CHAPTER EIGHT
I love math. Math comes easily to me. Numbers revolve around everything we do in our lives. They're a definite when everything else can be altered. They're universal. For instance, language can be turned into slang and still have the same meaning. Numbers cannot; they are either the right number or the wrong one. They just make sense to me.
It's 2:30 PM and I have one class left. It's called Concentration Class. I'm a little nervous. Whenever I concentrate on anything too long, I tend to get a headache. I'm really hoping that's not what it's all about.
Todd's waiting outside of my math class. He smiles one of his pretty-boy smiles, and slides his arm through mine. “Can I walk you to class? I figured since we both are on our way to the same class, we might as well walk together. Is that's ok with you, beautiful girl?”
Wow, two really hot guys touched me today. I never get this much attention. They're just being nice to the new kid. “Sure. I'm a little nervous so being with someone familiar will probably help.”
It doesn't take us long to get to our class. Our casual conversation while we walk makes it seem really short. Todd can be a nice, normal guy when he wants to be.
I feel a calming warmth swoon over me as I enter the room. My fear and nervousness is gone. Now I remember why, Todd has the ability to control emotions and temperatures. I really am thankful that he's here. “You're helping me, aren't you?”
“Is that ok?” His voice is soothing and smooth. He must feel the flush of my nervous heat because he smiles his sexy little crooked smile.
“Definitely! Can you sit near me?” I don't think I've blinked since we entered the room, until Todd’s eyes meet mine, and linger for just a fraction of a moment too long for it to feel like a casual glance.
He's still smiling at me. “We have to leave the backpacks, purses and books, basically everything, against this wall. Make sure your cellphone is off, or she'll throw you out of class if it rings.” I do what he tells me. He points me in the direction of the back of the room.
The room looks more like a yoga workout gym, with mats thrown about the carpeted classroom floor. The candles, blackboards and speakers that are scattered about the room convince me that it's probably not actually meant for yoga.
The walls are burgundy, with candle sconces about every two meters apart, with big white candles burning softly. The floor has five landings, each one raised about a foot up from the other. Each is wide enough to accommodate a full grown man quite easily. They step up towards the back of the room.
We walk up to the top tier and sit on two mats that are about midway across the room. Three other students sit along the top tier with us. Each one smiles and introduces themselves to me.
The first guy, Jerry, says he can hear things that most people can't hear. He's what's known as a Listener.
The second guy, Andy, says that he's a Progressionist. He can make a seed grow into a tree in a matter of hours. I think that’s really cool.
The third person is a girl about fourteen years old. Her name is Rebecca. She's really shy. Her ability is to set things on fire, but she hasn't learned how to put them out yet. She's still new here.
As others introduce themselves, I can't help but feel a little overwhelmed. There’s so much information so fast. It is nice to know that there is a wide range of talents at this school. Some are weirder than mine. Maybe there are others like me, and I just haven't been introduced yet. If everyone is still learning the extent of what their talents consist of, then who knows, there could be more.
“The instructor’s name is Maria Suvert. She prefers us to just call her Maria, because she says it removes the uncomfortable tension assumed by having to address someone with a salutation. She's a very easy-going person. Everyone likes her.” Todd's sitting on a blue mat that he's pulled over to be right next to mine.
I don't mind the closeness. He's stunningly handsome. Besides, he is keeping me calm. His gift is really coming in handy for me today.
Once everyone is seated and quiet, the instructor introduces herself to me, and fills the class in on who I am, and what my ability is. Yup, good thing Todd is keeping my fear level down to a minimum, because I think I might otherwise have run screaming from the room. Being the center of attention is not something I do well with. Thanks to Todd, I might avoid vomiting.
Note to self: Bring Todd with me to help out in nervous situations.
Maria then gives me a quick rundown of how in this class I will learn techniques of how to relax myself, so that when I have an episode, I'll be able to keep myself calm through it. That might help me see more details in the vision and could help with the pain level.
I really hope this works. Not so much for the details of the vision, more for the pain level. If I can ease that, I'll be a happy girl. Maybe this will help with the anxiety that I feel when I know that these attacks are coming. I call them attacks because I think it's a more suitable word than episode or vision. At least right now, that's what they seem like.
We lie out on the mats, and begin a deep breathing exercise to help us get into a more relaxed state. Todd must still be helping my mood because if I relax anymore, I'll be asleep.
Todd reaches out and touches my hand. OhmyGod this sexy, amazing guy wants to hold my hand. He interlaces our fingers and instantly more warmth soothes through my body so intensely. I can feel it radiating from his hand and flowing into mine, down my arm, then spread throughout my body. It's like having an invisible warm blanket covering all of me.
The warmth is increasing and the relaxing feeling is changing to... desire? The heat is changing into desire? More and more my sexual excitement is building. I can almost feel his breath on me, so hot, heating me up. I want him to touch me; touch me in places never yet touched by a boy. I want him kissing me, caressing me, on me.
My mouth is open, I'm breathing heavier and faster. Why can’t I tell him to stop? If he touches my body right now, I'll melt into a heaping pile of heated flesh, and yet still yearn for more. I'll be unable to stop myself from going too far; farther than I consciously want to go. A soft moan flows from deep within me and escapes my lips.
Just then, that feeling is gone. At first I feel angry, I want it back. Then I'm left wondering what the heck happened, and where did that come from? Suddenly I'm overcome with a feeling of satisfaction; not my emotion, someone else’s. It's the kind of satisfaction of a job well done. Todd’s gloating. He’s proud of his accomplishment, I can feel it.
