“I’m way closer than you think. And whatever happens, we can always do it again. So please, I want you deeper.”
Who am I to resist such a hot request?
My hand leaves her jaw and grabs one of her legs, making her shift slightly down and placing her leg on top of my shoulder.
This opens her up to my invasion, making my thrusts go as deep as her body will allow me.
We don't talk anymore: all I can hear are her soft gasps every time I sink into her and the noise our bodies make when our heated skin touches.
Right now, she's the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen: her eyes are shiny and her skin flushed, her lips slightly open, her head thrown back.
And then I make a huge mistake: I look down at where our bodies connect and that's the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.
I can't take my eyes away from it but at the same time, my body reacts by tightening and I know that I’m a goner, that I have seconds before this is over.
Her pants and gasps come faster too, so I only hope that she won't be too disappointed when I place my thumb on her centre, applying pressure and I thrust deeply into her one last time.
I feel my release hit at the same time as Ayla screams my name and we both writhe against each other, overwhelmed by a pleasure so intense that when it's over, we collapse still joined in a panting, satisfied mess of limbs.
I’m the first one to recover from the most earth shuttering pleasure I’ve ever felt and I brush a lock of her silky auburn hair away from her forehead.
“Are you all right, Ayla?”
She rewards me with the sweetest smile I’ve ever seen.
“No... All right doesn't quite cover how good I feel...”
I settle her in my arms, kissing the sides of her face and running my hand down the curve of her waist and hips.
After a while, my greedy body starts reacting again to her closeness.
“I really hate to move but if we don't start getting dressed, we’ll be incredibly late to tonight's party.”
I’m rewarded with a little mischievous smile as she nips my bottom lip with her teeth.
“I believe I was promised a round two, so ... Fuck the party!”
I chuckle while I flip her over on top of me: who am I to say no to the girl who owns my heart and now most definitely every part of my body?
21.
Yale
TUNA: FORTY POINTS
Alex: forty points (but really he’s the winner)
Sam: twenty five points (but really forty six)
EM: zero points (but he really is out of the game)
Ayla
I CHECK MY BAG AND I think I have everything I need for our Yale visit: Alex’s coming to pick me up and he texted that he's already on the way.
Mom is already at work despite it being barely five am but we said goodbye last night and I’m only gonna be away for one night.
She reassured me that she's gonna be home later today and tomorrow and she'll have that safe sex talk with Ben.
I’d have talked to him but after Thanksgiving night, he's been avoiding me at best.
He begrudges me for making him go to rehab and for forcing him to check in with me almost hourly whenever I’m not in school and Mom’s at work.
The guys told me that he's very quiet with them too and when Alex tried to talk to him about using a condom, he told him to shut up because he wasn't gonna talk about sex with the guy who was fucking his sister.
I’m worried about Ben: he used to be such a sweet little kid but in the last couple of years he's become more and more introverted and the happy kid he was is just a distant memory.
I walk in front of his bedroom and I stop frozen in shock as I see him getting back inside through his window.
He sees me standing at his door but acts as if he’d not just been caught sneaking back in.
He starts taking his clothes off and throwing them on the chair by his desk with the clear intention to go to bed.
I step further into the room and when I get closer, the smell of pot emanating from him makes me almost take a step back.
“Ben, where the hell have you been? And I thought that you were taking this rehab thing seriously. If you don't, I’ll have no choice but to talk to Mom.”
He sneers at me, laying down on his bed.
“I didn't smoke nor take anything.”
“Ben ...”
“I’m not bullshitting you, ok? My friends were smoking and I was the only one who wasn't. The other day at work one of the guys in my team got fired because he dropped his rucksack in the canteen and a joint slipped out. So he was asked to take a drug test and it's in our contract that they can demand that we take random drug tests and after this incident, they might really watch us closer for a while. I don't wanna lose my job, so get your panties out of the twist they're in and trust me, ok?”
“But why do you even hang out with these guys if—”
He sighs, frustrated.
“Kat hangs with her brother and the rest of the gang. I like Kat. I thought I made it clear that I like sex. And she lets me have as much sex as I want, so ... I’m tired. Don't you have somewhere to be?”
I just walk away: nothing I could say right now would get through to him.
I really hope that he's being careful: getting this girl pregnant or catching an STD would be something I’d feel responsible for even though I understand that I can't be watching Ben twenty four seven.
Alex's SUV pulls into my driveway at the exact moment when I lock the front door and Tuna climbs out of the car to take my suitcase and place it in the trunk.
When we're all buckled up he takes my hand and brings it to his lips, kissing my knuckles.
Alex is driving but he notices my frown straight away:
“Baby, what’s wrong?”
I tell them about the troubling conversation I had with Ben before leaving the house.
“Look, I’m sure your Mom will embarrass him to death but maybe she's the one that should worry about him being safe. I wish my Mom had been around to talk to me about safe sex.”
Sam chuckles.
“Instead my Mom sat us both down and killed two birds with one stone when she realised that Alex was having sex.”
Alex shivers.
