Kale's pov
"It's just a glass"
I stared at the glass of orange juice in her delicate hand , her sharp pointed nails clutching the transparent cup, her finger traced the rim of the glass, before she moved the finger on her lips bringing my attention to it, the velvet red color on her lips was too evident...and I kept going, my eye continued it's adventure around the Seductress before me, I know this exact look, I can recognize it anywhere, the silk dress on her that already failed at the one job of covering up her body had a better idea of what it wanted to do, To accentuate the curves and give the eye something to feast on.
My attention was brought back to the glass cup in her hand and I narrowed my eyes at it
" Did you drug the drink??" I asked still not taking my eyes away from the glass or sparing her another glance.
There was a pause, followed by a lowly chuckle, and it resonated in the penthouse, she stood up and moved close to me and bent to my face leI'llvel leaving only an inch space between our faces
" Why don't you find out Kierson, you can never know " she said right directly at my lips and raised the glass to our eye level and without thinking I took the drink and downed it, that was the first decision I ever made on impulse in my life.
**************
END OF FLASHBACK.
I was woken up, rudely woken up to be precise, my eyes shot open and I stared at the intruder in my room shaking me violently and my instincts kicked in and the next moment Elijah was on the floor writhing and crying for help
" What the hell kale, let me go!!"
I watched him face down as he continued shouting and struggling, his two hands in a lock behind his back, my other under hand was at the back of his head,
It's not that I haven't recognized him yet, I have, just unwilling to let go of him
" You're breaking my neck you psycho, let me go!!"
And I let go, well quite reluctantly, which I regretted the next moment because he was back in my face still yelling, I ignored him and went to the bathroom to take a shower. I have better things to do than listen to Eli scream in my room.
Meanwhile I was a bit thankful to him for waking me up. If I had slept more I would have missed our class presentation which is in like 30 minutes.
I breathed out as the water hit my face, Eli's voice quietened and my mind drifted to the dream I woke up from, I have been getting strange dreams, so strange but at the same time it feels like it's something I have done, like a part of my memory, and if it is, what kind of things did engage in, in my lost memory.
I shook my head to get the foggy memory out of my head and quickly exited the bathroom, wiping my body as I stepped into my room and thankfully I didn't see Elijah in it which allowed me peaceful moment of drying my hair and changing into new clothes to go out , before he entered the room and stared at me like I had two heads, I ignored him and went ahead to arrange my disheveled hair.
"Yah!!!!!!" I was honestly startled, my hands leaving my hair and I turned to Elijah
in surprise
" W.. what....hhh" I was stuttering before I knew it as I watched him advance towards me, I was moving back from him, I wasn't afraid of him or anything, I'm just terrified of the disgusting soy sauce in his hand which I don't trust near me.
I was moving further away from him as he kept advancing closer to me...
The disgusting smell coming from him was already terrifying to me , and soon enough we were running around the room with no space for me to escape,
Anyone who sees this probably thinks we are just playing around but I was actually desperate and honestly afraid the soy sauce will end up in my hair. He already threatened me with something like this in the past in which I cringed so badly and asked him not to say something so horrible again.
And now I am running away from the actual threat, with the possibility of it being carried out.
" Okay, Elijah you need to stop... Stop chasing me, I'm out of breath" I said and climbed on my bed. I can't imagine standing on top of my bed, something I consider outrageous but I am desperate right now.
"Oh please, you didn't think about it before squeezing my hands behind my back "
He said and grinned evilly as he approached me slowly, I was honestly getting slow panics as I raked my brain for an answer
" You can take it"
" Take what??" he stopped and gave me an amusing look
" The... Car, the one you like"
I managed to say and he paused immediately before I watched his eyes grow big in surprise before he gasped...
" Is that what I'm thinking!!!" He screamed and I nodded immediately, anything to make him leave and with a jerk wanted to run to me which made me counter react and step back and he realized himself and muttered a sorry before he ran out of the room with full vigor and I have never been more grateful.
