I wasn't kissing her, I was whispering in her mouth - Marx brothers
Chapter 18: Purple
The air conditioning broke. It was so hot in the house and the sun was blaring outside. I unbuttoned the top of my shirt.
I was trying to do my math homework, but the heat was distracting. I kept wiping sweat off my forehead and using my hand to fan my face. There was a large pitcher of lemonade on the table, but the ice had melted.
The doors banged shut and I heard someone walk in. Then I heard his voice in the kitchen next door and Emily's voice telling him that there was lemonade in the dining room.
No.
Please no.
Nate walked in.
On this type of day, he looked better than the lemonade. He had gone on a run in the heat and his white shirt was plastered against his skin. I saw the toned muscles outlined across his chest. His was still panting slightly from the exhaustion of running.
I tensed up, hating the way I couldn't control what I felt around him. There was an immediate and undeniable tension, like the crackling of heat before a spark.
He didn't say anything as he came round the table. I picked up my pen and pretended to focus on these calculations. It was hard when I knew he was so close. I heard the sound of cool liquid pouring into the glass.
I looked over at him and saw him looking at me, a glass of lemonade in his hand. "Homework?"
I nodded. I didn't trust myself to speak. And he noticed.
"You're usually more vocal," he shrugged and drank until the glass was empty.
"It's really hot outside," was all I could say. Smooth.
"Mhm," he raised his eyebrows knowingly. He knew what he was doing to me.
He set his glass on the table, "I like purple too."
What?
I looked down and realized that my shirt was open. It was so hot in here and I'd been studying, I didn't even realize. I was wearing my school shirt and my bra was purple.
I quickly buttoned it up and my face went more purple than my underwear.
He was looking.
"You say that so casually, you perv."
Nate shrugged and was about to walk out. I couldn't let him get away with that. I reacted with the one move Mohan showed me last week. I kicked his legs, swiping them so that he would fall over.
Only he didn't. He caught my leg and held it.
"I thought you were staying away, Georgia."
I rolled my eyes and leaned forwards. I pushed my leg down and that automatically made his hands slide further up my leg. He saw my face. I saw the desire in his.
"This time," he whispered, his voice husky, "I'm struggling."
"Me too," I whispered, giving him permission.
His lips came crashing down on mine. I immediately gripped his body, feeling his shirt against my hand. I was pulling so tightly I ripped it, but he didn't care. He shoved me against the table and I leant back on my math homework as he swept my textbook and calculator out of the way.
It accidentally knocked the lemonade over and it spilled all over the floor.
"What's going on in there?" Emily called out, hearing all the commotion.
Our bodies were tangled and I practically fell into my chair while Nate fixed his shirt. Emily opened the door and found Nate leaning over my shoulder, calmly pointing at my paper.
"And now solve for x."
He pointed at a blank page. I scribbled gibberish on my notepad.
Emily stared at us suspiciously before she left.
I looked up at him and mocked, "Solve for x?"
He stared down at me and then his eyes trailed further down to the scribbles on my notepad. He smirked and leaned over to fix my shirt, making sure it covered my purple bra.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
I felt guilty. Sleeping with the enemy... except that we hadn't slept together.
I'm usually not like this, I swear. He is so hard to control and I hated myself for it. Why couldn't I resist him?
"I'll take my own car from now on," Jesper told Mrs Maythorne the next morning.
My math homework was not done and there were lemonade stains all over it. But it was worth it... someone stop me.
"Your car's in the garage," she responded, "You may need to dust it off. It's less fashionable than our convertibles but if you insist. It's your choice."
Jesper didn't respond. I knew he didn't want to feel like he owed these people anything. He liked his car and 'fashion' was not even a remote factor in his decision.
He walked off without breakfast. I grabbed a banana and a yogurt and followed him out.
But I came back a second later to grab a muffin. Then I left for real.
I hurried after Jesper. He could walk twice as fast as I could, and he was already in the car by the time I arrived. I got in next to him.
"You don't have to," he said, "You can drive with them. The convertible's more fashionable anyway."
"Don't be a sour grape with me. I wasn't the one who gave you that black eye."
He glowered. He wasn't used to losing fights and the one with Hugo had not been pretty.
"It's a good thing we go to school," I decided as we pulled out of the garage and drove away from the house, "Every day is mental in this house, school is actually a nice break."
I stared at in the rear view mirror. It was an impressive mansion, inspiring a sense of unsettling wonder. There was so much history in there, it looked haunting.
"I'm glad you think so."
"Ok, if you're going to keep up with this attitude, two can play that game."
"I'll cool off. Just give me twenty minutes."
I looked down at my watch and started the timer at the same time as he started the engine. Go.
And I caught him smile.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
We parked in the regular parking lot with all the other students. Jesper threw his backpack over his shoulder and squirmed upon impact. His shoulder hadn't healed.
"I need to find painkillers," he said.
There weren't any at the mansion. Turns out 'they' don't feel pain.
Like straight out of Die Hard.
We went our separate ways at the sound of the bell; a five-minute warning before class started.
Cleo caught up with me, "I'm hosting a sleepover this weekend with Sid and Isla. You should join."
She held a paper out.
"Yes, I think I can. I just need to check with Mrs May... with my aunt," I answered.
She was still holding the paper out. "Well aren't you going to take it?"
"Oh, is this an invitation?" I asked, weirded out by a paper invitation to a sleepover.
We're seventeen and we have the internet.
She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, "Great. I'll make sure we're prepared!"
As soon as she left, I stuffed the invitation in my backpack to forever forget about it. As I was zipping it up, I saw the hot senior squad roll up. Students parted ways for them, banging into their lockers just to get out of their way. Holly was in the center, occupying Nate with her attention. I immediately looked away, putting on my backpack. I didn't need a reminder of what a player Nate was.
If it wasn't for us living in the same house, he wouldn't say a word to me. And I don't know why it affected me. But I guess it just does.
A/N: Next chapter will begin bringing in more drama... now that you've gotten comfortable with some of the characters ;)
Please vote if you enjoyed and, if so, I'll post the next chapter on Thursday! Xx