"Want a foot massage?" Hunter moved in close until their knees touched each other. Before she could say "hell no" his big manly hands were wrapped around her foot. She hated anybody touching her feet, she even hated touching them herself. Feet and toes in general were ugly, and the fact he was touching them set her on edge. She retracted her foot.
"Did I hurt you?" Hunter froze and his hands halted.
Luxor shook her head, so he took it as an invitation to resume. His two thumbs dug into her sole, and he swirled them round in a synchronised fashion. To mix things up he thumbed up and down, soft lazy strokes which made her toes curl. He continued, except now it was deep and hard, all the while the sides of his hands were massaging the side of her foot.
Against her will, Luxor rested her head against the soft material of the couch, her body becoming lax and fluttered her eyes closed allowing him to pamper her. Warmness and electricity sparks spread through her body, while he intoxicated her with his trademark musky scent of the forest. She didn't know how long she was out for, but when Hunter whispered her name, and tickled up her leg, her eyes shot wide open. She jumped back furthering the distance between them.
"Did you enjoy that Angel?" Hunter smirked, which drove her insane.
Luxor couldn't lie because her actions proved otherwise, and admission was out of the question, so she took the silent route. A surge of frustration mixed with the all too common electrical sparks coursed through her. Warm and tingling sensations trickled down her spine, and places they shouldn't. She hated herself for how her body betrayed her.
"Okay you can move back." Luxor retracted her leg and wriggled back. "Or better still go, thanks for you impromptu visit...again," she said with as much sarcasm as she could muster.
"I can't." He leaned on the cushion in his lap.
"What do you mean you can't?" Luxor hissed. If he wasn't going to move, she would have to use excessive force. What that was she wasn't sure. She clasped her fingers in his, and then covered her other hand on top of his, to attempt a grip lock, and attempted to pull him up.
God, he weighs a tonne.
"You moaned, a couple of times actually, and well the master has arisen."
"What?"
Hunter removed the cushion, and nodded downwards towards his crotch, a large prominent bulge noticeable.
She immediately released his hand. "Oh my God." With a big step, backwards, she slapped a hand over her mouth, making sure she concentrated on anything but him.
Head up Luxor, avert your gaze! Damn this boy!
Hunter arose and shifted his belt, chuckling as he moved in close. "Yeah, one day you'll be saying that, followed by screaming my name," he said low and husky.
Oh, my God. Now every time I say that I'll be thinking of him. I hate him so much.
Red hot fury coursed through her and she clenched her fist. "You are utterly disgusting, let your girlfriend tend to your master," she spat, pushing his hard chest, but he didn't budge.
He tensed under her touch and didn’t budge. "I don't ha—"
The back door jiggled, signalling Meredith had come home. She could only imagine what Meredith would think finding Hunter there again.
Hunter made his way through the foyer and to the front door on his own accord, with a backward glance. Luxor shoved him outside and slammed the door in his face. Leaning back, she shivered away the lingering disgust.
Meredith appeared at the archway, a few brown paper bags filled to the brim in her arms. "What are you doing?"
"Just taking out the trash."
Luxor ditched the pyjamas for leggings and a tan, ribbed long-sleeved top which funnily enough was much more comfortable. All these surprise visits had her constantly feeling exposed. She was halfway down the stairs when her phone buzzed.
Satan: How r u Angel?
What did he want now?
Luxor had saved Hunter’s number under a name she associated him best as.
Luxor: How the hell did you get my number?
Satan: I have my ways. Study today. Cashing in my I.O.U.
Luxor: NO
Who did he think he was? It wasn't a legitimate I.O.U. He didn't even help that much.
Satan: No choice
But she needed answers. Pronto. And if Hunter’s claims of knowing her were legitimate, her hunch of him accessing her student files would be confirmed. It was like nothing was off limits to him.