“Yeah, don’t remind me: it must've been one of the top three most embarrassing moments of my life so far.”
He looks at me through the rearview mirror before adding:
“Cheryl was worse than the nurse at school! She had condoms and cucumbers.”
Tuna groans.
“Yeah and thanks to you, asshole, my Mom had the exact same conversation with me and Polly! Sam and I weren't even doing it yet and we had to practice rolling the condom.”
I interrupt him.
“The thing is that Ben is only fifteen.”
“I was fourteen my first time, baby.”
Alex reminds me, suddenly serious.
“Yeah but—”
“And I was fifteen when I did it.”
Sam comes to his rescue.
“Me too.”
I look at my three boys and shrug.
“So you must’ve thought that I was way past my prime or something, being eighteen and—”
“No!”
They all say in unison and then Alex explains.
“We admired you for waiting until you met someone you cared about, Ayla.”
“But you cared about Polly. And Sam cared about Michelle at the time.”
Alex nods while exiting the highway towards LAX.
“I did. But in all honesty, baby, I know that was a bit young. Thankfully Polly’s Mom was great and took her to get birth control.”
I smile.
“Is this why you took me?”
He doesn't have a chance to answer when Tuna interjects:
“Oh, good. I ... I was about to ask you if you were on something. I was so caught up in the moment and we didn't wear a condom yesterday.”
The other two r
eact with outrage, Sam actually turns to glare at Tuna.
“Really, bro? It's so like you to shoot first and ask questions later! What the fuck were you thinking? You could've got Ayla pregnant!”
Tuna is strangely unconcerned.
“Yeah, I know I fucked up, ok? But I thought that she'd have mentioned it if—”
I come to his defence.
“Hey guys, come on! He’s right. It takes two to do the deed and it’s my responsibility as much as his to make sure that we're safe. And I knew we were, so—”
“Yeah, plus I don't know ... would it be so bad to have a little mini Tuna running around?”
I laugh at his dreamy expression.
“Not for at least a decade, Alexander! If I got pregnant before graduating college, my Mom would kill me.”
He finds it funny because he hasn't really got to know my Mom that well.
“I love it when you call me Alexander! It sounds even sexier when you're mad!”
I make a comment about how he sounds as impossibly arrogant as Alex right now, and the guys laugh.
“Yeah, he isn't serious, sugar. But because he was careless yesterday and now he's being a douche about it, he lost any chance to sit next to you during the flight. And since Alex has spent almost every afternoon with you this week aside from yesterday, I call fucking dibs!”
Tuna and Alex take care of our luggage and Sam wraps his strong arm around my shoulders as we make our way through the busy terminal.
I should be used to the way the guys act like a team and there's always someone taking care of things for everybody: so I relax into Sam’s side until we spot our group.
Ms. Webber is the epitome of elegance in a Chanel suit and you can't miss the BHPA group as our school uniforms stand out and draw several looks from the other passengers.
I wasn't surprised that most of our group has Yale as their first choice school, so this is the most crowded tour out of the three our school offered.
Most of the group is chatting excitedly and smiling but the one who isn't smiling much is Jenna, who’s standing awkwardly next to Josh.
Her boyfriend is often serious but this morning he looks gloomy and his eyes are red as if he’d been crying.
Another duo that doesn't look exactly ecstatic is Michelle and EM.
She’s clinging to his side and is talking to him about what to do tonight after the visit to the college campus is over and he looks almost in pain, but trying to put on a good front.
I don't know EM that well, he’s been mostly nice to me but I often have the feeling that there's a lot he doesn't show to other people.
I know that Alex told him to pretend that everything’s fine with Michelle so as not to make her suspicious about our plan to get her expelled but today he looks as if the effort is especially tough.
The flight is uneventful and most of us take advantage of the comfortable first class seats to make up for some of the lost sleep our early flight caused.
I’m enveloped in Sam’s arms and I enjoy his nearness: the only thing that puts a blemish in my feelings of bliss is Michelle's gaze.
Every time I open my eyes, I see her staring at us from the other side of the aisle and I can't help but think that everyone will have a better last semester of our senior year once she's no longer around.
Yale is ... amazing!
There's no other way to describe the ancient buildings with ivy climbing the walls.
It feels as if the classrooms alone exuded knowledge and that you could learn by osmosis, just by sitting there.
I’m actually really excited because if everything goes to plan, I’ll get to experience all this with my boyfriends by my side.
The only negative detail in this rosy picture is Michelle's presence: I’m under no illusion that even if she gets expelled from BHPA, she'll find a way to get accepted into Yale.
I feel her gaze following me all day and it's especially intense every time Sam kisses me or holds me close.
We have lunch in one of the cafeterias and if BHPA had spoiled me with the polished looks of its cafeteria and the quality of the food it offers, Yale doesn't certainly disappoint.
After lunch, we're all ushered into the administration building that houses the admissions department and are introduced to the Dean of Admissions, who happens to be Ms. Webber's good friend.
