“Come on, Michael, fight back,” I shouted at him and just like pressing the trigger of a gun, Michael has been back to his senses. He dodged each and every blow, and started beating the shit of that man. I was smiling giddily, happy to no limits when Michael had finally managed to get that man unconscious. He was declared the winner by the announcer. As he came down, he was stopped by a business person like man; he was in formals, only his blazer was hanging on his hand. They were talking about serious matters and the man even slapped Michael on the shoulders in their way of congratulating him. Michael had his hair sticking to his forehead with all the sweat, he had these light blue, black marks starting to form on his sides, and his nose was bleeding like it had no end. Finally, he was done talking to that man, as he came towards us.
“Good fight man,” Julian commented.
“Yeah, I am going to the state champions, it was the manager I was talking to right now,” he said smiling. I was standing there awkwardly, not knowing what to do.
“We should get going, being as you brought Sharon out here,” he commented.
“Yeah, I thought it would be fun for her to watch you fight,” Julian said as we were walking back to his car.
“It wouldn’t have been fun if all these drunk guys noticed her. They would have pounced on her; I don’t know how you can be so irresponsible with her,” Michael said. Okay, is he being…. protective? Darn, why do I feel like something is darting about in my stomach at this?
“Chill man, I could have protected her,” Julian said.
“Yeah, sure,” Michael muttered under his breath as he looked at me. I kept my head low.
“Will you be sitting in the back, for now, S?” Julian asked me opening the back door of the car.
“Yeah, sure,” I sat down inside and all the while I didn’t notice that Michael hadn’t put a shirt on till now. Man, his abs was glistening with all the sweat, and he looked hot. His biceps were still flexing from the adrenaline running in his system. I couldn’t help but imagine myself wrapped around his body, naked. No, bad Sharon, shut up! You have a guy you’re dating sitting in the front seat with him, how can you even think that?
“Can you keep this in the back seat?” Michael asked me, holding a white T-shirt in one hand with the duffel bag in the other. I stared at his bag like it was something alien.
“Hey?” he asked again.
“Yeah,” I took it from him awkwardly, keeping it beside me.
“I need to get some food. Will you stop at some diner?” Michael asked Julian, as his eyes still stared at me through the looking glass in front of the car. I felt all hot… again and averted my eyes.
“Yeah, sure, why not?” Julian said.
“He’s injured, he needs first aid, and no diner falls on the way to his house.” Okay why did I open my mouth? Shit, I sound like a protective girlfriend right now. The inside of the car went eerily silent, and there was tension in the air. Why couldn’t I stay shut for a second?
“Yeah, I guess, he needs first aid. I will get the food, and you can do the first aid till then. How about that?” Julian asked, looking in the mirror.
“Okay,” I said with a tiny voice. Michael was staring at me again. Come on, stop doing that.
“Do you want anything S?” Julian asked as he stopped his car in front of Michael’s house.
“Just bring a smoothie I guess,” I said, stepping out of the car; I could feel Michael’s eyes on me as we stepped into his house while Julian left.
Michael threw his bag on the couch as he took a seat himself.
“Where is the first aid box?” I asked wringing my sweaty hands together, feeling nervous all of a sudden.
“The first cabinet to the left in the kitchen, the kitchen is that way,” he said nonchalantly as he pointed to the right. I slowly made my way towards where he pointed, I found the cabinet, and I thought all the stuff that it contained would fall as soon as I opened it, but to my surprise, it was all neat and clean. The glasses were kept with proper arrangement and the first aid box in front of it. This guy sure was orderly.
I walked into the living room, to see him, resting his head on the head rest of the couch with his forearm covering his eyes. He looked so vulnerable then. A fond feeling had probably appeared on my face right now; I could feel it. I shrugged it off and walked over to him.
I silently took some antiseptic on with a cotton ball, “Can you remove your hand?”
He seemed to awaken from a state of sleep, but none the less did what I asked for. I slowly dragged the cotton ball over his torn lip, completely focusing my attention on it. They looked so soft and plump, and I could feel his breath on my face at the proximity we were in. His eyes were boring holes into my head; I didn’t care to look up. Satisfied with my work, I started to clean off the blood from his nose; it wasn’t bleeding anymore, so I guess I won’t have to do anything for that. I remembered about the marks on his side, and I needed ice packs for it.
“Where are the ice bags?” I asked, throwing the wet cotton ball onto the table.
“In the second drawer of the counter beside the oven,” He said, and I stood ready to go there.
Suddenly he caught hold of my hand as I had just turned around and pulled me back, making me crash into his chest on the couch.
“What—“ I turned around to face him and okay, my breathing seized. His face was like a millimeter away, and his lips were so close to mine. I couldn’t help but take a look at them. I couldn’t look away from those eyes.
“Why are you doing this?” Michael asked in a slow, murmuring voice.
“You are hurt—…“ I started to say in an equally soft voice.
“I can help myself, and you know that very well. Why are you doing this?” he said, increasing the intensity of his stare. I couldn’t control the haggard breathing coming out of me right now.
