Chapter 5

Freya

I was in my room getting ready to join the guys when I heard a knock on my door. I was still wrapped in my towel and drying my hair but since it was only girls allowed dorm, I opened the door without over thinking it.

The second I did my eyes narrowed wide and I gasped. It was Micah Brown on my door. At first, he just stood there, eyes roaming all over my body leaving burning marks on my skin from the intensity of his gaze. He licked his lips with the tip of his tongue and I found myself doing the same. After what felt like an eternity of pure torture, his eyes finally found mine and I could see him snap out of his thoughts.

-Damn, Sorry. Sorry. He babbled blinking several times, nervous that he was got ogling me in the open.

I clasped my towel even tighter around my body and said:

-It's okay. . . I mean. . . what are you doing here?

-I. . . I came by to give you the tutoring schedule. . . I mean. . . it's not that I think you need my help, it's just that Mr. Schneider figured you might need it so he asked me to give it to you. He replied handing me a piece of paper.

-Oh. okay. thanks. I said taking the schedule from him.

We both stood there, staring at each other, awkwardly, not knowing what to do next. Only we knew what we were supposed to do. He was supposed to turn around and leave and I was supposed to close the door and get dressed before anyone else would get a good look at my almost naked wet body wrapped in a small towel.

-Do you want to come in? I asked then quickly kicked myself for it. -I mean, after I get dressed, of course.

-No. He said but he didn't sound even remotely convincing to neither of us, so he tried again, more firmly this time -No. I should go. I'll see you in class.

He quickly turned around and left, almost running down the hall.

-Yeah. I said to no one in particular as I could still smell the ghost of his perfume trailing behind.

Hilda

I had higher expectations about the gathering Danielle was talking about, but I should've seen it coming. It was nothing like Derek and Andrew would have planned, but it was descent enough to keep me around.

The gathering held place in the game room which I didn't even know existed. Only it wasn't a typical game room. It had a pool table, a few musical instruments, a chess table, a big book shelf that covered the whole wall and a few sofas to sit on.

We walked in and gathered around the sofas pulling them so they made a full circle. We sat each one brought something to the table. I, as expected, brought snacks and maybe some booze in a small flask that I hid in my bra. Maybe. José brought a guitar and Daniel brought an empty bottle, which we all suspected the reason why.

-Do you guys come here often? I asked.

-I do. The musical room is full of people and I need some quiet to practice. This is usually my place. José replied hitting a few notes with his guitar.

I turned around to see the Asian girl standing in front of the book shelf choosing a book and I wondered why she even bothered with coming. She could've just stayed in her room and read her stupid books. I rarely saw her interact with anyone and it was beyond me how she even got to be part of the group.

-Want to play a game? Mariana asked picking up a deck of poker cards and mixing them making me snort and humph.

-What? She asked eyeing me.

-Please! I chuckled again.

-Oh well, do you have a better idea? She said putting the cards back on the table from where she had picked it up.

-You bet. I said with a naughty smirk.

Mariana and Danielle exchanged a look while José stopped playing and I could see the Asian girl take her eyes off the book to glance at me through her big nerdy glasses. Now that I had everyone's attention, I was ready to hit them with one of my tricks when Freya walked in.

-Sorry, I'm late. She said rushing to take a seat next to me.

-You're just in time. I said straightening up to a sitting position -Daniel's idea for spin the bottle isn't that bad actually. Only, - I trailed off to raise the suspense -I could maybe spice it up a little bit to make it more fun.

José and Daniel high fived while the girls exchanged another look, clearly hesitant.

-Oh, I know your meaning of fun and it's nothing good. Danielle said looking at me with suspicious eyes.

-We're in. José and Daniel said with a shrug.

-I'm going to regret this later. But what the heck. I'm in. Freya said with a chuckle and I appreciated her backing me up on this. Because I knew if she backed up, they would all follow and I was desperate for even a glimpse of something that would remind me of the good old days.

