https://youtu.be/oyedjG4tzQo

https://youtu.be/3H2KzXHHFUc

(Author's Note: If you would like to listen to Chapter 14 parts 1, 2, and 3 on audio, please click the videos. I am so sorry that I had to put the chapter into three parts, the video/audio I use only allows me a certain length and it looks like I have to add three parts if it's 3000 words, sorry for the inconvenience, but if you wish to listen to it, then please enjoy the audio)

   I finally wake up, I hear piano music in the background and when I fully open my eyes, I see the TV still has the movie I put on last night. It keeps on replaying over and over to restart the movie, showing big letters saying: Play Movie, Bonus Features, and Scene Selection on the huge screen. I must have fallen asleep watching the movie without realizing it. That's not only what I see, and for some reason, I feel eyes watching me. I'm startled by a tall figure standing next to my kitchen counter all dressed in black and wearing a leather jacket, it takes me a while for my drowsy eyes to know who it is.

 "Chris? W-What are you doing here? How did you get in here?" I ask my voice still sounding heavy from sleep.

 "Through the door," he sarcastically says. "And today is when we were going to study unless I got the date wrong," he raises his eyebrows.

  I totally forgot we had to meet at eleven. I pick up my phone from the end table to check the time, it's 11:30. Shit! How do I always end up waking up late? Wait...

 "How did you get into my house? And please don't say 'through the door,' again." I say when I slam my phone back on the end table. It's not his fault, it's mine. I could slap myself, for waking up so late!

 "Your door was unlocked," he says quickly.

 "You don't knock?" I ask with annoyance.

 "I did, but you didn't answer, so I tried your door handle. I saw you asleep, and I didn't want to wake you," he says plainly. "Anyway, I let you sleep, well I played with your dog here," he says immediately when he bends down to pet Sadie. Sadie really does like him.

  I guess I was in a deep sleep to not hear knocking at the door. Usually, my dog would bark, if someone knocked or maybe she did, and I just didn't hear it. He must have been here watching me sleep for a long time, like thirty minutes, if he got here precisely at eleven.

  "So, you like to watch girls sleep. Is that one of your hobbies?" I tease.

  "Not until now," he teases back with a smile.

  I look away from the remark he made. That was... creepy. Okay, change the subject, before it gets any more awkward. "You can take off your jacket if you're staying, " I say when he quickly removes his jacket revealing his muscular body contrast underneath his black shirt. I remove my eyes from his body before he sees me gawking at him and I start to search for the remote, I can't find it, so I stand up and go turn off the TV manually.

 "Would you like something to drink?" I ask out of courtesy.

  He stays silent and does not answer me. Does he have a frog in his throat or something? Why is he not speaking? I turn to see his eyes are wide and his mouth forms a perfect O. What's the matter? Why is he looking at me that way? I glance down. Oh fuck, I don't have any pants on; I'm only wearing my shirt. The shirt is not too revealing, and the hem slightly goes above my knees, but still, I have to pull it down to cover myself. This is embarrassing!   

  "Would you excuse me? I need to go freshen up." Or I need to put on pants, is what I meant to say. "Help yourself to whatever you like to drink, I have water or tea," I tell him before I disappear to the bathroom.

   I quickly take a shower, not even washing my hair, and brush my teeth. I turn off the faucet and move the shower curtain to the side to realize I didn't bring another set of clothes. Shit! This is what I get for waking up late and not locking my door.

  I grab a towel off the rack and wrap it around my body. I say a little prayer to hope he's not outside my bathroom waiting for me. Thankfully, when I open the door he's not, and I rush to my bedroom to get dressed, putting on a black shirt and my black sweatpants. I love to wear black, but I love when Chris wears blue, it brings out his beautiful eyes. When I always think of anything blue, I think of him. Ever since I saw those eyes, I can't keep my mind off of them.

   I go back to the bathroom to brush my hair, and after debating whether or not I should wear my hair down, I finally decided to just put it up. Since my hair is stubborn as always, I might as well put it in a ponytail; it's easier to handle if it's tied.

    I look into the mirror one last time, before going out to see what Chris is up to. When I return back to the living room, he's sitting on my couch drinking a glass of tea. I can see his Adam's apple as he chugs the rest of the tea down.

  "It's about time," he mocks and puts the glass on the end table.

   I ignore that comment and go sit beside him.

