His voice was a low rasp, and the faun haired girl was sure he would be able to convince anyone of anything with that tone. He was a bit mean, she would agree, but forgiveness was her middle name. And he had just admitted that he liked her. Why didn't he just lead with that?
Phoenix twirled a strand of her hair, a salacious look overcoming his features.
"So, what's the answer going to be?"
Penelope swooned at how he was being with her, especially when she knew that he wasn't usually this affectionate or gentle.
"I would...maybe I would like it." She whispered up at him with a rosy tint to her cheeks.
Innocent eyes watched as the taller boy's offered a half-smile and she gasped as she felt a rough hand grip the back of her neck.
"What am I doing?" She whispered to herself as another hand gripped her waist to pull her up to her tiptoes.
"Me" Phoenix answered, his face breathlessly close to her own.
Her thoughts were silenced once his lips suddenly touched hers, and she made a sound of surprise in the back of her throat.
The kiss was gentle and slow, almost as if he was worried that he would scare her away. However, hearing Penelope's quiet moans gave him the boost he needed to deepen the kiss.
He couldn't explain it; the feeling was better than a high and more rewarding than nicotine. His lips, hands, arms, anywhere that touched her buzzed with energy. This was the best kind of addiction, but like any other, he needed more.
His teeth gently bit down on her bottom lip before his tongue darted out to swipe against her soft pout. His hand squeezed her neck subconsciously, as well as her tiny waist; he couldn't get enough of her. Completely encompassed in the kiss, he didn't even hear the barking that caused Penelope to pull away.
Phoenix blinked, his eyes hooded with lust as the bright ball of energy laughed breathlessly at her chubby corgi. She bent down to give her dog some attention, but the boy gripped her waist and pulled her back up, pressing her backside to his front to place more kisses along the side of her neck—he was addicted for sure.
"Phoenix" She gasped, squirming in his arms. His soft strands were tickling her causing her to giggle and the sensation of his lips on her skin wasn't helping.
Her struggle caused the dog to bark even more and she tried to shush the small animal through her laughter.
"Ollie be quiet" She ordered with a stern voice although a smile graced her lips.
She finally escaped Phoenix's grasp and threw a stick in a random direction, knowing that her dog would find its way back.
"Go out with me." Phoenix murmured in his deep voice.
Penelope turned around, her eyes portraying the surprise that she was feeling. She was coming to realize that Phoenix was unbelievably forward. Some might perceive it as arrogance but she appreciated his confidence; it was attractive to her and assuring, considering that she lacked a whole bunch of it. Despite this though, she smiled as she noticed a tint of pink on his perfect skin—she was glad that she wasn't the only one flustered after what she thought was a heated kiss.
"That didn't sound like a question." She teased playfully.
Phoenix gave a lazy smile and brought her closer to his body, eliciting a soft gasp from the short girl. His eyes travelled down her form appreciatively, a dimple appearing on his left cheek as he spoke.
"That's because I wasn't asking."
Penelope bit her lip, not knowing how to respond to another one of his bold statements. She had never met a guy so... dominant? He spoke his mind and made statements rather than ask questions. Phoenix was used to being in control, that much was clear.
Was it wrong that she liked it?
She felt his hand reach into her back pocket, and she bit down harder on her poor bottom lip to prevent herself from making any embarrassing sounds.
He pulled out her phone and swiped it to unlock, raising his brow at her when he saw that there wasn't a password.
A few finger movements later he handed her phone back and she looked to see that he'd inserted his number and had sent a text message to himself.
She opened her mouth to speak but a small bark sounded, which alerted her of the return of her small corgi.
She blushed and reached down to re-attach the lead to her dog.
"I think that Ollie had a great time out today, didn't you boy." She cooed while petting him.
The small corgi barked and panted, its tongue hanging out the side of its mouth.
She giggled and stood up straight, clasping the leash in her hand.
Her eyes met blue and she smiled at his softened expression.