Hunter: Library at 4
Satan:Were something cute
Satan: Miss you alredy xo
Luxor squeezed her mobile in her hand wishing she could throw it at his face. She imagined his cocky grin as he wrote it, and couldn't believe his audacity to tell her to wear something cute. Well he would be in for a surprise.
Luxor had only finished watching her dystopian movie and was about to put another one on when she was interrupted.
“Snow are you home?” Evie called out. She knocked a couple of times more, each knock harder than the one before.
Luxor grumbled and ran her hands down her face, as much as she would love company, the timing couldn’t have been worse. Opening the door a smidge, she only showed half her body and let out a cough. “Hey,” she croaked.
“Hey, are you okay?” Evie asked.
Luxor let out a barky cough into her fist and sniffled. “I think I have the flu.”
“The flu? On top of your sprained ankle? That’s a bad run of luck.”
Luxor furrowed her forehead. Sprained ankle? Did she hallucinate her knee injury? Evie was her last resort to ask about her knee, but as with everybody, she confirmed she had only hurt her ankle.
“Are you going to open up? I’ll risk getting sick.” Evie’s toe poked the door.
Luxor held the door firm, if she let this opportunity pass who knew when she would get another chance. “I’m going to sleep. I’ll call you later.”
Evie bumped her hip against the door to full expose it. “It’s in the friendship manual, friends look after one another. Besides my parentals are driving me loco, you’d be doing me a favour.”
Luxor swung the door open and stepped aside and headed towards the kitchen. She couldn’t argue with the fact a legitimate friend wanted to be there for her and the last thing she wanted was to push her away.
Evie propped herself onto a stool and crossed one leg over another and pulled up her skull printed knee high socks.
“Do you want a juice?” Luxor asked reaching up on her toes to grab two glasses.
“Nope,” Evie cocked her head to the side and gazed to the ground. “Where’s your bandage?”
“Don’t need it, I’m all healed.”
“All healed? What are you super woman?”
“Apparently,” Luxor said, pouring the juice in.
“Well, since you’re better there’s no way you’re staying in drinking this watered down OJ, let’s caffeine ourselves up.” She jumped up, her boots clunking on the tiles, her no-nonsense attitude on full display. Luxor knew it was useless to fight her. “Go get dressed properly, maybe looking good on the outside will show through to the inside.”
“I’m really not in the mood.”
“Too bad. I’m meeting Ayla. Besides my surprise will pep you up.” Evie smiled widely. She produced a beige manila folder from behind her back and danced with it.
“What’s that?’
“A surprise, but you’ll need coffee for this.’
Bloody blackmailer.
Luxor agreed on the condition they could make a pit-stop to the school. Even though it was a Saturday, she knew Principal Wright would be at school.
“Do you want me to come along?” Evie said and put the car into neutral.
“It’s okay, I won’t be long.” I’ll be right back,” she jogged straight into the unlocked the school gates and knocked on the glass panels of the doors of the school. No answer. After a couple of times she tried the handle and was surprised to find it unlocked.
“Hello,” Luxor called out as she entered.
Prin
cipal Wright poked his head out of his office, his eyebrows raising. “Miss Everstone, what a surprise. What brings you here?”
Luxor steadied herself, the worst set in her mind. “I need to talk to you, it’s pretty urgent.”
"Come in."
Inside Principal Wright wasn’t alone. Valencia was there as well as Coach Davis. He moved behind his mahogany desk, signing off on a stack of papers. Luxor loitered near the door. "Please sit." He swung his hand to indicate the chair, and removed his glasses.
“Can this be private?” She eyed Valencia and Coach Davis in a silent way to say get out. “Everybody here knows everything about all students. Besides, we’re busy.”
Luxor eyed the room which was in disarray; papers strewn across the desk, a tea pot and numerous beer bottles. She huffed and took him up on his offer. She waited for him to give her the go ahead to talk but when he remained silent, she took it as a sign to begin. "I want to be removed from History," then added, "and Spirituality."
