Amara Knight

Ryan gripped my wrist and brought my hand up to his bare chest.
"You might wanna stop your hand before it touches my...you know?"

Holly lolly!

Just what was I thinking? Oh, yeah, I wasn't thinking at all. I was just going with the flow, but the flow almost caused a big blow.
How could have I been so lost in the kiss to not know where my hands were going?

I shut my eyes with a force; embarrassed. I could feel the intensity of my blush through the heat that radiated through my face and I could bet on my chicken nuggets that Ryan could see that, too.

I felt him press his forehead against mine before his lips lingered on my temple for a while, making my heart melt like ice cream left out of the freezer.

Then, I heard him chuckle. "Your face goes two shades red when you blush. It's cute."

A bubbly, shy laugh escaped my throat, too. Opening my eyes, I stared into his mirth-filled gaze, his hands still cupping my face. Then I saw something worth teasing him.

I pointed at the blush on my face. "Well, this is genetics; a trait I received from my mother. The real question is why are you blushing?"

His face was equally red as mine. To my teasing question, he laughed and stared lovingly into my eyes.

"FYI, I am not blushing. The heat on my face is a little evidence of my first kiss. Guess, it comes naturally? Plus, your hand almost skimmed past the perimeter of my sanity. I'm still a hormonal guy, you know?"

Diving into an even deeper pool of blush, I slapped his shoulder. "You are an imposter in Ryan's nerdy skin. Tell me where is he being held?"

Had he always been flirty or he had learned that skill recently? Had I missed discovering this side of Ryan while keeping him on the edge? If that's true then there was no bigger dummy than me. I mean, I practically kept myself glued to him.

Even though I had known him enough to tell that it indeed was his first kiss, all of my insides tingled when he confessed himself.

To my imposter accusation, all I received as an answer was his hearty, pure laughter, which had me staring at him in awe. Him standing close and laughing with me was a whole new thing and no way in my made-up dreamland I wanted this moment to end.

I waited for him to pause his infectious laughter and when he did I smiled teasingly.

"For the first kiss, you surely kissed like an expert."

His eyebrows raised at my remark; he hadn't yet made an effort to create distance between us. He had both his hands planted on the desk on either side of me, making the muscles of his arm come out more detailed.

His mirth-filled gaze pinned my teasing ones as he muttered, "For your first kiss, you surely do know way too much about what a first kiss should feel like. How so?"

"Well..." I trailed off. "I am surrounded by people who have a lot of experience and they do fill me in."

By people I meant Drew. Well, everybody else too, but I would give him the sole credit of staining my once innocent mind. He had this exceptionally evil influence on me that no number of holy souls could wash off me.

"What about you?" I questioned, "You too appear to know more than a first-timer should be knowing. Perhaps any prior experience I should know of?" I teased, raising my eyebrows.

He chuckled as he bopped my nose. "Far from your awareness, I do know about... stuff. Nerd or not, guys do keep themselves updated."

Okay, perhaps he was right. My awareness of romantic things that takes place between girl and boy did not only boost by hearing my friends talk about it, but also by novels and movies that I had read and watched alone at night and God knows how many times I had blushed and flipped the books over and took my eyes off of the screen to keep myself a tad bit innocent. But my curiosity to keep myself familiar with things always blocked every other thought, making me go through every detail. I never watched adult movies, though.

I had waited to experience the feelings described in novels and movies, and now that I had finally felt the sensations, I wanted more. It was only Ryan I wanted to give me such feelings and only him but a doubt of things getting wrong between us struck me.

"Ryan?" His name came out in a whisper, making him look directly into my eyes with his blue-colored ones.

I chewed upon the inner wall of my cheek before mumbling, "What happens now?"

His eyebrows raised in idle query, urging me to explain what I meant by the question.

"Uh, umm, you know, we kissed. Not that I regret but we have known each other since childhood, and have annoyed each other. I mean to say is all this that happened between us... Will this create awkwardness between us? I don't want us to act like strangers now that we kissed." I rambled.

Maybe I had babbled something wrong due to which he created distance between us, which I didn't like. Had he finally come out of the daze and realized that he kissed me? Could he have acknowledged the awkwardness that could arise now? This is exactly what I was talking about.

I did not want him to feel that way.

His gaze studied my face for a while, expanding the apprehension inside me.

The gap he had created reduced again when he came near me again, carried his hand to my face, and delicately caressed my jaw with his thumb.

