Chapter 31

I took a cautious step back. And for some twisted reason, my mind went back to those animal documentaries we had loved so much as kids. I thought about how the predators would stalk their prey before they charged. About the confident and lethal way in which they moved because they were well aware of the sort of authority and power that they held. In that situation I felt very much like the prey. A weak deer trying to stand up to a lion. 

" I'm not in the mood for this, " I warned him with each closer step he took, he shrugged and tilted his head to the side. 

" You're never in the mood. You'll probably never be either, " I expected him to stop when he got close enough, but he just kept on moving in on me, and I panicked and took two more steps back. He was the definition of unpredictable. I had never quite figured out how his brain functioned sometimes. I always wanted to know what went on in his head when he did things like that. What his main reason was. 

Was it truly a game? Was it one of those things we did or said seriously but pretended like we were just messing around?

" Let's see how this goes, " he finally spoke, stopping and crossing his arms. His eyes narrowed as if he were thinking something over. I also stopped and stared back. 

I'd just proven how little I trusted him. I knew that if I let him close to me he'd do something obnoxious. And I'd let him because of one little obvious reason. The fact that it was him. 

" I'm going to keep walking towards you, you'll keep stepping back... eventually you'll hit the wall, I'll make my move and cage you between me and the concrete, I'll want to do something , you'll be too powerless to stop me. Then afterwards we'll act as if nothing happened, isn't that so?" 

That nonchalant way he said such things always managed to get me. If anything, I admired his confidence. That courage that seems to be inbred within him. But once I thought of everything he'd just said, the only thing I wanted to do was leave that room. I inwardly cursed for having even gone in there in the first place. What the hell was I thinking?

" You're dangerous for me, " I suddenly said. The statement came out of nowhere. I had been thinking it at the back of my head but it must have been so strong that it had to be said out loud. And immediately after I uttered those words I looked away and squeezed my eyes shut, scolding myself for revealing just how crazy he drove me. 

" Really now?" he asked. Amusement flooding in his tone, I turned to him again and he arched a brow, then he stepped towards him and I held my hand up to stop him. The bell was about to ring, I was sure of it. And once it did those hallways would be flooded with students. There was no way for us to leave that place unnoticed unless we did it before the classes began. 

I decided to quit playing into his little tricks, so I stood still and waited for him to get as close as he wished to. He stopped a small step away from me. That smug and arrogant look he wore stated that he has already won, that he'd gotten his way. He was a master when it came to mental manipulation. 

" There you are Stevens, " he stated in the lowest tone. As if he were ensuring the words only got to my ears and didn't travel past that distance. 

" Planning your escape strategy?" He asked teasingly. I licked my lips and turned to face the side, but then I felt his hand on my cheek as he angled me to look at him. 

" What do you think I'll do? Take advantage of you?"

" You're more than capable. "

He chuckled, then he shook his head and inched a little closer. I felt his wandering fingers ony chest again and I immediately glanced down. Already weary if what his intentions were because the last time he'd done that he'd attempted..God! I'm not even sure what his plans had been, but the bottom line was that I couldn't trust him. 

I wrapped my hand around his wrist and shook my head, but then he started trailing his fingers up my chest, his eyes glued to mine. Threatening to make me sink into their depth. Eyes like those had to come with both a map and a warning sign. How was it that each time I dared to hold his gaze I got lost in it?

He finally wrapped both arms around my neck and locked his fingers together. 

" Can I walk you to work at least?" He surprised me by asking. 

" What? " 

The confusion I felt was genuine. I'd never understand how he just switched like that. He repeated his odd request and I shook my head and told him I always walked with Max and Kira. Something he wasn't so pleased to hear because he rolled his eyes in clear displeasure.

" They're my best friends, they have been for the past five years, "

" No they're not, "

That managed to get me amused. I scoffed and tried to withhold the laughter. He sounded like a jealous child. It was actually sort of charming.

" Yes they are, " I countered and he inched closer until the tips of our noses touched. It was way too close, And that playfulness that had been developing disappeared like it has never been there to begin with. I wanted to lean back so that I could prevent anything from happening. But I didn't. That's what he did to me, he just made me lose whatever part of my mentality worked. I questioned who I was whenever I was with him. 