  "Do you mind if I had some tea?" He asks when he lifts his bag from off the floor and pulls out his textbooks along with his computer. I didn't notice he had brought his bag, but then again, I was not paying attention before. I was too preoccupied with a blue-eyed boy watching me sleep. I still can't believe he came into my house when I was asleep. This man can be very frustrating and intimidating all at once.

  "No. I told you to help yourself, so don't worry about it. Do you want to sit at the kitchen table? So, we can work better-" I ramble.

  "Sure. Anywhere is fine with me." Thank goodness he cuts me off short, so I won't continue to talk anymore. I talk too much when I'm nervous. He makes me nervous. Why do I become a mess when I'm around him?

   I realize I have to get my things in order to see what I... We need to study. I stand up and head to my bedroom when Chris stops me.

  "Where are you going?" He asks. He seems confused.

  "To get my notes and my laptop," I tell him. Geez, would he like to follow me? He doesn't need to know where I constantly am. You don't see me running away.

  "Oh," is the only word that comes out of his mouth, and a frown line appears.

   Why is he upset? Confusing man!

  To stop myself from dwelling over this, I go retrieve my bag from my closet. Once I walk back into the living room, Chris is already sitting at the table with his laptop open, and waiting for me.

   "Okay, I think we would start with the ecosystem in which marine life survives around. I assume this would be on the exam tomorrow," I insist as I sit down. I take out my notes and show him what I wrote down.

  He nods and takes my notes from my hands, scanning them. "You have nice handwriting," he smirks.

   I scrunch up my nose. "Thanks. But I was writing fast, not my best work."

  "That was not your 'best work'..." His voice becomes higher when he repeats my words. "My handwriting looks like shit compared to yours." 

   I laugh when I open my computer and wait for it to start up. I need to get a new laptop; this one takes too long to reboot. There are a lot of things I need to get; I just need to save up enough money, in order to get them. When my computer finally turns on, I check my emails because Mr. Young sends us our assignments or has it where we can review what we worked on in class that day through email. It's convenient. He's one of my favorite professors.

 "Okay. It looks like he sent us notes on what he's going to give us on the exam tomorrow," I say as I scan through the email.

   "Yeah, I see it here." 

   "Should we test each other on these notes?" I ask.

   "Sure," he shrugs.

    He probably doesn't want to do it the way I want to, but this is what I can only think of. I never study with anybody before. When I study I test myself, so I thought we should test each other, but if he has another option, I'm open to doing anything.

    He doesn't say anything, so I take it upon myself to ask him questions to test him on. I glance for easy questions to ask him, first. I got it. "Marine biology classifies species based on?" I ask. He should know this one, Mr. Young has been discussing this in class, lately.

  "This shit literally sucks..." Not what I was expecting. He corrects himself. "I mean, I just want to be out in the field, with the animals. Not studying it."

   "Me too..." I agree and he grins. "But in order to be out in the ocean, you have to study them before you go into the field. Life is not easy, you have to work hard to get what you want in life."

   He sighs. "You're right. I just wish life was easy. How are you so smart?"

   I giggle. "I'm not. I just work hard."

   "Well, to me you are," he smiles warmly and it makes my cheeks warm.

   "Thank you," I return a polite smile.

   His smile disappears and he quickly looks away; going back to staring at his computer. Did I do something wrong?

   "Now to answer that question: Environment. Marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather than on taxonomy. The ocean contains 71% of the earth's surface, the habitats studied in marine biology include everything from the tiny layers of surface water in which organisms and abiotic items may be trapped in surface tension between the ocean and atmosphere- about 10,000 meters or more beneath the surface of the ocean. Specific habitat includes kelp forests, meadows, muddy sea-grass meadows, coral reefs, and pelagic-zone, where solid are rare and can only be visibly boundary. I think that will sum it up," he says unexpectedly.

  I just wanted the "environment," and not the whole definition. He always surprises me. I think if he would study and show more interest in the subject, he would pass this class with a breeze. 

   "Now let me see what I should test you on." He distracts me from my obsessive thoughts. His eyes move vigorously as he searches the screen for a question. "Bacteria thriving around the deep-sea hydrothermal vents are?"

  I don't remember seeing that being on the email. I gaze through it, scrolling up and down trying to find it. My eyes start to burn, looking for the damn question and I haven't recalled Mr. Young discussing this in class, yet. This is frustrating! I want to scream out loud because I can't find it anywhere.

   "Having trouble?" He sneers.

   "I can't find it. Are you sure it's here?" I ask.

   "Oh, it's there. Here..."

