Chapter 5

Liam is kind enough to take me home and even kinder to offer his shoulder for me to cry on.

It was stupid of me to think that Kevin might have a tiny bit of interest in me. Perhaps I was too indifferent. . .maybe that's why he got the wrong idea? Should I have been more flirty?

I don't want to pass by as a thirsty hoe. . .Although I wouldn't mind being one for Kevin.

A knock comes from my door just in time for me to slip my pajama shorts on. "Come in," I quietly say.

Liam walks inside, giving me a small smile; He's in his pajamas, his eyes now free from the contact lenses. He looks adorable with his squared glasses. "How are you feeling?" he asks.

I put my box-braided hair into the black bonnet. "I just want to sleep and forget about everything."

Without another word, we both slide underneath the covers. Liam puts his glasses on the bedside table. I wrap my arms around his neck, burying my head on it as I feel his arms around my waist. "I'm sorry about Kevin," he whispers into my ear.

I sigh, closing my eyes. "Don't be. That asshole has every right to sleep with other girls. I just thought I had a chance. . .That's all."

Liam chuckles. "Don't give up so easily. He's not mentally tied with another girl, so if you claim that, you claim his heart."

"I don't know. . ."

"Trust me. A friend of mine told me that humans tend to sleep around instead of taking the relationship slowly because physical touch brings two people closer and faster. The sex is a lot at first, but with time it starts to slow down, and you start communicating more. That's when the couples start to get mentally attached, releasing a bunch of scientific words he told me about."

I frown. "Should I sleep with Kevin then?"

"I didn't mean that. I was trying to make you understand that if you take things slow, he'll choose you over any other girl. Try it and when you feel that you've grown closer, call him when you know he's about to get laid. If he puts you first, then congrats, your crush likes you back."

I chuckle. "Damn, I want to meet this friend of yours now."

Liam laughs when my door opens. Tamera walks inside with the messiest tangled hair. Her almond-shaped eyes land on us. "Why are you cuddling without me? I thought we were a throuple." She pouts as I lift the covers.

"Come in before I change my mind," I say.

She grins, taking out her heels before throwing herself on the bed. "You could have at least changed clothes," Liam says, scrunching his nose at the smell of cigarettes and alcohol.

She flips him off as the door of my bedroom shuts, and darkness engulfs us. With me in the middle, Liam and Tamera hug me in their own way. I shift my body in a way that makes my arm lay over Liam's chest. My head also squishes against his chest, listening to his heart's steady beating.

I love sleeping with them. I remember it started when we were all drunk and woke up all cuddled up just like this. We've been doing it more often for every party we go to. We like venting about them while falling asleep.

"I saw you with Andros," Liam quietly comments.

Tamera groans. "Don't even remind me. The jerk cornered me, and we made out."

My eyes snap open. "You what?!"

Liam snorts. "How do you end up kissing a guy like that? The dude might have some STDs."

"I know," Tamera says in a whining tone, "And the worst part is that I started it."

"And you have the guts to judge me for Kevin. Andros is way worse. He's a playboy, fuckboy, and player all in one. A flayboy," I say, closing my eyes as Liam's chest vibrates. He's holding a laugh.

"I was ready to have my back blown by him as well."

"Tamera!" Liam and I gasp simultaneously.

She laughs. "But I didn't! I'm here, aren't I?"

Goodness, she'll be the death of us.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Kevin: Are you at the SU?

My false cerulean eyes narrow at the phone. I am studying at the student union, but I'm pissed at him for what he did yesterday even though he can do whatever he wants.

Me: What do you want?

I'm sorry, but I can't help but be petty.

Kevin: Something wrong?

I heard you sleep with someone. No biggie.

Me: No.

Kevin: Then why are you answering in monosyllables?

Me: I'm not.

"Nöelle," a low voice whispers yell from behind me.

I jump before turning around, meeting a confused Kevin at the door of the Student Union. A few students lift their heads to glare at the noise. He ignores them, motioning with his hand to go to him. My heart comes to my throat. I leave all my stuff on the table and follow him outside of the study space.

"What happened?" he asks, leaning on a side against the wall. I watch in awe the way his biceps flex when he crosses his arms over his chest. The tightness of the grey shirt makes them look bigger.

"Just tell me what you want, Kev." I sigh, mimicking his position.

He frowns but doesn't question my attitude further. "Our next therapy session is next week, and we still have to do the soul-gazing exercise."

Of course.

"So you want to do it now?" I ask, tilting my head to the side.

He nods. "Yeah, follow me."

We walk down the hallway in silence. I'm a few steps behind Kevin; My eyes are throwing daggers at his back. He better not pull anything funny, but then again, I don't think he sees me like that at all.

I better be careful before I do something I'll definitely regret later.

Kevin ends up taking me inside the pink loo. I frown as he opens a stall and pulls me inside the confined space. My back meets the closed door. I stop breathing at his closeness.

His emerald eyes are staring right back at me. His hands are on the door, perfectly caging me.

"Is the exercise starting now? And why the bathroom?" My voice comes out in a shaky breath.

He nods. "Yes and I don't want people interrupting or weirdly looking at us. So, you ready?"

I nod back and silence follows. There's a thin tension in the air that gradually increases the more we stare at each other. Don't look down, don't look down. I chant those three words as if I were a broken record.

Of course, the more I have to hold back, the more tempting it becomes. My eyes drop to Kevin's pink full lips. I unconsciously lick mine. Fuck me.

When I look back up, Kevin's eyes have darkened. He starts leaning forward, leaving me frozen. He's about to kiss me. My brain can't believe what's happening.

Our lips are one breath away apart, our eyes still locked in a stare. "Aren't you going to stop me?" Kevin whispers with a heated gaze.

I know I should. The boy fucked a girl less than twenty-four hours ago, and yet, here I am, innocently batting my eyelashes.

"Should I?" I whisper back.

Our lips graze one another, making my heart go into a marathon. Kevin presses his plump mouth on the corner of my lips before trailing kisses down to my neck.

I pant when his hands find their way on my upper body. My arms wrap around his broad back, loving the attention he's giving me.

He groans, pushing me more against the door, his body pressed on mine. "Fuck," he whispers under his breath when my fingers slip under his shirt and dig onto his smooth back.

The door of the bathroom bursts open, making us jump. "I can't believe you kissed her," a high-pitched voice says from the other side.

My brain wakes up, and I push Kevin away. Our breaths are heavy. What the hell was that? Do I really have a chance, or is Tamera right? Is he really a fuckboy?

He doesn't look like one.

Ugh, damn. Who am I kidding? He totally looks like one!

"You know how I am when I'm drunk," another high-pitched voice says, but in a lower tone compared to the other one.

"And you also know Tamera only goes for girls Andros slept with. I don't know why you would get involved in their sick game," the friend says.

My ears perk up hearing Tamera's name. Kevin opens his mouth. "I should—" I quickly put my index finger on my mouth, silencing him.

I lean my ear on the door and soon find my crush doing the same, his face right in front of me. "Ugh, don't remind me, Ashe. They should just shag already." the friend who kissed Tamera says.

Meanwhile, Kevin mouths me, 'what the hell are you doing' and I shrug. Right then, the conversation gets carried out outside of the bathroom, much to my dismay. The sound of the door opening and closing echoes in the room.

"I should probably go," Kevin speaks up, standing straight.

I can only nod, and without another word, we part ways. I spend the rest of the following days plotting my nonfiction, avoiding parties, and soul-gazing with Kevin. The latter is the hardest thing of my day.

A week later, a frowning doctor Santiago is looking at us.

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