(Disclaimer: This chapter contains mild sexual content)

"AH!" I SCREAMED as I shook down to my knees.

Thomas kissed my neck and laughed, taking a seat on the stool to my left.

"That scared me! What if I had made a mistake in my painting?" I slapped his shoulder as he sat down.

He smiled teasingly, "I'm sorry."

The sun rays reflected through the windows and on my newest painting, drawing Thomas's attention to it.

"You just painted this?" He asked, staring at the painting.

"Yeah," I said, setting the palette and paintbrush down.

"I swear, you just keep getting better and better. I still don't understand why you chose fashion design over this. It would have been much easier for you, since you're better at it."

"I'm better at something doesn't mean I have to pursue it," I countered, "I'd choose fashion design over fine art any time."

"I get you," he said.

I smiled foolishly, "Of course, you do."

"You said something about a ticket yesterday," Thomas reminded, "What's that about?"

"Oh! Uhm, I got us tickets to Nathan Eiser's concert next week Friday," I smiled at him.

"That guy again?" Thomas stared at me with jealousy screaming in his eyes.

"Yeah, that guy," I said, still smiling.

"You know, sometimes I'm forced to believe that you love him more than you love me."

I laughed, "Well, I met him before I met you."

"It's just a three-month difference, Wendy," he whined.

"But I knew him before I knew you."

It was so fun to tease him.

"So, you're trying to let me know that you love him more than you love me. Or is it the other way around?" Thomas inquired, thinning his gaze on me.

"Ehhh," I said with the pitch of my voice decreasing.

"That's not fair," Thomas said, "Do you mean that?"

I was not so sure myself. I loved Thomas, if I did not, I would not have been so eager to date him back in high school. He was my most prized possession and the one person I could lay my life down for. But when compared to Nathan Eiser, my brain just ceased to work.

The love I had for Nathan was plainly admiration— well, who was I kidding? I had a huge crush on him since I knew him. The thing is, I also knew that the chances of us getting to meet were very slim. Our worlds were too far apart for us to cross paths, so I gave up on him. It was nothing more than an idol-fan relationship now. Thomas had stolen that part of my heart that was meant for him.

I guess that meant I loved Thomas more.

I dug my hand into the front section of my hair and soothed it backwards. As I dropped my hand onto my lap, Thomas leaned in and placed a kiss on my neck.

"You know I've got paint there," I said to him.

"I don't care," he softly spoke into my ear with a gruff voice I knew so well.

I ignored him.

Getting up from my stool to grab a pen from my locker, I penned my name at the bottom right corner of the canvas.

"Okay, I'm done. We can start going now," I said as I backed Thomas, pulling off the apron I was wearing.

He grabbed me by the waist and pulled me towards him, making me bounce on his lap.

"I want you," he whispered in my ear.

I shut my eyes and let out a silent sigh. I knew this was coming.

"Tom, I've explained to you several times that I don't want to—"

"I'm not listening to your excuses today," he cut in, slowly brushing his fingers against my thigh, "I've been patient enough, haven't I?"

I thinned my lips.

It wasn't fair of me to deny him what he wanted for so long, was it? If I didn't give in any time soon, he might leave me for someone else. He was all I had got.

"Fine," I gave in, "Can we leave now?"

He helped me off his lap and turned me around to face him. I could see his blue eyes glow in excitement.

"I'm not pushing you too hard, am I?" he rested his chin on my chest as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

I pursed my lips and looked away from his eyes, "You're not."

Lies.

He smiled at me, standing up to meet my height and beyond it.

"Is there anything you want to pick before we leave?" He asked.

"Just my purse."

I paused the music playing on my phone and shoved it into my lemon purse, then stared at Thomas.

I was just going to have to deal with it again, I couldn't say no to him.

Adjusting my black flair skirt, I pulled it down, "Let's go."

Best to get it over with quickly.

I was about to leave the art room when he suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me back to himself, "Why are you in such a hurry?"

He slowly scanned my body with his lust-filled eyes, then met my gaze again.

"Hm?" He smirked.

"N-Nothing. I—"

He shut me up with a kiss.

His tongue slowly dug into my mouth and rolled against mine; I could feel the lingering taste of pineapple on his lips.

Pineapples tasted so nice.

I clung onto the hem of his T-shirt while he held my face in his hands. We shut our eyes in that moment, so that every second of our little kiss felt like an eternity.