"I wasn’t expecting this. Couldn’t this have waited until Monday?”
“No, I want to be removed so I can start fresh.”
“Any particular reason?"
"Two actually. Hunter and Scarlett are making my life unbearable. He’s wildly inappropriate, constantly bombarding me with sexual innuendo, he’s antagonistic, and generally gets on my nerves. And Scarlett, well I think we've already gone over her crimes against humanity."
Coach Davis snorted and shook his head.
"Crimes against humanity?" Principal Wright repeated, his lips tilted up at the side. "Isn't that a gross overreaction?"
"Scarlett threw a baton at my knee, and dislocated it," she exclaimed and pointed to the spot.
"Firstly, we rectified that incident, and you merely sprained your ankle. Secondly, she has been punished."
“And I can attest to this. Can’t be blaming others for your clumsiness,” Coach Davis said. “Maybe special training in track would help, I mean if you didn’t fall your times would have been remarkable.”
“We and are fully aware of your—tendencies would be the best word—to overreact and assume things that aren't there," Valencia interjected.
"Overreact? Are you serious right now? You are treating me as if I'm crazy!" Luxor raised her voice, getting up, and pushing her chair back with her heel.
"Miss Everstone, you need to calm down," Principal Wright urged, itching underneath his eyes. It had begun to redden creating prominent bags aging his otherwise youthful face.
"So, what? That's it?” Luxor asked Principal Wright ignoring the smug look she received from Coach Davis. “You said to come to you if I had any problems, clearly that was a mistake."
"Miss Everstone, wait." Principal Wright let out a slew of sneezes and doubled over. Composing himself, he rounded the table and faced her, keeping a respectable distance. He smoothed back his auburn hair and neatened his shirt. “What do you suggest I do? Hunter is difficult I'll admit, but it doesn't help matters that you're not like the others."
What's that supposed to mean? That's twice now he's said it.
"I'm being attacked here, my personal business and welfare of no great consequences." She paced the length of the room, sick of everybody telling her what to do, and how to feel. “I’m not crazy, Scarlett and Hunter are out to get me.”
"Miss Everstone. Enough!" Principal Wright pounded his fists against the desk. Luxor jumped back startled by his actions. He breathed in heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I apologise, that was uncalled for. Heed when I say nobody said you were crazy, did you hear us say that?"
"No, but—"
"No buts about it. Right now, you are acting irrationally. I am fully aware of your history. Dr Lawson didn't break any privacy codes. Please sit down and listen."
Luxor zipped her mouth. Never had she encountered teachers, or a principal for that matter, whose professionalism was far removed from the normal standards. Even Valencia’s ethics in dealing with her personal matters were unsettling.
"So, this is my fault?" Luxor said in disbelief, her shoulders sagging. It was always her fault, no matter what she did, how hard she tried, she was always blamed for the actions of others.
"I didn't say that," Principal Wright grunted. Moving to the window, he stared out into the distance, his shoulders tense.
Valencia gave Principal Wrights shoulder a squeeze and pursed her lips. “What he meant was certain people need to be dealt with in a certain way. They have a certain way of getting under people’s skin. Do you understand?”
“You know for a smart person you should incorporate different synonyms,” Luxor sniped.
Principal Wright whipped around. “Luxor,” he warned.
“I like this girl,” Coach Davis piped in, throwing the empty beer bottle into the overfilled bin and popped another one with his teeth.
“Don’t encourage her Eli.”
“Yeah, who knows what I’d do?” Luxor asked sarcastically, and slammed the door after her.
In the end, she vented. She lost. Case closed.
A murmur of voices came from the front office, it was the end of the week and Luxor expected the school to void of students. Heading in further from the corner of her eye she noticed Ayla loitering about. For some bizarre reason, she wasn’t surprised.