"Do you remember whatever I told you last night?" He asked, a small, gentle smile playing on his lips.

"Word to word," I whispered, my heart drumming maddeningly against my chest.

Taking me by surprise, he leaned forward and kissed my jaw. "Then I must tell you that I am not a player." He mumbled against my jaw.

I knew that much, duh.

"Now, what happens is..." He drawled as he stared back into my eyes.

"You be my girlfriend and go on a date with me."

My eyeballs bulged out as I gaped at him, flabbergasted. He did not just ask me to be his girlfriend so bluntly. He did, right? Or was I dreaming?

I had to clear my doubt. Not delaying any further, I raised my hand to Ryan's bicep and pinched his muscular arm with my nails, making me flinch when he shrieked in pain as he rubbed the area I had pinched.

"Ow, Amara! You pinch yourself to know if you're dreaming, not others! God, it'll leave a mark for long."

Quickly jumping off the desk, I grabbed his bicep, apologizing, "I'm so sorry. I thought my nails won't dig into your taut muscle and won't do much damage that's why I... I am sorry."

He grabbed my hand that was on his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's alright. It's not the first time you scratched me and certainly is not the last time as well. Considering your wild behavior, I'll be getting more of it."

His former comment drove me to the times when I had sometimes purposely and many times unknowingly scrapped him with my nails. I was a child back then. But his last comment flew my thoughts to the dirty island where trees of double meaning stood tall allowing me to imagine my nails scratching his back when he...

Whoa! Where in the horny tales did that come from? Okay, in all honesty, I did want that to happen, but still... Ugh! Just what was happening to me?

My daze was broken when I felt a kiss on my palm, making my stomach flip zenith time since he first kissed me. Did he like kissing so much that he wanted to kiss every inch of me?

Oh good god in heaven, save me from losing consciousness.

"Answer me, Amara, will you be my girlfriend?"

I looked into his eyes. "Are you sure you're not under the effect of any sedative or you're not drunk?"

Well, I had every right to be sure before I gave him my answer.

He laughed. "It was you who was drunk, not me, and I certainly do not use sedatives to help me with sleep."

My heart leaped out of my chest and my lips split in a never-ending grin appeared. Squeaking like a child, I threw myself on him.

"Eeee, yes, yes, yes, a hundred times yes."

He tightly wrapped his arms around me and lifted me off the floor, laughing. "Thank you, baby."

I lifted my head from his shoulder and smiled. "Baby. I like the sound of that. But I want you to call me Amara; it sounds even better coming from you."

"Then, I'll call you Amara. However, you'll be hearing baby, sweetheart, or any other endearment a lot from me. You deserve that much adoration for being my girlfriend."

Freaking chocolate fountain! He's so sweet.

"Okay, boyfriend." I nodded my head before planting a kiss on his nose.

He then placed me back on the floor and mumbled, "Now that things are settled between us, I want to talk about last night."

My eyes automatically lowered in guilt as I mumbled, "Sorry. I thought I was having fruit punch but those low lives spiked my drink for refusing to drink with them."

I heard him sigh. "Not only that, Amara. Tory was drunk as well. I saw him drinking back in the parking lot."

That made me inhale sharply. How could have Tory done that to me? How could have I failed to notice that he was drunk? Yes, I speculated something was wrong with him but I could have never imagined him being drunk because he had never done that before. Or had he?

"I...I didn't know." I mumbled lowly.

"Yeah, of course, you didn't." He scoffed. "You know this is why I reprimand you time and again. Because of unawareness of your surrounding and taking things casually you make reckless decisions. And then you come charging at me for correcting you."

Admittedly, I had never thought that way. I had only believed he chastised me to annoy me, to get back at me for bothering him, or for playing pranks with him. But now that I understood his reasons, I couldn't help but recall getting into trouble after not listening to him and doing something irrational.

"Sorry. I'll be good now." That was all I could mumble.

"Stop saying sorry." He lifted my chin to make me look at him. "It's not that you are always wrong, no. Do whatever you feel like doing because you wouldn't be you if you stopped playing pranks or stopped taking challenges, or doing those little bubbly things. You make people smile. You bring life to a dull atmosphere."

Holly sweet lord. This son of Peterson thought that about me? And here I was who always wished to paint him in colorful dies whenever he irritated me.

He then cupped my face. "All I want to say is don't hurt yourself in the process. I was torn seeing you hurt after that motorcycle challenge. Just think a little before you act, okay?"