“I don’t know.” I said finally and gulped.
“Do I make you nervous?” he asked smirking.
“N-n-o,” I managed to get out of my mouth.
“How about now?” His face grew closer to mine, and I could feel his lips touching mine.
I just shook my head slowly.
“Now?” and he closed the distance between our lips and oh, that was heavenly. He sucked on my bottom lip while his hand kept my head in place, his tongue flicked in and out of his mouth and licked onto my bottom lip. I could taste the antiseptic I had just applied, but that didn’t dim his minty taste.
“Hey guys, I am back, what did I miss?” I heard someone say as the door shut. And I was up from the couch in the flick of an eye.
Chapter-11 Sharon
“Hey—uh, why do I feel the room is too stuffy right now?” Julian asked as he stood in front of the couch with a plastic bag filled junk delicacies. The smell would have sent me drooling on any other occasion, but right now, I couldn’t get myself to think about food.
“I think, you have caught a cold, and that’s why your head’s feeling stuffy. Now, where’s my food? I am starving!” Michael said as though he hadn’t just engaged with me in a toe curling kiss. I could still feel the warmth of his lips on mine.
“Sharon, don’t you want your smoothie?” Julian asked, holding my cup of smoothie.
“Yeah, I guess, sure,” I said, walking over to his sitting form. I took a seat myself beside him, in the small space that was left. I was not going anywhere near Michael.
As Julian handed over my smoothie, he said, “I didn’t know what you would like. You forgot to mention that, so I thought of bringing two, a strawberry and a chocolate. Which one do you want to take?” Suddenly a pang of guilt hit me like a baseball on my face; here Julian was the perfect caring boyfriend, and I am this cheater girl, kissing his friend. When did I get down to this?
“Uh? Are you there?” Julian asked, concern lacing his face. Michael wasn’t even paying attention to us; he was eating like a caveman who had been deprived of food for months. The bastard!
“Yeah, sorry, just a bit tired. C
an we just go home?” I asked, looking at him, guilt eating my insides as the time elapsed.
“Yeah, sure, let’s go,” Julian said, getting up, “Meet you tomorrow Mike, I hope you will be well enough to walk tomorrow,” he chuckled.
Michael looked up from his food with his mouth threatening to open up with the amount of food he was munching on and looked from me to Julian.
He grunted and went back to his food. How could he? I didn’t look back as I started walking towards the door and to Julian’s car waiting outside. I hated Michael, why the hell did he have to kiss me? It’s his fault, now how am I supposed to explain this to Julian? He’s such a kind and caring guy, unlike Michael.
As I sat in the car, Julian followed me and started the car up, as soon as we were both strapped. The minutes ticked by in an awkward silence. I tried to focus on the beautiful night environment outside the car but I couldn’t.
“You know, you can tell me anything, I won’t mind,” Julian said out of the blue, as his car came to a stop outside my house.
I sighed, “Yeah, good night Ju…,” I said as I kissed his cheek while he was trying to turn his head towards my lips but I was fast enough to avoid it. As I opened the car door, he caught hold of my hand. I turned around swiftly. He was going to say something, but I guess decided against it.
“Good night,” he said as he left my hand and sped away, leaving me to dwell in my darkness.
***
“You did what?” Mirabelle shouted through the phone speaker. Once I was inside my room, I had dialed her number. I needed to share this with someone.
“I am not going to repeat it,” I said back to her in a meek tone. Come on, I was already feeling so guilty, why was she making this hard?
“Has Sharon Esther just kissed another guy while in a relationship with Julian? This is something new.” She said back, in a happy voice.
“I am keeping the phone down. You’re of no help, and I hate you,” I said irritated.
“Okay, okay sorry. I know what you’re going through Shar, but I will say stop feeling guilty. Alright? It was not your fault, just tell Julian about it. I am sure he will be more appreciative if you tell the truth. He’s a good guy,” Mirabelle said, like the love guru she is.
“I don’t know; he might get angry with me. He will be hurt. I hate Michael. I am someone’s girlfriend, and yet he comes and kisses me.” I said back, the previous anger bubbling up inside me.
“Shut the ‘I hate Michael’ thing! You and I both know that you wouldn’t have kissed him if you didn’t feel an attraction towards him. Now, just go and tell Julian about it. Shar, you have to choose between the two, you know this just can’t go on.” Mirabelle said in defeat.
I knew that she was right, but I was angrier now on hearing it. I knew I felt more attracted towards Michael than I was ever going to feel towards Julian. But I can’t accept it. Not yet.
“Bye,” I put the phone down without hearing her reply.
Chapter-12 Michael
After Julian and Sharon had left yesterday night, I spent it thinking about why I had done what I had. I mean, I never went about kissing another girl who had a girlfriend, they came to me willingly, and never the other way round. I knew Sharon wasn’t a girl like that; she probably felt so guilty after doing that. How can I be so mad for some new girl? I didn’t like how she was upset and just went away with Julian without even saying something to me. I didn't sleep a wink last night, and that only happened when I had a girl over at my house, and we spent the night on our ‘errands’, which included more pleasurable work than thinking about how someone was upset with me.