I open my eyes and turn my head only to meet Todd's sexy eyes. I pull my hand away when I finally realize that he was making me feel that way. It’s obvious that he’s thinking that I’d like it, and want him to do it again, maybe later when we’re not in class. I'm kind of angry that he forced himself into invading me in such a way, but at the same time, I kind of do want him to do it again. I've never felt so sexy, so filled with desire, so wanted.
Looking at his smug face really ruins it though. I can't believe how weak I must be to let him control me like that, so easily. Maybe other girls like it when he controls them like that, but I don’t.
“Don't do that again.” I whisper to him, trying to sound angry but through my still heavy breathing, it sounds like I didn't really mean it.
Still, his bedroom eyes are looking deep into mine. Through his sexy grin he replies, “Did you not like that; because it sure looked as if you were absolutely enjoying it. Perhaps this just isn't the place for it; maybe in a more secluded place next time.”
“No, next time. There won't be a next time. If I ever feel that way again around you, it'd better be because I want to feel like that, not because you're forcing it on me. Understand?” I glare at him; even though I secretly do want him to do it again. I try to mask that feeling with anger. I really hope he can't sense that I truly did enjoy it.
He raises an eyebrow at me, then turns his head so he's looking at the ceiling, folds his arms over h
is chest, and closes his eyes, still with a smirking little smile. “So what you're saying is that you want me to do it again, but only on your terms? I can deal with that.”
No matter how hard I try to relax and get back into the exercise, I'm not able to. I just can't decide if I'm angry at him or if he's right and I really do want him. Thankfully there's only ten minutes left of the class.
I start walking down the hallway as quick as I can, desperate not to make a scene, but still trying to get away from Todd. Before I can get far, he's walking beside me, keeping up with my pace, quite easily I might add. Of course he is taller than me, with longer legs. Why did I think I could get away?
“Do you forgive me?” He doesn't really sound like he cares if I actually forgive him or not. And when I don't say anything, just nod my head, he smiles at me with the most adorable little boy ‘forgive-me’ smile. He looks so innocent, but now I know better.
Instead of going straight to my room, I stop at Tara's door and knock. “Come on in.” Tara's sitting on her bed reading a book. “Hi Laura, how'd your first Concentration Class go?”
“Well, that's why I'm here. The class was great. I think I'm going to learn a lot. The teacher, Maria, she seems awesome. I want to ask you something about Todd though.”
Tara drops her head down and with a muffled sound she asks me, “What did he do now?”
“He controlled my moods.” I reply, rolling my eyes.
She lifts her head to look at me. “How did he make you feel?”
“I was seconds away from doing the nasty with him, right there in the middle of the classroom, with everyone there! I moaned out loud. Thankfully he stopped. Then I felt his self-satisfaction.” I pause, and Tara rolls her eyes. “I must admit, it was hot. I've never felt that way before, even with my boyfriend, Brian.”
Tara is trying not to laugh, but she's unsuccessful. Through her snickering, she says, “He can be so bad.” She stops giggling and seriously asks me, “So you've never... you know, done it?”
“Nope. I really don't want to yet. I don't think I'm ready for something that heavy. I mean, I've never felt the desire to do it with Brian. I don't think he's mature enough to handle it. I think that when I’m ready, I won’t have any doubts, so I’ll know." I pause for a second then ask her, "Have you ever..?”
“Once, about a year ago with a boy named Steven. Not here at Salvation. I wasn't here yet. Steven and I were an item when it happened. We dated for about three years before we did it. We got into making out in his room one day while his parents were at work. We had a day off school. It was all planned out and everything. We made love, sort of. It was clumsy and awkward. I always pictured it playing out as a romantic adventure, where the two of us would bond even more than ever. I just knew in my heart that it would be everything I'd ever hoped for. Well, it was nothing like I thought it would be.”
“That's what I'm afraid of. I'd like my first time to be an event to remember, something to look back on fondly. Not like what happened with you.” I'm hoping that I'm not offending her. “Besides, Brian and I definitely aren't there yet.”
“Back to what Todd did to you…” She's giggling a bit again. “At least he did something awesome with you. He was really bad with me. He built up so much impatience and anxiety in me that I got up and stormed out of class. That was how I actually met Todd. I had no idea that he could do that, or even who he was.”
“Wow, what an ass. So what happened next?” I am now very glad that 'impatience and anxiety' was not the emotion that he filled me with. At least mine was pleasurable, very pleasurable.
“He chased me out of the classroom and filled me with calmness, then he explained what he did and apologized. Needless to say, I didn't like Todd all that much at first. He really is a nice guy once you get to know him. Todd would give you the shirt off his back, if you needed it. Just don't trust whatever you 'feel' when you're around him.” Tara shrugs her shoulders.
We chat for a bit then set a time to head down for dinner. I leave her room and travel a whole ten steps to my room. I'm so glad to be back in my new sanctuary, safe from all the strangeness this place exudes.
It feels like there's something strange hanging in the air. Something’s not quite right. It's almost as though I'm waiting for the ceiling to fall down on me or something. Maybe it's just my own anxieties of being in a new place with new people.
I splash some cold water on my face and brush my teeth because they're feelin' like fuzzy slippers. I sit down on my bed and start taking my books out of my backpack when someone taps on my door. It must be Tara... she’s early.
Colours In Blackness - A New Life Page 8