Breaking Promises (B-Boy #1)

by S. Briones Lim

  “But he’s so lame, and honestly, you’re better than him!”

  Despite common misconceptions that b-boys were cocky, I never really took compliments well. This was one of those times. I cleared my throat and shrugged uncomfortably. “Uh, thanks.”

  “I’m serious. Why did you even let him join? I saw those photos on your fridge. He wasn’t around until recently. Wouldn’t it be easy to kick him out after all?”

  “Annihilation is known because of Craig,” I said sternly. “I may have started the crew, but he took it places I never could have.”

  It was such a rehearsed answer and a lie I’d told so many times that even I had started to believe it. Craig was good, and sure, he had beaten me time and time again, but record-wise I was still in the lead. Too bad most of Annihilation seemed to forget it.

  “Okay, okay.” Aurora sighed and glanced at the clock. “I guess it’s time to call it quits? I wanna head back to the dorm and crash for a bit while Clemence is out meditating somewhere on campus.”

  “Sounds cool,” I mused.

  “It does?”

  I shrugged. “Any practice that gives you mental strength and emotional calm is good in my book.”

  The corners of her lips turned downwards. “Never thought of it that way.”

  We packed up our things quietly, obviously still stepping on eggshells around each other. It was a feeling I hated and not one I was used to. Attempting to alleviate the tension, I let out a strained laugh.

  Aurora glanced up at me curiously. “What’s so funny?”

  “You know, it’s really hard to train you with your boobs flying around like that.”

  Her face immediately reddened. “Like what?”

  “Like that.” I motioned toward her chest. “Am I so in the friend zone that you forget I’m a red-blooded male? Speaking of which, maybe you should dress up a bit more when you try out for Craig. It’ll be less distracting and maybe he’ll take you more seriously—”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Her eyes flashed angrily.

  Shit. Maybe I didn’t alleviate the tension after all…

  “Don’t fucking tell me what to wear! I’m not going to be body shamed just because you guys can’t keep it in your pants!” She paused and pulled on a hoodie. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit relieved.

  “Whoa, whoa!” I held up my hands in shock. “I’m just trying to help you out. If you hadn’t noticed—”

  “You’re all pervs who only see women as objects? Shit, dude—”

  “Hey, I do not see women as objects!”

  She threw me a doubtful look. “I heardstories about you, remember?”

  “And that’s precisely why I don’t mess around like that anymore.” The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them.

  That got her to stop talking. After pausing for a beat, she asked, “What do you mean?”

  “I haven’t messed around in months. Why? Because what’s the point? Sure, you get a few moments of absolute bliss, but afterwards you just feel empty again…”

  Whoa, where did that come from?

  I turned before Aurora could catch the look on my face, feeling relieved when she didn’t reply. We grabbed the rest of our things and headed out of the studio just as the meatheads were piling in, trying to get in some weights before classes started that day.

  Our silence was soon filled by the metallic clanks of the machines, but it didn’t overshadow the weirdness still hanging between us. Keeping a few feet apart, we exited the gym and just as we were going to turn down one of the narrow walkways toward the main campus, I heard Aurora yelp.

  “Ow! Shit!”

  I turned and spotted her sprawled on the ground. Pure worry rushed through me. “Are you okay? What happened?”

  “I didn’t see the crack in the pathway. My ankle turned when I stepped into it.”

  Of course the only crack on Cal State’s newly paved walkways would be the one she fell victim to.

  I shut my eyes and sighed. I didn’t care so much that her audition with Craig may have been threatened, but I hated that she got hurt on my watch. Especially after a minor argument.

  I knelt down beside her and lifted the bottom of her sweats. My hand slid up her smooth calf, and despite my reservations, I found myself relishing the soft feeling of her skin. Gulping, I asked, “Do you think you can walk?”

  She rubbed at her ankle, brushing up against my hand, which was still firmly placed on her leg. “Yeah, I think so. I didn’t sprain it. I just rolled it.”

