I finally knew the use behind the scented candles and the perfume bottles in an erotica library.

Mrs Kingston picked her son out of the room and made him leave me there until God knew when. We had bathed ourselves with perfume to mask the smell of sin —only then I knew why he kept those bottles in an erotica library.

I still had hope, however. He wouldn’t forget me there, would he? It seemed as if I waited for nothing still. I had my phone, but the signal was terrible in the basement. An hour had almost passed without a glimpse of the guy. I was getting dizzy and thought my end would be in that toilet. I didn’t want that. I knew my mum was probably worried sick about me.

I was almost falling into oblivion when the door opened. Kai was behind it, his looks blurry to my vision.

“Mellie, fúck. I’m sorry,” I heard him say.

He came up to me and picked me up from the toilet seat, where I was sitting. I was sweaty that I got uncomfortable when he was close to me, but I wasn’t awake enough to object. I held onto the guy for dear life. A few minutes later, I felt myself getting laid on a solid surface. I took in a much-needed breath and tried to open my eyes.

“Drink this.” He handed me a bottle of water. “And eat this.” He gave me a chocolate bar.

I rubbed my temples. I rejected and pushed him away. “Fúck you. I could’ve died there.”

He scowled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to put you in an awkward situation with my mum, so I had to wait. I told our mums you had a walk outside, though.”

I approved of the last part. “I’ll forgive you just for that one.”

He nodded, smiling. “Will you take these now?”

Bottled water never looked more attractive to me. I took it and chugged it down in three rounds. I sighed in satisfaction. “Thanks. We should go to bed now, I guess?” I remarked.

Kai nodded, sliding the chocolate bar on my side. He got up, leaned in, and pecked me briefly. “Thank you for accompanying me tonight, kitten.”

That was when the feeling sank in.

Fear.

I tossed and rolled in bed. I watched my mum opposite of me, sleeping soundlessly. I knew she was going through hard days to impress them and stabilise her job, and she was going to keep doing it whether I liked it or not.

This is not okay. While Mum was building, I was wrecking.

It wasn’t okay to do those kinds of things with mum’s employers’ son. I was being irresponsible to my family and our well-being. As unfair as it sounded, those people had enough power to play with our lives like puppets in case we did anything not to their liking, which I certainly was.

On my first day at their residence, his mum made sure to remind me of who I was to him, to them, yet I still overstepped the boundaries. How about if she didn’t warn me? But I wasn’t alone to blame. He wanted it too. His deeds started getting my feelings involved as well.

Being cornered and suffocated in that toilet was only the start before the more painful punishment could come. At least I was being warned and helped to realise things.

I was just the maid’s daughter, liked it or not. No matter how much pride I held in myself as a person, it probably meant nothing to Mrs Kingston when it came to her family’s affairs.

I had to put a stop to that before it could go in unallowed places.

\

“You’re here,” Massie whispered as she rounded the corner of the bookcase.

My head snapped up from the textbook I was reading. I smiled at her, mouthing a greeting. She sat beside me and offered me a chocolate drink. My thoughts immediately trickled to Kai…

“You didn’t come last time,” I said.

She blushed. “Sorry. I had to leave early to prepare for something and totally forgot about our meeting. Hope we can make up for it now.”

I nodded. Massie was my senior, so I looked forward to learning from her.

“By the way, Mel, what do you think of Kai? I see you’ve been a lot around him,” she asked out of the blue.

I blinked at her, racking my brain for the correct vocabulary. “He’s a gentleman.”

She smiled. “I know, right? But I’m wondering, when did you guys even meet? Kai was… far, far away,” she added.

I chewed the inside of my cheek. “Where was he?”

She bit her lip. “I’m not allowed to disclose that.”

I nodded understandingly. “We met in the registration unit,” I lied. “He told me his dad owned the place and helped me around.”

“Ah, always been a kind guy. Last night, my family had dinner with his family, and he was courteous. Haven’t seen the guy in a while, so it felt genuinely nice to have him again.”

So… it was Massie’s family in the residence the night before. It was crazy to think how close we were to each other but didn’t know. I felt uncomfortable heat run in my veins.

She threw a bomb, “I think our families want us to be together.” The girl blushed furiously, probably thinking of Kai’s arm around her.

“What?” was all I managed to say.

She giggled. “Is there anything wrong with that?”

“Uh, no, no. Just came out of nowhere.”

Massie gazed down at her lap. “Not entirely. We’ve known each other since middle school, so why not give it a shot. Our parents would like a business expansion as well,” she said, sounding as if she, herself, wasn’t convinced.

So that’s how relationships worked for rich people? Why not?

I figured she noticed my puzzlement when she added, “Sweetheart, every lady in this campus has a crush on Kai Kingston. He’s just… a heartthrob. He’s ready to do anything for a girl he loves. Who doesn’t want such a guy?”

Ew, cliché. How was Massie sure he was?

“By the way, Mel, what’s your family’s occupation?” she questioned.

Think. Think fast! “Ummm, I’d like to keep that private,” I opted.

Awkwardness grew around us. Massie nodded politely and tried to bring up another topic, but I beat her to it.

I asked a question that popped in my head, “Massie, are you the only girl in this friend’s group?” Because why her for Kai?

“I… am,” she hesitated.

Something told me she was lying or hiding something. “How about the guys?”

“We have friends in other universities.”

So, the Kingstons wanted to see Massie and Kai together.

I wondered what Kai wanted, on the other hand. I couldn’t help the tinge of disappointment that bubbled within me at him hiding such a thing from me. I knew we were simply unwinding, but it didn’t mean he could play with other girl’s feelings while so. Not when my feelings were getting involved as well.

That whole talk gave me more reasons to not get closer to Kai Kingston and get myself hurt.

\

“How did you get my number?” I asked with a stern look.

Ryan put his index over his rosy lips. “Later!” he mouthed.

The only time-space I was giving him was until the end of that lecture. After it was done, I caught his forearm when he tried to flee out of the classroom.

“Now,” I demanded.

He sighed, his voice scrunching up unpleasantly. “Registration unit.”

I let go of his arm. “Why?” I asked in pure puzzlement, replacing my anger. “And you gave it to Kai!”

“He asked me to do the whole thing, Mel.”

What a cunning liar he was. Both of them.

“Now, if you may excuse me, I need to go to my next lecture.”

I glared. “Do you think you’ll get away with this easily? You both and that employee who gave you my private information could face the consequences.”

He smiled sheepishly, scratching his nape. “We’re hoping you have enough kindness to pass it as a sign of friendliness. We mean no harm, darling.”

“Watch me! And give me yours. It’s only fair.” I extended my phone.

He chuckled and typed his number on the keypad. “I’ll get going now, Mel. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask for my help.”

. . .

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