ANASTASIA:
Lorenzo kissing Betty wasn't the ideal show for me. My appetite disappeared, and reluctantly, anger surged within me as I witnessed them engaged in intimacy. Not only were they kissing, but they were literally making out!
First Mia, and now Betty? How quickly did he change girls? Could one person truly be that much of a playboy?
I guess Lara was right. It would end up breaking my heart if I kept looking at them like this. But wasn't he the same one who tried to convince me that he had feelings for me? Am I nothing but his one-of-the-play things?
Maybe.
Lara pulled me out of that place, and I couldn't be more thankful to her. She saw the face I had when I watched them getting all cozy next to each other.
But how can I deny the fact that I have witnessed something in his eyes for me? Maybe, I was right. I was nothing but his infatuation.
"I am past infatuation, Piccola."
I remembered his words. But at this time, it was nothing but a bunch of lies. Mia was right; I should keep my distance from the trouble. Not to forget, I already have cases in my hand and a stalker who might be on hiatus but can come back at any point in time.
But the more I wanted to forget him, the more he started to appear in my mind. Last night's Lorenzo was contradicting with current Lorenzo. While this one clearly saw me before he dived in for a kiss, last night's Lorenzo was entirely different.
I watch the emotions flickering in his eyes. Emotions that are making me confused.
"I need to understand this feeling, Piccola. I need just one taste..."
"I need to understand what's happening to me, and you have to help me figure that out."
His words echoed in my mind, catapulting me back to the previous night. Where we almost...
But I snapped back to reality, telling myself, "No... he's not worth it."
Last night, I may have entertained the idea that Lorenzo might be sincere in his words. However, standing here, watching him kissing Betty, I couldn't help but consider that I was entirely wrong. Yet a tiny voice in my mind began to say, Perhaps, just perhaps, yesterday had meant something. Maybe we were...
With a sigh, I decided to brush off these useless thoughts.
I needed to clear my head, and this is for sure that I didn't want to face him right now. As soon as Lara bid her goodbye to her next class, pulling my cap down low over my head and sipping the last of my chocolate shake, I made my way towards the garden. It seemed like solitude was the best option for me at the moment.
Maybe there was nothing between Lorenzo and me, to begin with. Maybe Lorenzo was merely tempted last night due to the alcohol. And maybe so was I.
Luckily, there was a hidden escape that I was aware of, and I had made up my mind to spend the rest of my day over there.
****
There was a secret door at the back of the library that not many people knew about. When Lara introduced the library to me last week, I found it, and I decided to keep it to myself—a hidden corner of the campus that I could call my own. Initially, I thought of using it as my scapegoat for reviewing cases in secret. But today, it was all for me.
Looking around for one last time, making sure not to grab anyone's attention, I swiftly slipped inside the small passage and quietly closed the door behind me. This was my sanctuary from now on.
This small passage served as a connection between the back and front of the library, a corridor that had seemingly been forgotten by most people around here. Good for me. It meant I could have some peaceful moments undisturbed. There was a statue of Abraham Lincoln, the first president of America surrounded by fountains.
Sometimes, I wonder why this beautiful lane was forgotten.
Anyway, I walked a few steps into the dimly lit corridor. Just a few more steps, and I would be on the backside of the library. As I walked by, faint noises of footsteps stopped me in my tracks. Who could be here in the forgotten lane?
I turned around to find the source of the footsteps but saw no one. Perhaps it was just my imagination. However, this time as I pivoted back to continue, I collided with someone's solid chest.
"Ouch!" I yelped out in surprise. Who on earth could be here at this time?
I gasped as I looked up. A man no less than a sculpted statue looked down at me under the dark shadow. His body towering over me, and I couldn't help but feel all nervous. I thought nobody knew about this place.
I blinked rapidly to take a glimpse of the person, but the darkness was so intense that it was hard for me to recognize the person right away.
"Who are you?" I asked unimpressed. For once, my heart cried with unknown fear, thinking about the possibility of my stalker in here. I took a step back.
The man before me casually took out the phone before switching on his flashlight, and I almost gasped again as I witnessed the mischievous smirk playing on his lips. "You...! What are you doing here?" I asked, furrowing my brows in confusion. "And how do you even know about this place?"