Luxor walked towards her and wondered what she was up to. Ayla pulled her aside, and smoothed back her hair positioned in a sleek bun, not a hair out of place. She hid them in a small room, surrounded by a wall of bronzed lockers, the perfect place to keep all student files. Locking up the few lockers that were ajar, she tip toed out and made sure they weren't seen.
“What are you doing here? Is everything okay? Can I help?" Ayla fired question after question once they were in open space. She tilted her head and waited for an answer despite her just asking and not giving her time to answer.
"Nope, everything is under control." Luxor replied nearing the door. “Why are you-”
Ayla held up a hand to cut her off.
“What’s going on here?”
In unison they Ayla and Luxor turned around. “Miss Everstone, I presumed you had left by now.” Principal Wright said.
“I bet you did,” she replied dryly.
“We’re leaving now.” She nodded to Principal Wright. Ayla shuffled forward and hurried her out of the door, creating a distance leaving Luxor to lag behind.
Luxor narrowed her eyes, and caught up to Ayla, not believing her one iota. Who in their right mind would turn up to school on a Saturday? Snoop around unauthorised areas? And for a book? And what kind of teacher allowed it? Luxor thought.
“Must be a pretty special book.” Luxor drawled.
“Oh, it is. My father lent his copy to Principal Wright and I was supposed to bring it back.”
“What kind? Romance, thriller, crime, paranormal?”
Lies, lies, lies.
“A bible…Kind off,” she said. “Oh look, there’s Evie. Let’s go to lunch, Heavens knows she’s always hungry.”
Luxor grabbed Ayla by the crook of her elbow and halted her back. “You’re going to tell me what you’re up to. And now.” She had had enough of lies, and Ayla held a massive one, she could feel it.
Ayla exhaled softly. “You know Mission H? Well I found something.” Ayla darted her eyes about, moving and up on her tippy toes and cupped Luxor’s ears as if revealing the biggest secret. “You’ve encountered enigmas.”
Luxor stared blankly at Ayla to absorb the words. “What does that even mean?”
“It means they don’t exist,” Ayla hushed. She stepped back and smoothed down her dress. “What I mean is, they are confusing, and hard to understand because nobody knows anything about them.”
“And that’s why we need to sneak about, to gain records, information, anything.” Luxor reminded her.
“Do you need me to spell it out for you? There are no records. At all. No personal information, no transfer papers, no previous school records. Nothing.”
/> “Have you tried Facebook? Insta? Twitter? Snapchat?” She clutched at straws, there had to be accessible information.
This proves they’re hiding something.
“Not everybody uses social media, besides some people use fake names. Have you ever heard the teachers call out his surname?”
Luxor digested the information and recalled all the times she had been in class with him. She was almost always called Miss Everstone, but Hunter was a single name entity. Ayla was right, social media wasn’t for everybody, a great deal of people valued their privacy and it was the reason why she deactivated all her social media accounts and started afresh.
There was no way she wanted ties from the past to come back and haunt her.
What if it was the same for Hunter? What’s he running from?
There was only one other logical explanation. Principal Wright had shredded his files, to give him a clean slate, just as he did with hers.
What else could it be?
The moment Luxor entered The Hive she picked up a negative energy, except she couldn’t pin-point from where. The general atmosphere was calm, patrons enjoying catching up with friends and gorging on food. Right at the back near the pool table, it was a difference story. Hunter was embroiled in a heated discussion with Castor and Theo, their voices raising with each sentence.
"You're such a fuck up," Castor grey eyes hardened and kicked Hunter’s shin. "Stop it, you're screwing everything up."
Hunter’s grabbed Castors shirt and bunched it up to his chin. "It was a joke, if offence was taken, well so be it." He thrust him back and gripped a pool cue and whacked it against the table.
"That’s disgusting Hunter, can't believe you said it,” Melita said.
What did he do?
Hunter turned towards Melita. "Because it wasn't directed at you," he sneered and mocked. "Oh poor honey bee, is nobody giving you love? No? Just proves your worth."
Unveiled: The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone Page 23