  Sprained or not, she was never going to get hurt on my watch again.

  I pushed myself into a squatting position and scooped under her, picking her up effortlessly.

  “What are you doing?” she gasped, thrashing around a bit.

  “We don’t know if you’re hurt. Do you want to go to the clinic?”

  “No!” she screeched, glancing around. It was nearing seven o’clock and students had already started milling around campus. After a few curious looks, she hissed, “Put me down! Mitch, put me down now!”

  “No,” I replied simply. “I’m taking you to your dorm and once I check you out and clear you, then yes, I will allow you to walk.”

  “Clear me? What are you? My—”

  “Coach.”

  Her face softened, the athlete inside her waking up. Biting her lip, which may or may not have been worse for me than seeing her in that stupid sports bra, she finally nodded. “Okay.”

  “Okay?” Damn, did my voice just crack?

  “Yeah. Take me home”

  Aurora

  What Jane Austen novel did I just land in?

  Mitch carried me. I mean, damsel in distress, ‘Me, Tarzan; you, Jane’ carried me all the way to my dorm room, which was clear across campus.

  Usually I hated being doted on. The few weeks I spent in the hospital were pure torture. But there was something endearing about the way Mitch wanted to take care of me. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad guy after all.

  “Where’s your card?” He paused in front of the card reader at the entrance to Serra Hall and glanced down at me with lifted eyebrows.

  “My card?” I was dazed and it wasn’t my ankle that was causing it.

  “Yes, Aurora,” he said sternly. “Where is your key? I need it to get inside.”

  “Oh!” I fumbled for my gym bag, which I had placed on top of my stomach. After finding the slim plastic card, I leaned out and swiped it through the reader as quickly as I could. Settling back into Mitch’s arms, I thought twice about it and commented, “You know I can walk now? We’re literallyat my dormitory.”

  “Not doing it.” He shook his head firmly. “I’m not putting you down yet. Not until you’re in your room.”

  I sighed and allowed him to carry me through the common area, where we caught a few more bewildered stares. When we walked past the security guard, I was certain we’d be done for, but Mitch, in his charismatic voice cooed, “Sprained ankle.”

  The security tipped his hat and said nothing.

  Through the elevator and my floor’s hallway, Mitch never once loosened his grip on me. I have to admit, I did glance down at his flexed biceps every now and then—my weakness—and couldn’t fight the resulting butterflies in my stomach. By the time we made it to my room I really did feel as if I’d faint for real.

  “This is me.” I sighed with relief as we neared the door covered with inspirational quotes a la Clemence.

  Mitch didn’t comment on the Instagram looking prints and waited patiently as I unlocked the door. He also didn’t speak as he entered my tiny abode and closed the door behind him. It wasn’t until I was sitting safely on my bed that he finally asked, “Can I see it again?”

  I rolled my eyes and extended my leg in the air, pulling up the bottom of my sweatpants. “See? I told you. It’s not red, bruised, or even swollen. I’m fine.”

  “Good.” He swallowed so slowly I could see his neck muscles move. I followed the path it made down his throat and
shuddered.

  I felt my skin begin to heat up as his gaze traveled up and down my body. It was as if he were taking in every inch of meslowly.

  I swallowed audibly. “Mitch? Last time I checked it was my ankle that was in question.”

  He opened and closed his eyes as if he were in a daze. I watched him, completely entranced myself. After a moment’s silence, he shook his head quickly and ground out, “Fuck it all.”

  Mitch

  Years’ worth of self-control and self-discipline did not prepare me for this moment.

  Seeing Aurora practically lying on her bed, leg outstretched with her unzipped hoodie split open in the middle revealing that damn purple sports bra completely did me over.

  I could no longer deny what was right in front of me. I was falling for her.

  I stooped over her, preparing to kiss those lips once again. If I was bound to be one of those “mistakes” she had mentioned, then so be it…though I was really hoping that was not the case.

  I held my breath, waiting for her to turn me away.

  She didn’t budge.

