x's

minutes, and although I heard him talking a

g me when I was just a kid who had been violated and h

park, I still did not know w

over my chest, my head lowered, when he placed a sheet of paper i

p. "I'll position myself facing y

would feel his eyes on me and imagi

ng to help you do them," he said

on the table and leaned back in

l, you ma

me closely as he cracked his neck, a sound that sen

could leave," he

il case, grabbed my bag, stood up

He had been the one who offered to help, but everything came back to the promise we made.

my chest tightened. Wh

was that icy look he gave me, and I cou

k's

he had to focus on something other than what happened that night. I hoped helping her with math wou

table and noticed she had dropp

e sentence written across it. I read it, and my chest tightened painfully. T

e stairs, but I did not see her anywhere. I turned back, frustrat

ver her head, her bright green eyes filled with tears. I could not stop myself from pullin

her back into the restroom she had just left. I pressed her gentl

I let out a slow breath, suddenly aware of how clos

eased her hand and stepped back. She raised those tear-filled green eyes toward me,

ew I should not cross that line with her, but that look had held me since the night I first saw her

x's

not bear seeing myself in that mirror anymore, the mirror that

ones at that exact moment, tears running down my cheeks as I fr

n, yet the moment he held me, something inside me felt calmer. He took my hand an

re move. He was very near, but I did not feel frighten

and he pressed his lips against mine. I did not dare to move, staring at his face so c

e it rings," he said to me while tak

settled by what had just happened. It was only a kiss on the lips, yet my

he first restroom on the floor below, locking myself inside a stall. I touched my l

na's

that tattooed guy on a motorcycle and that the gym

hower to calm my emotions from the morning, I pi

ith the teacher, and since she had not been on the

sed off, even with me. She barely talked to me when I was at her place, and she kept drawing tattoos for that biker. And now sh

lled her, but it always we

you coming to

th Alix," I replied as I

ight. I decided to head to the classroom where we had l

are you?" I muttered

ng her again, just as I walked past

ight to voic

o have lunch together. Answer!" I mutter

y gone too fa

x's

er what had just happened. I could barely believe it myself, w

ing at the restaurant, so I

I had ten missed calls from Marina and one message. I had completely forgotte

e are

ous, and I coul

; I was not

e; I thought you disap

cold when s

ines. He came to school on his motorcycle, and just like that, he went out for a ride during the

been. I sat down at my desk, took my pencil case out of my bag, and realized the paper was gone. I tu

but the only place I had used my pencil case was in t

ght of losing it there and him

s' residence? I have

ht away," I answered as I

lly online again; she loved doing that,

k cardigan, waiting for the delivery person to co

quicker

livery person at all but Derek, lookin

home safely." He seem

le to understand what he meant o

ok good if the teacher skipped class on t

paused, turned back around, and stepped up to me agai

his is yours

and saw he was holding the small piece of paper from my

s green eyes soft with tenderness, befo