Believe me, last night I was furious at Julian for bringing Sharon to the fight. That place wasn’t some amusement park you can take your girlfriend to. Those men were drunk, and they could have harmed her. I wouldn’t have liked anyone touching her in an inappropriate way, though Julian probably did that exact thing every day. I won’t think about that, Nah, not at all. Finally, I reached college, after a lot of pondering on whether or not actually to show up.
“What took you so long?” Lee asked with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Come on Lee; he was probably tired from having to bang that girl all night. It happens,” Hans chuckled at that.
“Yeah, we all know how much he does that in one night. Moreover, he won an important game last night. He deserved that.” Tim said as well.
“Yeah, I was a bit tired,” I said back with a mild smile. I couldn’t tell them the truth that I didn’t want to face the hate of the girl I liked yet again.
“Okay, come on then,” Lee let the matter go, much to my relief. He was never fooled; he was always this brother to me that I never had. I don’t know how I managed this time.
As I dictated the tale of my fighting antics from last night to the boys while walking over to our class, I noticed her. There she was smiling and giggling at something with her friend in front of their locker, books in hand. She was wearing a blue dress today, which clung to her chest and abdomen and flowed down to her mid thigh. Even from this distance, she looked so beautiful and cute. The memories of her soft lips came flooding back to me, how she had gasped when mine touched hers, then how she slowly yet steadily started kissing me back, how her small hands clung to my shirt for support. My man down there is getting all jumpy now. I have to stop thinking about her lips. This will be a very awkward situation if I don’t.
“Mike, are you alright?” Hans said loudly.
“Yeah, why?” I noticed all of the boys were giving me weird looks, and Lee was staring at me with his judging eyes. I am going to be in a big row with him soon. I can feel it in my bones.
“You just stopped talking all of a sudden and stood there staring,” Hans said looking at me, concerned.
“I am okay, let’s go,” Just as I said, that her eyes fell on me. It felt like her heart had stopped all of a sudden as her mouth fell open slightly. I could see her grip tightening on the book her hands held. I smirked, knowing my influence on her. At least she doesn’t hate me. Her friend, too, looked in my direction and just like that she started talking and whatever she said made a tinge of red appear on her cheeks. She pulled her friend by the hand as if furious, and speed-walked in the other direction away from me.
“Mike, I can see your interest in that new girl,” Lee smirked beside me while the others looked at him and me weirdly.
“What girl?” I asked as if I don’t know. When all of a sudden, realization dawned upon Tim and Hans, and they started hooting immaturely. The students in the corridor were all giving weird looks in our direction.
“So Michael Starton is in love?” Hans asked challengingly.
“I am not in love, you fucker. I can never be,” I said back to him.
“Well, we know that pretty well.” With that, Lee started walking, and the others followed him. Not having a choice I fell in step with them. So much for being the worst bad boy in our group! I am turning into a mush boy, fuck.
Chapter-13 Sharon
“Miss Esther?” Mr. Donovan said from his desk, pushing his grandpa spectacles higher up the bridge of his nose.
“Yes,” I said, standing up. He beckoned me to his desk, which I obliged, thinking what I had done wrong now.
“I assume you got back your Maths paper.” He made it sound like a statement instead of a question.
“Yes, sir,” I said sheepishly. I am not the best person at Maths. I despised it with all my heart. And that hatred reflected off of my paper showing a big ‘F’ on the side.
“This is the second time you’re failing in my subject. I am sure you’re aware of that?” Okay, now he made it sound like a question.
“Yeah, I am,” I said. I hope he’s not going to assign extra classes to me. College teachers don’t have time for that. Come on, this is not a school. I don’t want to get sessions with my Maths teacher.
“I am also noticing that you’re lagging behind what is being taught in the class. Therefore, due to all of thes
e reasons, I am assigning a senior to teach you a bit for the upcoming exam. He’s a splendid student, and I am sure you will progress if he teaches you. I am going to ask him about it when I have a class with him today.”
“But I don’t need a tutor. I can take lessons from someone in my class.” I tried to reason with him, but I probably sounded almost pleading. Why a senior? Why not Mirabelle? Why not Julian? They are all good at Maths.
“I am not assigning one of your classmates because they are going to be busy in the upcoming weeks just like you with the tests. The seniors don’t have examinations right now. Now, I am going to ask him to start your classes from tomorrow after school. You two will meet in the library, and he will be giving you classes for two hours. I assume that will be enough for you to pass this test in the upcoming week.” He babbled on about it. I noted the word ‘him’. It’s a guy, and another stuck up senior guy no doubt. Can my life get any better?
“But sir, my friends won’t have a problem teaching me. They are superb at studies and me—“ I was saying, desperately trying to alter his decision. Two hours, with a complete stranger senior guy in a deserted school. Not a very good idea. Nope, not at all.
“My decision is not up for negotiation, Miss Esther. Now please take your seat.” He said pushing at his spectacles again.
Sight of Love (A Rizer Pack Shifter Series Book 2) Page 23