" I don't think I'm willing to share you, " 

I couldn't even react at that point, I was scared that any small movement I made would lead into me drawing closer to him. I knew that's what he wanted to happen but I wouldn't be falling foe his tricks.

" But I don't belong to you Austin, "

" Like hell you don't! "

My eyes widened. That was a new side of him that I had never seen. I didn't even know how to respond. In that state he looked like the boy that had been so close to strangling another student to death. His eyes would be overcome by this shadow, and it would spread throughout his face. Making him almost unrecognizable. 

" You've always been mine Stevens. "

I parted my lips and a shirt breath found its way out. 

" How can you say that?" The frown and the nature of my tone implied how truly confused I was. I would never have the guts to say anything lik that to anyone, yet he was just admitting it like it was ni big deal. 

" It's the truth, we both know it is. "

" So I'm not allowed to have other friends? Is that what you're trying to say?" 

" No Stevens.." 

His fingertips on my lips, then he lowered his hand and gently rubbed the tip of his nose against mine. That was the first time we'd done anything of the sort..in the light where we could both visibly see each other. And I had no option but to place a hand on my heart because the unexpectedness of the situation had managed to increase the beats to a very abnormal speed. 

" You can have as many friends as you want, " he went on. His breath warmed my skin, he'd blink and I'd feel the tips of his lashes as they brushed against my own. The intimacy could not he overlooked.

" But you can't love any of them the way you love me, " he added and realized that he wasn't joking around. He was saying whatever was in his mind, no filters added. I wanted to object to that because if I remained quiet it would be admitting that he was telling the truth. 

The truth won. 

I maintained my silence and I let myself get immersed in that moment. Drawing confidence from the part that only he could see me...only he knew. 

My hands found the unzipped ends of his jacket and they held on. He drew slightly back, then he buried his head into the crook of my head and breathed in. He liked doing that, I realized. And I felt his breath on the skin of my neck as he traced it down. It was doing things to me. Affecting me in ways that could be physically seen. I shook my head and pushed him slightly back. I wasn't rough about it though. It was the most gentle of pushes. He willingly let me go, then he kept his eyes on me and tried to read my thoughts. 

" I've gotta go," I whispered. Wondering why he was neither doing nor saying anything. Not even when I took a step back while still facing him. 

" See you after school Steven, " he told me, then he waited for me to walk out, staying put because he knew I wouldn't be comfortable with us walking out together just in case anyone was around. If they only saw me then they wouldn't think about it too much. The second I stepped out of that door, I had to take a few moments to breathe, I walked over to the first turn I could see and I leaned against the wall. Then I automatically started to think about what had just happened, realizing that I had been telling the truth when I said he was dangerous for me. I wasn't myself when he was close. And when I imagined what I had been willing to do I slapped a hand to my forehead and grunted. I was frustrated..but not upset. 

It was odd, but I realized that I actually liked it when he said things like that to me,those honest remarks that he had so casually out across. I admired the fact that he wasn't scared to admit how he felt. But it was also a very scary thing, and it would always make me anxious whenever I was around me because there was no way if knowing what he was planning on saying next. 

My phone rang, it was Kira. I had to even my breathing before I picked up. And even then, it still sounded a bit shaky, like I'd been running miles without taking a break. 

She wanted to know where I was since they'd been searching for me but hadn't found me, and they wanted me to help them go through some notes for the quiz. They were the last minute kind of people.I was sure that they hadn't bothered to study over the weekend. I had asked them if they wanted to meet up so we could do so together but they had, as expected, come up with a load of excuses. We agreed on where we'd meet and I tucked my phone into my pocket and started heading that way. The bell rang, and I doubted whether we'd actually get tondo anything in such a short amount of time. 

Halfway down the hallway, Austin and I crossed paths. I couldn't NOT look at him. Despite all my efforts to act like I couldn't see him I still ended up staring at him until we passed each other completely. I was always anxious whenever I had a test, and this time was no different. I was actually more nervous than I'd ever been because I feared for my level of concentration. I wasn't going ven sure I had any left because that guy was all that I could think about. It also didn't help that we would be doing the quiz in the same class. 

He was trouble for me, there was just no other way to out it. And I didn't know what to make of the fact that I sought the trouble out willingly and wished it would come to me.