He didn't offer an immediate answer. Instead, he posed a question of his own, his voice dripping with a hint of amusement, "Trying to avoid me, Piccola?"
"What? N-no," I stammered, my eyes darting anywhere but at Lorenzo. "Why would I?"
"I saw you running away."
"I didn't run away... I-I... just needed some time to myself."
With a swift movement, he caged me between the wall and himself. I gasped as my back touched the cold wall. Our eyes met once again, and I can't deny the fact that it was eerily reminiscent of the way he'd trapped me with his arms yesterday night.
No, Ana, stop it. He's not worth dwelling on.
"It seems to suggest otherwise, my dear Piccola," he retorted. There was a hint of tease in his voice, and I felt his warm breath on my face, sending shivers down my spine. "You ran away from the park without even saying hi to me. That's mean," he added with a faux pout.
"Why? You seemed pretty happy with your mouth entangled with Betty. Why after me now?"
He raised an eyebrow, smirking knowingly. "Jealous, baby?" His tone was teasing, designed to get a reaction out of me.
I just glared at him, feeling a maelstrom of emotions that I couldn't quite put into words. It was a dick move to ask a jealous girl if she was jealous. I mean, of course, I am. I can't ignore the fact I am attracted to him and last night with his visit had finally snapped the strength I had to deny this fact. But today he was a completely different person.
I never had boyfriends before. I've never felt this way with anyone else. So much jealousy. So much confusion. So much attraction. It's all so confusing. With Lorenzo, somehow everything was different.
"Oh, don't baby me. I am not your baby or... Piccola or anything. I am not yours to..."
"Yes, you are," he declared in a rough voice. An etch of possessiveness across his face. Just like yesterday night. My heart flutters with the closed proximity and the more I want to run away from this man, he holds me captive.
I am sure by now he understood how much I was affected by him. With a smirk, he leaned in closer; he whispered into my ear, "I know you like it when I call you mine. Don't you, my little wild one?"
My eyes widened with the comment. The cocky nickname he gave me was annoyingly cute. He pulled back slightly, a sly smile curling on his lips as soon as he saw my red face. "A good girl like you would take anything, won't you, baby?"
I shouldn't be turned on by those filthy words, and yet, here I am, completely drenched. His breath fans my face, and honestly, that wasn't helping.
"Th-That's a lie," I retorted, mustering my resolve to regain my composure despite the whirlwind of emotions and butterflies in my stomach. "I don't enjoy your company at all. You can go back to where you were a few minutes ago. I'm sure there are plenty of girls dying to give you attention." I huffed, trying to assert myself.
Lorenzo didn't immediately respond with words. Instead, he stood there, fixated on me with his intense gaze. I could feel his hungry eyes travelling all over me—my eyes, my lips, my collarbone, my chest, my legs—and finally, back to my eyes. He was checking me out with God knows what unholy thoughts.
But I was angry at him. I mean a few minutes back I was. And I hope I still am. He was confusing me. Playing with me, and I hate that, even still there was a spark I cannot deny.
The air between us grew thick and heavy, and an electric tension crackled in the silence. We stood there, wordlessly locked in a battle conveyed through our eyes, a battle neither of us was willing to concede.
I wanted him to apologize to me. Or rather explain what exactly was going on. But he maintained the silence.
As we stood in the secluded corner of the library, a sudden sound of approaching footsteps caught our attention. Panic washed over me as the realization dawned that we were in the forbidden part of the library, standing way too close and in an utterly awkward position.
My eyes widened in terror as I comprehended the gravity of our situation. Being caught in such an inappropriate place with Lorenzo was a nightmare scenario. The words going out could be worse. I don't want to be labelled as his plaything. No matter how hard my feelings are for him.
My heart raced, its thumping echoing in my ears, threatening to reveal our presence to the intruder. Panic settled inside me.
What should I do?
Before I could even react, Lorenzo swiftly pulled me into a hidden alcove. I stare at him shockingly.
How is he so good at this? Does he do this a lot?
As we huddled together on a small bench tucked behind the bookshelves, our bodies pressed close together in an attempt to stay quiet and undetected. I watched Lorenzo expertly handling the situation, leaving me stunned.