He gently pushed me against the wall next to the window and grabbed my neck, running his fingers up my thighs and underneath my skirt. I couldn't help but softly bite his lower lip.

I might not have wanted to but trust me, no one could refuse spice in a situation like this.

I must have amused Thomas with my sneaky little action because he smiled against my lips for a second before he lifted me off the ground and sat me down on the windowsill with my skirt flying haywire.

"Your lips taste like strawberries," he commented.

Well, that must be my lipgloss. Yeah, Thomas Archer, you ate lipgloss.

"Yours taste like pineapples," I said back to him and we softly laughed.

"You'll never be able to guess how I got my lips to taste like that," he smirked.

I didn't understand what he meant by that, but it didn't matter.

Thomas kissed me again, guiding his hands underneath my skirt one more time as he gently scratched my thighs. His kiss trailed down to my chin, then to my neck where he gently bit me.

"A bite for a bite," he said.

I let a soft moan escape my lips as his right hand gradually trailed up to the back of my head and grabbed my hair. I could feel his rough hand slowly caress its way between my thighs.

"You're wet," he whispered in my ear.

I couldn't deny it.

He tilted my face to look into my eyes. Even with his lowered gaze, his ocean-blue irides shone out and fazed me.

I swallowed.

Thomas breathed out a laugh as he stared intently at me, "You'll be the end of me."

He parted my legs and drew me so close to himself that I could now feel his hard-on. Every movement of his hands and every glance of his eyes informed me that he wanted more. Much more than what was going on at the moment.

As he tightened his grip on my hair and leaned in to kiss me again, I gently pushed him back.

"Someone could walk in at any moment," I whispered.

"I'll lock the doors," he offered.

"Tom..."

Through his eyes, I saw his enthusiasm die. He let go of my hair and completely pulled away from me, giving me the space to jump down from the windowsill.

"I guess I got carried away," he said, "I'm sorry. I've just... missed this. I've missed you."

He scanned my face for a reaction and I avoided his gaze.

"Did you not want me to kiss you?" He asked.

"No, it's not that," I said, fiddling with my fingers, "It's just that anyone can walk into the art room and see us. I don't want my business out there."

Thomas's smile peeked from the corner of his lips and it felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off me.

He softly laughed and pecked me on the cheek, "You cute little thing."

"I'm not little!" I frowned, looking up at him.

"Of course, babe. You're a huge giant."

"I'm going to hit you," I furrowed my brows even deeper.

Thomas laughed harder and took my hand in his, "Come on, babe. Let's keep violence aside, okay?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Shall we head to my place?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

I shut the door as we walked out of the art room hand in hand.

The boring old hallway now looked so vibrant as we strolled together. There was still a considerable amount of people in the building but it was little compared to when I had just left the lecture room.

"Have all your friends gone home?" I asked Thomas.

"Carlos still has a lecture by two, so I doubt that all three of them have left the college grounds."

So he came to see me, even when his friends were still around.

I tried so hard to hide my smile.

As we arrived at Thomas's car in the huge college parking lot, he got the door for me.

Chivalry, you've done it again!

I settled down on the leather seat and deeply inhaled the car scent.

"Lavender," I noted, exhaling.

"It smells great, doesn't it?" Thomas said as he sat down on the driver's seat and shut the door.

"You heard me?" I laughed, embarrassed.

"You didn't want me to?"

"No, no," I smiled, "Just forget about it."

"But it smells great, doesn't it?"

"It does, Tom," I rolled my eyes, "You just love fishing for compliments, don't you?"

Thomas started the engine of the car, chuckling at my words.

I watched as the college building slowly swept by us as he drove off, resting my head on the car window. As usual, Thomas's right hand was between my thighs while he manned the wheels with his left. I always wondered how he managed to drive when I wasn't in his car.

As I stared out the window, I noticed a very pretty blonde walking along the sidewalk. It seemed she was heading towards the college building.

Her hair was very straight, almost reaching her waistline, and her eyes were dark blue. She was casually dressed in an orange top and a pair of black trousers but she still managed to look so ethereal— that was why she was known as the prettiest girl in Boxton College. The bright young lady in her last year of college who happened to study the same course as Thomas. She was Serena Landore.

Like she knew I was staring at her the whole time, she looked a little to her northeast and met my stare behind the car window.

Her gaze was cold.

I immediately turned my face away from her before Thomas's car swept past her.

Damn, she's scary.

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Tip: Wendy always covers her freckles and birthmark with a full-coverage concealer whenever she intends to leave her apartment.