  Her head was tilted back as if she were inviting me in. When she licked her lips and grazed her teeth over the delicate skin of her bottom lips, I knew she was ready…ready for me.

  As if a wild animal was struggling to come out of me, I practically dove over her and pressed my lips to hers once again. It was such an impulsive act that I was worried we’d both end up hating each other afterwards, but the way she caressed my back and massaged my biceps, I knew she was feeling the same way.

  I kept my lips on hers, only pulling away from her mouth long enough to whisper, “Your roommate.”

  “She’ll be gone for about an hour,” she replied breathlessly.

  One hour.

  We could do a lot with one hour.

  I crawled up the bed, gently laying her down. I kept one hand around her neck and the other on top of that damn sports bra, rubbing my fingers over the thin cloth. Her answering moan prompted me to reach in from the bottom garter so that I could feel the soft skin of her boobs. Once my fingertips caressed the swell of her breast I knew I was in full danger of finishing right there. Dude, if I was this turned on by second base then I didn’t know how I would be when I actually felt herhugging me.

  I needed to slow things down. I pulled away, eliciting a disappointed groan from her. I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Not yet.” My voice was raspy, my carnal hunger overwhelming.

  I leaned back on my haunches so that I was teetering over the edge of the bed. Spreading her legs, I quickly stripped off her sweats and threw them in a pile on the floor beside us. Granted I’d already seen her bare legs in that video online, but nothing prepared me for the sight of her in her bra and panties.

  For such a tiny person, her legs seemed to go on forever. Almost desperately, I ran my hands up her thighs and back down again. I did this about twice, reveling in the way she whimpered at my touch. With shaking hands, I ran my finger over the crotch of her panties, trembling when I felt how warm and wet she was. Just when I felt I was about to burst, she did something that surprised even me. She sat up and whipped off her bra in one swift move. I gaped, acting like I’ve never seen a pair of boobs before.

  That was it. I needed her.

  I threw off my shirt in response and pulled off my own pair of pants so I was in nothing but my boxers. In the back of my head I knew we were both still sweaty from practice, but for some reason it made the whole act a bit more forbidden and hot.

  When I placed my fingers on the waistband of her panties, she placed her hand on top of mine.

  I sucked in a breath, trying to steady my airflow. “Do you want to stop?”

  “I don’t have a condom,” she whispered, sounding a bit embarrassed. But there was nothing to be humiliated about. I was ecstatic she didn’t have any at her disposal—it meant that she didn’t need them.

  “I do.” I cringed having to admit it. It really did make me seem like the manwhore her roommate warned her about. For shit’s sake, who even carried condoms in their gym bag?

  To my relief, she merely nodded, looking a bit excited, if I do say so myself. “Okay, good. Let’s do this.”

  I scrambled to my feet and ran off toward the door, jamming my hand into my gym bag. I cursed myself for not making the condom more readily accessible, and had to push past an extra pair of socks, a bandana, and my water bottle, to finally locate the cellophane wrapper. When I turned around, I saw that Aurora had already stripped off her own panties, completely ready for me. The sight was hot as hell, but I was a bit bummed I couldn’t have taken her panties off for her.

  Oh, well. Next time.

  Next time?

  I practically rocketed out of my own drawers and put the condom on in lightning speed. When I finally settled in between her legs, I took a moment to gaze at her.

  Brown hair was fanned around her face, framing it in a way that would make Aphrodite cry. She was gorgeous in every sense of the word and I was about tohave her.

  I ran my hands gently on top of her knee, once again loving the feeling of her smooth legs. Never once taking my gaze off of her, I thrust into her.

  Aurora

  I missed my class.

  ‘Fuck me’in the colloquial and literal sense.

  It’d be my first truancy of the semester and though I couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty, I couldn’t be too mad about it.

  As gently as I could, I turned my head and glanced over at Mitch, who was hugging me tightly. His eyes were merely slits, the after effects of really good sex. If he hadn’t relaxed his lips into a smile, I would never have known he was awake.