    He jumps out of his seat and moves near me, he's very close, and I can feel his body against my back.

  "Let me show you." He leans and puts his long fingers on top of my keyboard brushing right next to my hand. My heart starts to pound and that feeling I had yesterday is back. 

  Why do I get this way with him?

  He gently swipes his fingers against mine as he moves to my mouse, making me feel a slight tingle throughout my body. Is he doing this on purpose? He must be.

  "You see, there it is," he says as he highlights the sentence that my eyes clearly missed. Wow. That proves I'm not smart. Now he'll think I am dumb. The answer was Chemo-synthetic and it was right there in my face. It could have come out of my computer and bitten me. Gosh, I had to look like an idiot when I'm with Chris, maybe I'm the one who needs the help studying.

  He glides his hand back to my chair and starts tapping his long fingers on the wood. I glance up to meet those intense eyes- his eyes move to my mouth and I can't help, but do the same. His lips are a soft shade of pink and full; I thought he had a nice mouth. He licks his bottom lip; revealing an inch of his tongue, and he brings his tongue to his upper lip. I picture him lowering down over this chair and kissing me with those moist lips. What am I saying? I want Chris to kiss me? We're only friends. I need to stop with the mouth thing, right now. 

  He's just a friend. He's just a friend. He's just a friend! I keep repeating it to myself until I get that through my thick skull. Relief flows through me when I hear a vibrating noise filling the living room area, I divert my eyes away from his mouth to my lighted-up phone seated on the end table next to the couch.

  "Excuse me," I say as I go snatch my phone and answer it when I see the screen reads Camille. "Hello, Camille?"

  "Hey, girl. What are you up to? I was wondering if you would like to go have lunch. I'm starving and I'm sure you're hungry. James, I told you I'm dating him, already. He told me there's a great Italian restaurant. So, you want to come?" I wait a minute to check if she's finished rambling.

  "Thanks... But..." 

  "'But?' You're not flaking out on me?" 

  "No. I have company over." 

  "Is Chris there?" She asks nosy. She knows the answer by now. I mean who else would be here in the middle of the day? 

 "Yes, we are studying together, right now," I tell her. 

 "Then bring him!" She shouts through the phone.

   I glance towards Chris who is observing me with fierce in his eyes, and I wonder if he trying to watch to see who I am talking to on the phone. "I can't bring him." It's not like I can't bring him, I just don't want to because I know they don't get along with each other.

  "Why not? Just bring him."

   I whisper into the phone, so Chris won't be able to hear what comes out of my mouth. "You said you hate him."

  "I do," she doesn't deny it. "But it will get me to know him better. So, get dressed."

  "I'm dressed," I snap. 

  "I already know, you have on those baggy pants and an old t-shirt, even if you have a hot guy there, I know you're wearing that." She knows me all too well. "Now go change into the clothes I bought you. We will be there, in less than thirty minutes." She hangs up before I can protest against her. Aaargh Camille! She drives me crazy. I know Chris is not going to be thrilled about spending time with Camille. I need to break the news gently. Here goes nothing.

 "Chris, do you want to go out to eat?" I ask softly.

 "Yes. I'm starving."

 "Okay good, but Camille and this guy named James are coming to pick us up."

   As soon as I said the name Camille, Chris's face becomes enraged.

  "You don't like Camille. Do you?" I ask.

  "Why do you say that?" He questions right back.

  "I don't know, maybe because you look like that," I wave my hands at his outraged and flaring, but still handsome face. Gosh, even when he's mad and looking like he wants to hit something, he still looks deliciously hot. What the fuck is wrong with me? 

  His eyes meet mine- gazing at me, those eyes become intense and I quickly divert my eyes and look down at my hands. If eyes could burn into fire, then his eyes would be burning right now. I can't look at him staring at me like he wants to attack something or someone, maybe even me, but I don't think he would hurt me. Would he? 

  When he doesn't answer, I slowly bring my eyes back to his, and then he opens his mouth with a long harsh breath, "There are very few people I like..." He shakes his head. "And I'm not fond of Camille," his lips form a straight line, and then his teeth bite into his bottom lip.

 "Do you like me?" I blurt. Where did that come from?

  His eyebrows rise and he studies me for a few minutes before answering. "You?" He sighs. "You are the most frustrating woman I ever met."

  Am frustrating? 

  "If I'm being honest, sometimes I get irritated, but I try to control my temper since I can't control you," he turns fast to the wall and shakes his head vigorously.