Freya

I cursed Hilda for making me do this, even though I should've listened to my inner voice telling me not to play the game, but it wasn't her fault that I got stuck in here, it was all mine. I was the one who chose the dare over the truth and I was the one who decided to follow the rules and take the risk just so I could prove a point to myself and partly Mariana's fault for setting the dare. She had a crush on one of the swimming team members and asked me to sneak into his locker and steal something from his belonging. I knew the minute I decided to do it that if I ever got caught, I would be in serious trouble for breaking and stealing.

With slow hesitant steps, I walked into the gym cloakroom where the guys would shower and change, searched for the name she gave me and then opened the locker without breaking it. It was a trick I had learned from someone who taught me everything about felonies and trespassing. Someone to whom I can't believe I was thankful at that specific moment. Someone I should've run from the minute I saw the signs and there was a lot of them. But I didn't. I let myself get lost in him and my parents died angry with me because of that and because of the person he turned me into.

I brushed the thought away from my mind and focused on the task in hand. I searched through the guy's stuff, trying to find something that he wouldn't notice missing and worth giving to Mariana when I spotted a bracelet hidden between the pile of untidy clothes. It was a handmade bracelet with his name written on it and I wondered if it was a gift. I debated for a moment on whether to take it or not when I heard something, like footsteps coming down the hallway. I slammed the locker shut and shoved the bracelet in my pocket as I ran in the opposite direction. But I didn't even make it to the door when someone said:

-Miss Richardson.

I stopped dead on my track when I heard my name. I felt like blood was drained from my face and my pulse so quick I was hyperventilating. I didn't dare to turn around at first. I just stood there, immobile, waiting for whoever behind me to make a move, or maybe waiting for the ground to split open and swallow me. I closed my eyes and took deep steady breaths and waited. But nothing happened. I slowly cracked one eye open to look through my lashes, cringing like something might hit me any moment now when I came face to face with the last person, I expected to see that night.

Micah.

I let out a huge sigh of relief and my body relaxed.

-What are you doing here? I asked, looking over his shoulder and then over mine. I didn't hear him move at all and yet there he was, a few steps away from me when he was supposed to be behind me.

-I can ask you the same thing. What are you doing in the boy's cloakroom?

I felt the heat rise up my cheeks as I looked away from him, my eyes anywhere but on his, when they fell on his bare chest. I did a double look, not able to help myself from noticing every muscle on his body and every drop of water glistening down his hard chest and well-built arms. My eyes trailed down that path, following the V forming on his lower abdomen when they reached the white towel wrapped around his waist. I caught myself staring a little too long and immediately looked away, feeling like my face was on fire. More like my whole body and the whole building were on fire.

I heard him chuckle softly and it made my embarrassment worse if that was even possible. I bit my lip and dared to slowly snatch my eyes off the floor and look him in the eye again. He had a bemused smirk on his face and he was crossing his arms against his chest now, making them look even bigger.

-Like what you see? He asked with a raised cocky eyebrow.

-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare. You just took me by surprise, that's all.

-I don't mind. He said with a little shrug.

He licked his lips and, unconsciously, I found myself mimicking his move, our eyes never breaking contact. They were so bright, yet so dark and I felt like they were pulling me toward him like a magnet. He took a step forward and I wanted to step back, but I couldn't move. My body was betraying me, wanting to let itself be pulled toward him, yearning for something I have been depriving myself from for so long. And it was all the sign I needed to know that I had to get out of there while I still could. Because the last time I let myself feel this way, it cost me more than I could handle.

-I should go. I mumbled, tearing my eyes away from him.

-You still haven't answered my question. He said, acting unfazed but I could see the change in body and his features.

-Why? Are you going to tell on me?

-I don't know. Depends on your answer. Maybe you can convince me not to.

I felt him relax again as his cocky smirk returned to his face.

-I was just here for a dare.

-A dare? He repeated, cocking his head a little to the side, seeming interested.

-Yeah, it's silly. I knew I might get in trouble.

-Can I join?

I was so not expecting that. I have never taken Micah for a guy who would be interested in foolish things like this game. Since the day I met him, he gave me the impression of someone who would be into books and chest games and sports. But also, since the day I met him, he hasn't ceased to take me by surprise and that was one the things I found most attractive about him and that would always keep you interested and intrigued.