My heart flew a mile listening to him being worried for me.

However, I frowned, "Had you been this gentle with explaining before, I would have been saved from countless troubles and injuries."

This made him roll his eyes. "There you go again; accusing me of being wrong when I just explained that I was only caring for you."

"Okay, okay, don't scowl. I was just kidding." I laughed before standing on my toes with my hands on either side of his waist and pecking his lips, making him smile.

"You're unbelievable. Now, let me get dressed then we'll head for breakfast." He ruffled my hair before moving back to his bed to pick up his once discarded muscle tee.

"No, don't cover yourself just yet," I mumbled, making him stop in his track and turn to face me with eyebrows raised in a teasing manner. A devilish smirk danced on his lips.

"Haven't your eyes had the fill of my toned body yet?"

Even though I wanted to deny his assertion, I chose to be honest.

"Not yet." A giggle fled my throat as I crossed my arm across my chest, shamelessly raking my gaze over his torso.

His head tilted a little as he raked his gaze over me, making me squirm under his sensual gaze. "Then I too want to have my fill. We do not discriminate here, you know?"

My jaw fell to the floor. He did not mean for me to undress before him, did he?

I was about to retort when consistent knocks pounded on the door, making out focus go on the voice that was shouting from the other side of the door.

"I swear if you two are fighting in there I am going to call the police on you. And if you have murdered each other, I'll bury your corpse in the back yard. I'm so done with both of you being locked in a room now and then. Just what do you do in there? Play puzzles?"

Tiana's impatient yelling caused us to erupt in fits of laughter. Ryan quickly wore his tee and I rushed to the door. "I'll go open the door."

But before I could reach the doorknob, his hand circled my waist under my top and pulled me back against himself, making me visibly shudder under his tingling touch. My heartbeat grew uneven when I felt his lips on my ear.

"I'd love to take things further between us...sooner than later."

My breathing process almost stopped and so did my heart. His nose tickled the back of my ear. Blushing, I quickly dropped his hand from my stomach, nudged him in the stomach, and without uttering a word marched out of his room.

::::::::::::::

"Drewwwww..."

Squeaking, I jumped on his back while he was engrossed in rummaging his locker for something. The impact of my jump was so ferocious that it made Drew's head shove inside the locker and bang against its wall.

"What the fuck, Knight. Get off of me!" Cursing, he shrugged me off of him.

Not being able to hold me from speaking my heart out to him about what had happened the other day in Ryan's room, his groan went unintentionally unnoticed by me.

I had this silly grin plastered on my lips as I waited to speak, however, he did not appear to have acknowledged my excitement and stared at me while rubbing his head as though waiting for me to say something else.

"What?" I frowned.

"You are supposed to apologize for banging my head inside the fucking locker." He growled.

I squeaked, realizing my mistake. "Oh, yeah, sorry." My apology came out rather drowsy, still bubbling inside to disclose my feelings.

His glare hardened before he shook his head and then huffed. "Forget the much-required apology and quickly spit out whatever it's there stuck on your tongue."

Squealing again, I hugged him, mumbling, "I have got a boyfriend."

I had waited for full twenty-four hours to get to school and share this news with him. I could have phoned him or could have opted for facetime but I had wanted to tell him face to face. I did not want anyone to know about Ryan and my relationship yet, but Drew was, obviously, an exceptional case. He was someone I shared everything with.

"And who this boyfriend might be? Do I know him? Is he from the same school?"

I detached myself from him and threw an annoying glare, telling him to stop with his dramatic antics.

He raised his hands in surrender. "Okay okay." Then he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and faced me while wiggling his eyebrows.

"So, Ryan and you, eh? Finally?"

I grinned, showing my white teeth.

He tapped his fingers on my shoulder and asked, "So...kiss done?"

And that made me blush but I managed to reply by nodding my head, which made him grin. "Whoa, my baby Knight has finally found her wings. This is a call for celebration! But before we celebrate; tell me did you two do the deed?"

"What, no!" Blushing, I nudged him in the stomach, making him laugh.

"Okay, okay my bad. It was too soon to ask, wasn't it?" He stopped laughing and leaned closer to my ear, and whispered,

"But it doesn't mean you won't be jumping on each other's bones. It's bound to happen...sooner than later, Knight. And being a good friend of yours, I'd like to give a word of advice for your first time."

Sooner than later. Ryan said the same.