  What? Did I hear him correctly or was I just imagining it?  

  I don't think he wanted to say that out loud by the way he stares at the wall and not at me, but I'm glad he did because now, I know the truth- he wants to try to control me. How would he control me? I'm not some private property he owns. I'm just a friend who is helping him with his studying and nothing more. Hell no, is he going to control me, then he has another thing coming. Can you control someone? I don't think you can control someone, especially me. Well, maybe he has with all the girls he's been with, he probably controls them, and I bet they are willing to do anything to please him. I also bet he never had a girl to say no to him either.

  "Do you like control, Chris?" I ask concisely.

   He doesn't say a word and stares at the white wall, he can't even look at me. Then when I think he was choosing to ignore me, he surprisingly turns back to me, grinning from cheek to cheek and his blue gaze darkening. "Oh Sussianna, I like control in everything I do."

  I would rather take his temper any time than be controlling.

  "Do you want to control me?" I shrug. I have to know. I doubt if he would answer that question, but it's worth a try.

   He looks away again and glances down at his feet. He rubs the back of his neck; I suppose it might be in frustration and takes a long stride of breath. "Fuck. No... I don't know why I said that Sussianna." Lair. I know why he said it because he loves control, he basically did say he wants to control me.

  His eyes lift from his feet to meet my own. He smiles, but it fades to a frown as soon as he notices I'm giving him a look that if looks can kill- mine surely would be murdering him right now.

  I do not know what to say to him. How do you respond to something like that? In fact, I do not want to talk to him; he says I'm frustrating, he's the one who is the most frustrating person I ever met. Before I regret something, I wish I could take back, I sigh. "I'm going to go change," I tell him and head to my bedroom.

  I change out of my baggy pants and step into a pair of blue skinny jeans that I never wore before, until now. I take off my black shirt and put on a simple navy-blue shirt, which has a V neckline, and short sleeves. I don't like how this material clings to my body, it's not revealing, it's just too tight. I'm used to wearing loose clothing, but I only have to wear them for a short time.

   Camille said I look like a babe in this outfit, and she did go to all this trouble to buy me these clothes, might as well wear them once in a while. Instead of a ponytail, I decided to style my hair by putting it up in a bun. It looks pretty with my hair still up. This way if it's up, my hair won't get in my way this evening.

  I step back to the dining room to see the kitchen table is cleared. The papers of my notes that were scattered around the table are now neatly put away and his computer, including mine, is also put away in our bags. The bags are standing in an upright position on the chairs. Wow. That was very nice of him.

   I hear a light tapping noise; I glance to the right of me to notice him sitting on my couch and his middle finger taps on the arm of the sofa. He sits with his leg crossed with the other, his ankle resting on top of his thigh, and he has his back against the couch. He certainly makes himself at home. 

  "Thanks for putting away my stuff for me," I smile.

   Instead of answering me, he grins and his eyes rack down my body. I wish he would stop gawking at me or at least say something. I don't like this awkward silence and he's making me very uneasy.

  "Hey, you put on clothes that finally make you look like you have a woman's body," he mocks and I see his right lip slightly lift up.

  I can't believe he said that to me, after what he had said he wanted to control me or at least try to control me, but it's not going to work. He can get angry with me all he wants. As a matter of fact, why does he want to command me? There's no reason to be controlling. It's not like we are a couple and he can tell me what to do, even if we were, there would be no one dominating anybody. 

  What am I thinking? I am stressing and overreacting over nothing. Here I am thinking he and I are together when actually we're not, and plus, he does not do relationships with anyone, he said he only fucks women. We are just friends and I don't want to become friends with benefits. You can't control a friend. Can you? Anyway, maybe this is his way to make amends with me and he doesn't know any other way to talk to me. So, I'll talk to him like this, if he wants to play it out to this extent.

   "Shut up or I won't help you anymore, if you keep that up," I tease.

   "Keep what up?" He asks repeating my words. Okay, now he's just being annoying.

   "If you keep up what you're doing."

  "What am I doing?" He asks again. He is really pushing me to the edge and getting on my nerves.

     I roll my eyes in frustration and say, "You know the way you said that to me just now."

   "And what did I just say, Sussianna?" A faint smile plays on his lips and then he makes his lips straight to stop himself from laughing. I swear he's doing this on purpose and enjoying it too.

   I let out a harsh breath. "Just shut up and stop talking," I say harshly.

   He can't keep a straight face anymore and lets out his laughter.