"Ready to go?" She asked him.
Phoenix nodded and wrapped his arm around her waist, slightly caressing the soft skin that was exposed, thanks to the cropped tank she was wearing.
Penelope looked up at him shyly, not used to such intimate actions. She didn't realize that he was so touchy.
Oliver barked again, growing impatient at the lack of movement and Penelope looked down, now distracted from the taller boy's touch.
"Okay, Oliver, I hear you. We're going."
~
Phoenix entered his apartment with a soft smile on his face, feeling the complete opposite of how he was when he left a couple of hours ago.
"Du ser bedre ut." A voice commented.
You look better
Phoenix looked to his left and saw that his father was leaning against the doorway of his bedroom. He shrugged and threw himself on the couch, deciding to switch between different channels on the tv as a distraction.
Erik snatched the remote out of his hand and stood in front of him to block his view.
"You can't just walk out whenever you get mad Pheonix, we need to communicate. I'm still your father."
Phoenix sighed and looked at him, shocking his father with his compliance.
His words though were a disappointment.
"You know why that's no longer true."
Phoenix reached his hand out, waiting for his father to put the remote back in his palm.
The older man looked at the boy, hurt, and reluctantly gave the device back to his son, who clasped it in his hand and leaned back on the couch. He paid no mind as his father left to his room.
~
"So, are you guys dating?" Olivia questioned loudly.
Penelope shushed her and dragged her inside the girl's washroom.
"He only asked me out yesterday." She murmured shyly.
Olivia squealed, causing the two girls who were washing their hands to glance at them strangely.
Penelope blushed at the attention and whispered a quiet "sorry" before trying to calm her friend.
"You can't act like this around Phoenix, Liv, you need to calm down. It's not even that serious, we're still getting to know each other."
She tried to be serious when talking to her friend, but she couldn't help but laugh at her excitement.
"I'm sorry, but I'm so happy for you! You're finally going to get your first kiss and-"
Olivia paused when she noticed the dark shade of red that appeared on her friend's face at the mention of her first kiss.
Her eyes flickered back and forth, trying to make contact with the blue-grays that were avoiding her gaze.
"You kissed him already?!" She gasped.
Penelope sucked in her lips and nodded, growing even more embarrassed.
"I may have left that part out." She whispered.
"Damn he doesn't waste any time."
Olivia smirked mischievously.
"Well we need to give him a push to second base."
Penelope made a sound of confusion and Olivia's smirk grew.
"I won't have to do much." She mused.
She examined her friend's outfit and nodded in approval before fluffing her hair.
"You look more sexy than cute today. Is that because of a certain someone?"
Penelope groaned and turned on her heels, deciding that she's spent too much time out of class gossiping with the blonde girl.
She felt a slap on her backside and squealed, turning around to see Olivia laughing to herself.
"Your ass looks great in those jeans."
Penelope huffed and made her way back to art class, her cheeks still a vibrant red.
She thanked God that the door was open, making it easy for her to slide in while everyone was working.
She made her way to the back of the class where she was sitting and her eyes widened as large hands grabbed her hips and pulled her down to sit on a lap.
"Phoenix" She whispered breathlessly. "What are you doing."
The large boy chuckled and ran his hands down the length of her body, resting them on her thighs.
"Have I told you how beautiful you look today." He mumbled in her ear.
Penelope blushed, thinking back to her conversation with Olivia. She did spend a bit more time getting ready than usual. And she was glad that he noticed.
He twirled a brown curl around his finger and she shifted, slightly uncomfortable with the eyes that were drifting towards them.
She stilled when Phoenix's hands moved to her hips and tightened around them.
"I wouldn't do that." He murmured, his jaw tensing as she moved again to meet his eyes.
"What?" She questioned in confusion, her nose scrunching at his statement.
Phoenix laughed, causing more people to turn their heads. Penelope shrunk back into his chest, not understanding how he was acting so laid back when she was literally sitting on his lap.