“Boys and girls, listen carefully: the Dean will meet with each of you, beginning now. They're only informal, twenty minute chats but they’ll be considered part of your application and I’d make the best possible use of this time because not every applicant gets this opportunity. We’ll give each of you an allotted time, you're free to do as you wish until your interview time but I recommend that you stay nearby, in case anyone else takes less than twenty minutes.”
“Pass! My daddy has donated the new Olympic swimming pool and the whole aquatic sports centre and I’m also a legacy, so I know I’ll get in. I’ll donate my time to the poor ones with no connections, who obviously need it more than I do.”
As her gaze falls right on me, she has the falsest smile I’ve ever seen and I don't miss the displeased look on Ms. Webber's face.
Our Latin teacher is a very kind woman and Michelle worked super hard to make an enemy of her.
“As you wish, Miss Marks. I suppose that confidence is a virtue to be admired these days.”
This is Ms. Webber’s only comment before making her way to the coffee shop where she’ll be waiting for us.
Michelle is the only one who declined to be interviewed but she hangs around, pestering everybody else with her bitchy comments.
When Alex is called into the Dean’s office, she makes a snide remark:
“Why are you even going? Isn't your daddy gonna make sure that you get in? Or are you too much of a pussy and you're too scared that your grades and your name won't be enough to get you accepted?”
Alex just gives her one of his icy stares without gracing her with a retort but I can't keep my mouth shut, I’ve seriously had enough of her cattiness.
“Michelle, maybe you should consider that courage isn't the absence of fear but the ability to face your own fears? And what you're displaying today might not be courage but arrogance.”
Her smirk widens evilly and it's clear from her tone that she feels nothing but contempt for me:
“Yup, he’s a total pussy if he needs his time shared, slut girlfriend to fight his battles. I used to like you Alex, but since you became one of new girl’s ‘sister wives’, you really lost all your appeal. And it's only a matter of time until everyone else at school realises that too.”
Alex doesn't engage with her and follows the Dean into her office.
I’m starting to wonder how powerful Michelle's Daddy really is, because if I were the Dean, it’d take probably ten aquatic centres and five libraries to make me even consider accepting Michelle after the way she's behaved today.
When it's my turn, I’m nervous but the Dean is really kind and she noticed what I said to Michelle: so we end up chatting about courage and perception versus reality and how philosophers have seen them through the centuries.
The Dean tells me that Ms. Webber had nothing but praise for me and I’m grateful that my teacher recognises the fact that the only way I’m getting into any school is through hard work.
She reassures me that Yale is completely unimpressed by donations and powerful families and hints that some people might have a nasty surprise when it's time for admissions.
I don't dare dream that Michelle might not be at Yale next fall but the flicker of hope that she might've shown the Dean that accepting her would be a bad choice, puts me in a good mood.
When we get back to the swanky hotel that the school has booked for us, Ms. Webber says good night.
“As I said before, ladies and gentlemen, I’m gonna retreat to my room and enjoy some room service and some peace and quiet. Remember the rules for tonight: don't get arrested and don't die. Other than that, have fun and see you all bri
ght and early at breakfast tomorrow morning.”
Once our teacher leaves, some of us head to the hotel restaurant while others decide to take Ms. Webber's example and have room service.
Sam whispers in my ear that he’d like to spend some time alone with me, either in my room or his and I’m really excited about it but I ask him to stay and have dinner with the others first.
Michelle and EM stay too while Jenna and Josh decide to have dinner in their rooms.
Michelle is strangely quiet during dinner but when Sam and I stand up holding hands and inform Tuna and Alex that we're going to bed, she announces that she snuck two bottles of vodka in her checked luggage and we’re all invited into her room to hang out.
“Thanks for the invitation, darling, but us pussies will have an early night too. Tomorrow’s another early start, so good luck. Come on, Tuna, let's watch some movies.”
EM stands up too.
“You're not leaving too, EM?”
Michelle sounds livid.
“I’ve got a headache. Sorry.”
“I go to school with a bunch of retarded assholes! Whatever! I’ll find someone who wants to have some fun without you!”
SAM FOLLOWS ME INTO my room and as soon as I close the door behind us, he places a gentle kiss on my temple.
“How did your interview go?”
I tell him that I think it went well and how the Dean had heard what I said to Michelle.
“Yeah, I don't know what got into her today. She seemed extra bitchy even for her normal self.”
I sigh.
“Don't take this as an insult, Sam, but sometimes I really wonder how an amazing guy like you could ever date someone like Michelle.”
We sit on the bed and Sam shrugs.
“She wasn't always like this. Or at least she wasn't with me. It started like a simple hookup and I’m a bit ashamed to admit that both Alex and Tuna had had sex and I was the only one who hadn't. They didn't put pressure on me but I felt left out, especially after the whole thing with Polly. Michelle was pretty and experienced even though we were both just fifteen. She'd dated several guys on the football team on freshman year, all seniors. So when she started paying attention to me, I felt flattered and at first she was so sweet with me that I didn't see how awful she was to everyone else.”
The Initiation: A High School Light Bully Romance (Beverly Hills Prep Academy Book 1) Page 26