***************************
I couldn't help the smile on my face as I watched Carmen on stage with Rasheed as her project partner, how on earth did that happened, he just got transferred the other day how come he's now paired with Carmen now, but that wasn't what was amusing me, rather it was the way he stood rigid beside the most lively girl I know.
Carmen kept smiling as they brought out the materials for their own work and Carmen came closer to explain to us the whole concept of their work, it was mainly two gardens, one was green and colourful while the other had dead flowers and sharp thorns.
I was slightly amused as I watched the video projection on the white board...
A girl from the colourful garden crossed over to the Dead one and met a young man sitting in the middle of the garden with a black hoodie. She looked around where she was standing in confusion, the thorns were pricking her bad the dead flowers made her uncomfortable but she decided to focus on the young man sitting in her front, before she stretched out her hands towards the man and for the first time said
"I'll like to add flowers to this black and white garden, let's plant it together" she said and for the first time the man raised his head but made no move to accept the hand or stand up but she just smiled and said
" I'll be right back"
And walked out of the garden meanwhile the young man's gaze followed her and to find out that she left traces of green leaves sprouting up, and buds, showing us an end, a painting of young girl between a lively garden and a dead one with traces of green leaves and flowers in the dead garden to show her trail as she continued on her way.
And then they brought out the same exact painting on the board live and showed the class and everyone roared with wow.... Before the accolades started, I couldn't help the smile that kept spreading to my face. Truly the young girl brought colours to the man's black and white world. I watched the two and I can't help but imagine how possible my thoughts are... Would Rasheed allow anyone in his garden in the first place ?
Amory's POV
...
I'm the masterpiece of imperfection
I don't hide my scars
I wear them like Gold
I'm a bizarre beauty and I know it.
Watch me dazzle like a diamond in the rock.
The moment the last letter of my poem left my lips the whole class was on their feet clapping even Mrs Ashley couldn't hide the clear impressed look on her face as I stood in front of my class with Kale standing beside me barely managing a smile, I was barely able to manage myself as my hand tapped my thigh and managed a smile.
I can't do this...
I felt like I was lying, utterly so, I watched the painting and once again I felt goosebumps
Those scars lined and littered on the woman in the painting are all mine, I know each one by memory, I didn't see some of it but I know each and every one of them.
But now I can see it glaring in my eyes, it's like I'm out exposed for the world to see. I held the paper tightly and watched the class as they feasted their eyes on the painting. I was growing self conscious and my hands were getting clammy.
No, no , no... Not here Amory, I chanted in my head like a mantra my hands were shaking.
I moved my hands to my side, shifting to go all the way to my back when I felt a cold hand slip into my hot clammy ones and my breath fell short.
I looked up to him and he smiled at me before moving closer to me, his fingers tightened around my own, the rest of the class were not really aware as they swarmed closer to see the absurd painting in the process pushing both of us aside, his hands wrapped around mine completely before leaning in to whisper
"Hey are you alright" I looked up to him and his piercing eyes met mine and unremorsefully he became the only thing I could see at that moment, he blinked at me and leaned in again
His lips unceremoniously touching my ear, racking another shiver from me
" So you need to leave, they wouldn't notice" I nodded at him not still breaking my stare. He has kept me in a perfect trance where I'm only allowed to stare and focus on him, nothing else is allowed.
I watched him look around before moving around the students and taking the door backstage. I just held onto him as we passed a lot of doors and cold air finally hit my face and I breathed out and involuntarily closed my eyes.
When we stepped outside he dropped my hand and faced me fully, holding my face between his hands as he searched around my face to see any signs or traces of discomfort " What's the problem ?? How do you feel now"
When I didn't say anything he continued " I brought you outside because I felt you were becoming overwhelmed, do you feel better "
I watched him silently and noted how my heart beat slower and slower till it's at that state of tranquility and I nodded slowly before I wrapped my hands around him, not minding the impending consequences, I just did what I needed at the moment.