His stark blonde locks tickled her face as he whispered in her ear.
"Cause you're getting me hard."
Unfortunately, the small girl didn't have time to process his words because she was jumping free of his hold as soon as she saw the teacher approaching.
Phoenix cleared his throat and leaned his arms on his desk, biting his lip to suppress a smile. God, what was wrong with him. It was like he had no self of control when he was around her; he was being clingy as fuck which was weird because usually those kinds of people annoyed him.
Looking at her now, he found amusement in Penelope's frazzled expression. The sweet girl was acting as if she'd been caught doing something naughty in class, which, technically, they were.
When Mrs. Patterson reached their desks, Phoenix looked up and made eye contact whereas Penelope tried to hide her face behind her curly strands.
"Phoenix, I understand that you're new and you might not have a grasp on the rules yet, but we don't permit PDA of any kind on school grounds and definitely not in the classroom."
Penelope shrunk into her seat at the teacher's words. She was practically yelling, and her voice was projecting throughout the entire room. All eyes were on them, and this was possibly the most embarrassing moment of her life.
Phoenix clenched his jaw at her condescending tone. It was obvious that the teacher was going out of her way to make them an example and he was trying hard not to succumb to his temper.
He bounced his knee in annoyance as he leaned back in his chair; he was not about to be called out and disrespected by this Kjerring.
"You should lower your voice when you speak to me."
"Excuse me?" The teacher asked in shock.
Phoenix rose a brow, appearing to not understand her appalled expression.
"Do you want me to repeat myself?"
"Young man I-"
Mrs Patterson was interrupted by the bell.
Students began to pack their things, but not without looking back and gossiping about the discourse that just happened. Everyone at this damn school seemed to love drama.
The teacher looked at Phoenix and shook her head disapprovingly, her face wrung up in dismay. She walked back to her desk, needing time to gather herself. No student had ever disrespected her in such a way in all of her 7 years of teaching.
Penelope listened to the whole exchange but was too scared to actually look at what was going on.
She would never speak to a teacher the way he did, she wouldn't even dream of it. However, she couldn't deny that his overwhelming need to control every situation made her feel secure, his aggression, oddly enough, made her feel safe. What was wrong with her?
A familiar hand on her chin urged her to look up, and her eyes met blue as her face was pulled out from her curtain of hair, her mind pulled away from her thoughts.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
His tone and demeanour were almost one of a different person. Completely
different from the person that talked to Mrs. Patterson mere minutes ago.
Penelope nodded, and stood up with her bag in hand, before walking a few steps behind him as he began to leave the class.
A small but firm hand gripped her arm when she was almost out the door and she gasped, turning to face the culprit.
"You should distance yourself from that boyfriend of yours Penelope. You seem like a sweet girl, but he doesn't have a handle on himself."
Penelope's eyes widened and her mouth repeatedly opened and closed.
"I-I, h-he's not, w-we're not, um..." She stumbled over her words in discomfort. She was never good with confrontation, especially when it concerned an authority figure.
"What the fuck are you doing?"
Penelope flinched at the harsh tone, but the familiar accent caused her to melt into the chest that appeared behind her.
Mrs. Patterson paled, and her grip relented, but she straightened her back and stood her ground.
"That kind of language is not tolerated, young man. I was just telling Miss Sanders that she needs to keep an eye on you. Your delinquent behaviour is alarming and that stunt you pulled earlier landed you a detention. Something I forgot to mention."
Penelope frowned at this and tried to be the mediator in the conversation.
"Mrs. Patterson, that's really not necessary. Phoenix is not like that, you just caught him in a bad mood-"
Phoenix squeezed Penelope's shoulders, prompting her to look up at him and see that he was shaking his head, indicating that she should drop it.
Penelope sighed and nodded, giving a forced smile to her unimpressed teacher.
"We'll see you tomorrow Miss."