I wanted to push Drew away. It was my fault that he knew more than he should about me. But my thoughts departed to imagining Ryan and myself tumbled in bed...naked, making me shiver and wet at the mere image, piquing my curiosity to hear Drew's advice since he could probably tell me something noteworthy... for my first time.

"What Knight, curiosity soaked the cat already?"

His prurient query left me horrified as well as red like a tomato, which earned him a stomp on his feet from me and a customized curse.

"F you!"

"Don't say that to me because it's someone else you'll be doing it with."

I raised my hands in surrender. "I'm outta here. You'll only make fun of me."

I tried to march away but he stopped me by grabbing my wrist. "At least listen to the advice before leaving."

"What is it?" I questioned, annoyed. I was done with his teasing. Regardless, I knew I wouldn't hear the end of it.

He stepped closer to me, making me frown, and bent my upper body back a little. Somehow, I did not like the amusing gleam in his eyes. He inched his face closer to mine and whispered,

"As much as guys like to water bushy plants, they cherish the land grazed to walk on their first time. Ryan will appreciate it, trust me."

Being trained by the majesty, Drew, himself, it did not take even a second to decipher the double meaning hidden behind his words, causing me to mentally thank myself for making it a personal choice for keeping my intimate area free of wild bushes.

However, I quickly recovered and harshly yanked his ear. "Must you be always so crude?"

He groaned but did keep his mouth shut. "Ow, If you think I'm being crude then wait till you hear the little voice inside my head. I only spoke what your little ears could take."

With that, he freed himself and ran away before I could kick his baby-making machine, shouting in the crowded corridor,

"Teasing aside, I am extremely happy for you, Knight."

I rolled my eyes but laughed anyway. How could Drew be Drew if he did not tease people? I liked that idiot the way he was.

"Hey, Amara."

I got startled when I heard a call for my name from behind. I swirled, only to find Joshua smiling at me.

"Hey." I smiled back.

"Uh..." His hands stuffed in his jeans pockets as he shifted on his feet, displaying hesitation. "I'm sorry some of my guests got you drunk at the party. Even Tory was drunk. You must be regretting attending the party, aren't you?'

Stepping closer to him, I gently patted his arm. "Hey, it's alright. It wasn't your fault. And the only thing I regret is not being present there when you cut the cake. God knows how badly I wanted to sing a happy birthday song in my crappy voice for you." I laughed, reducing the tension.

He chuckled as well. "Well, then, I'm lucky that you were to be escorted home else I'd be sitting at the doctor's right now."

I winced dramatically, placing my palm over my chest. "Ouch, am I that bad singer?"

We both broke into fits of laughter then I recalled promising myself to have a chat with Joshua for Sia's sake. "So, what's up with you and Sia."

He sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know. I know no one would be fucking dumb as me for saying this after wishing to have her by my side...but she's too innocent and I'm scared I'd lose her."

"And why do you think so?" I tilted my head. He never portrayed himself to be giving up on anything before even trying. I wondered what changed now.

He bit the corner of his lower lip. "I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to give her what she wishes for. Amara, I have seen through her to confirm that she hopes for more than I can give her right now."

I took a deep breath and came and stood in front of him. "See Joshua, I am no legend, hell I don't even consider myself good enough to be speaking about such matters, I can tell you for a fact that communication helps. I'd assumed wrong of someone for so long unless we communicated."

If it hadn't been because of my drunken state, I'd have never expressed myself before Ryan the way I did.

"Sit with her; have a meaningful chat with her. You'll get to know her better. Just don't hurt her and yourself by assuming things." I mumbled.

I thought after taking an abrupt philosophy session he'd appreciate me, instead, he pressed the back of his hand on my forehead. "Are you unwell? Or were you dead drunk that hangover hasn't left you yet?"

My forehead creased as I swatted his hand away. "What, why'd you say that?"

He frowned. "Because the Amara I know... can never be this serious, not when she's in the right state of mind at that."

That earned a punch in his stomach from me. "Go away you duck head! No one appreciates a kind soul here." I growled.

I walked past him, leaving him laughing at me and calling for me. I had just entered another corridor when I bumped into someone. It was someone I was mad at and did not wish to see. It was Tory.

______________________________________

I know I have been apologizing a lot these days for not updating frequently like I used to do with my other books. But honestly, I am so lost these days and you all can see that in this chapter. The chapter I have written is somehow not up to my expectation; I don't feel like it. Regardless, I had to give you an update and I tried my best to make it worth reading.

Hope you liked it.