  “Hey,” I whispered.

  “Hey.” He placed a kiss on my temple and tightened his grip around me. Our skin was still slick with sweat, which admittedly was kinda disgusting, but at that moment I didn’t care about anything but him.

  Unfortunately, I knew Clemence would be arriving soon and I really didn’t want to deal withthat awkwardness.

  Shutting my eyes, I let out an exasperated sigh. “I hate to say this, but…”

  His eyes widened in fear and his grip immediately loosened. “You regret this, don’t you?”

  I couldn’t fight the small smile that teased my lips. He looked so vulnerable, a definite difference than the B-boy Kickwit I had grown used to. Fighting back a giggle, I shook my head and replied, “My roomie will be coming at any moment. We should get dressed before we subject her to a free strip show.”

  A look of relief washed over his face, which made me want to laugh even harder. He nodded and immediately jumped off the bed, giving me a great view of his muscular ass. Turning quicker than I could look away, he caught me ogling and grinned as he threw my bra and sweats at me.

  “Hey!” I giggled.

  He grinned and jumped into his track pants, which was a bit disappointing, to say the least. I turned away before he could see the slight pout on my lips.

  “You missed your class,” he said, motioning toward the digital clock mounted on Clemence’s desk.

  “You missed your lab,” I shot back.

  “Yeah. What’s done is done, though, right?” He scratched at his neck, a habit I noticed he did a lot when he was nervous. “I guess I should go and see whether I can make up the work or not.”

  I bit my lip and nodded. I never did fare well with the whole awkward “morning after” dance. To think, this wasn’t even the morning after, it was the morning of!

  “At least I don’t have to be the one to do the walk of shame this time,” I said, only half-kidding.

  His eyebrows furrowed. In a swift motion, he walked up to the bed and sat down beside me. He pushed back a strand of hair from my face the same way he did at the theater. “You know this isn’t like that, right?”

  “Like what?” I asked dumbly.

  He shut his eyes and sighed. “I’m not gonna ditch you. You’re not one of…” He wagged his head from side to side and sighed. “Those
girls, okay?”

  I couldn’t help the doubt that rose up to my chest, but nodded my head. “Okay.”

  Noticing the uneasiness etched on my face, he placed a peck on my lips. “Come over to my condo tonight, okay?”

  “Huh?”

  “Please?” It almost sounded as if he were begging.

  I blinked and nodded my head slowly. “Uh, yeah, sure.”

  “You promise?” He sounded a bit worried for some reason.

  I nodded. “Yeah.”

  He let out a relieved chuckle and tugged at my hair. “Now that that’s over with, why don’t you explain what you meant when you said that you wouldn’t have to do the walk of shamethis time?”

  My mouth dropped in shock. “No! That’s not what I meant!”

  He grinned once again, just as the door to my room opened.

  “Oh!” Clemence stumbled back in with surprise. “Uh, sorry. I didn’t know you had company.”

  She walked toward the center of our room and dropped her yoga mat onto the ground, eyeing Mitch pointedly.

  “I was just leaving.” Mitch stood up and I immediately felt a rush of emptiness I hadn’t experienced in a while. He grabbed his gym bag and just when he reached the door, he turned at his waist and shot me a soft smile. “See you tonight.”

  I nodded. “See you.”

  Clemence waited until he was out of our room completely to throw me a questioning look.

  “What?” I groaned, totally not in the mood

  “The energy in this room definitely screams sex,” she mused, glancing at our bed.

  “The energy? Or the fact that Mitch just walked out of here?” I grumbled.

  She shrugged. “I just don’t know why you didn’t heed my warnings.”

  Heed? Who the hell spoke like that?

  She pursed her lips and continued. “Mitch and his friends—”

  “Are not the same person. Don’t make assumptions about him. He’s different.”

  “Mmhmm.” She shook her head and turned toward her bed.

  “Don’t give me attitude,” I snapped, unwilling to acknowledge the nervous energy brewing inside of me.