The intruder's footsteps stopped again a few inches away from us, just behind the bookshelf, and we almost squeezed ourselves into the small area, desperately attempting to hide. By the time we both realized the precariousness of our position, our eyes locked in an intense gaze, lost in the moment and unable to break free.
Then like a puzzle box, Lorenzo accidentally lost his balance and fell back onto the bench, and I, in turn, landed squarely on his lap! A gasp escaped my lips, and his hand immediately pressed against my mouth. My eyes widened in shock and embarrassment as I realized the seat I was now occupying.
His thighs.
They were firm and supportive beneath me, and I couldn't help but feel a rush of heat spreading through my body. The time slowed down. His unruly curls fell over his face, and his eyes locked onto mine, making it flutter again and again.
With his hands on my waist and mine resting on his chest, that was the only restraint among us preventing our lips from crashing together. We were so close that I could feel his warm breath brushing across my face once again.
I gulped. Unwantedly, my lips travelled down to his lips, and there was something at that moment I found myself lost within. The same lips that were on mine yesterday night. The same lips that...
Please, save me, Lord.
Somehow after some time, with the fading sound of footsteps, we realized that the intruder had finally left. We let out simultaneous sighs of relief, still seated in silence, catching our breath.
As I looked back at Lorenzo, I recomposed myself. I was about to get up when I felt his hand grip my waist, pulling me back closer. My heart skipped a beat as I stopped, his face just inches from mine. "You don't have to be jealous about those girls, Ana." His eyes obnoxious pool of mystery, kept staring at me. "Because none of them are you."
I swear something flapped in my stomach.
I don't know what he means by that but clearly, I am not like them.
As we were both somewhere lost in each other, suddenly, I felt something poking me in between my thighs.
Is that what I thought it was?
It is!
My mind raced with a million thoughts, as my eyes widened, face flushed in realisation.
I tried to move and get up fast and wriggle to get myself free. But I was so nervous that my knees almost gave out and it was difficult for me to stand. "Oh, fuck!"He cursed under his breath. "Please don't move like that," he breathed on my neck, his voice filled with desire. His eyes closed as if he was trying to hold back something.
I froze. Blinking my eyes I tried to contemplate what just happened. I gulped. Trying to calm myself down. "I-I think t-the person left already," I stuttered, attempting to sound resolute.
He opened his eyes to look into my eyes, his voice laced with a husky desire. "Is that what you want?"
No.
I couldn't deny the intoxicating sensations that were coursing through my body, but I had to be rational. My voice was only a low whisper meeting his drunken gaze. "Anyone could walk in here again."
Lorenzo's grip on my waist tightened, pulling me closer to him. I gasped. My body reacted on its own, grinding against his hard member. His eyes looked at me with hunger and mine shut close with unknown pleasure. A low moan involuntarily escaped my lips as we were both burning with desire, teetering on the edge of losing our self-control.
"Lo-renzo..." I moaned, unable to fully articulate my thoughts.
His head dropped, resting on my shoulder. His breath was hot against my skin as he inhaled my scent. "I thought I liked seeing you getting intimidated by me, but I was wrong. I could never get enough of seeing you wanting me the same way I want you." he breathed. "This sensation is driving me insane, Ana." His words were dangerously enticing, and I could feel myself moving in rhythm with him. "As much as I want to drive you crazy, I also want to see you like this. Raw and unfiltered. Just for me."
He was everything I never expected yet everything I'd ever desired. The taste of his almost kiss, from last night danced in my memory, leaving me dangerously addicted. "Just wait for me, will you?" He said. "I will come for you, I promise."
I was not sure how long I could hold myself in when he kept doing this to me like that. But at the same time, I cannot forget what he did to me. To Betty.
"But you kissed her," I whispered. My voice was almost broken.
Finally, he pulled back from me and sighed, looking up at me. "It's not like that," he admitted, his guilt-ridden eyes hinting at a deeper truth he was concealing.
"What is it, then?" I wanted to know.
Meeting my gaze, he kept staring at me, leaving me hanging on the cliff. Although I knew he wasn't to be called mine, seeing him kiss someone else sparked a jealousy I hadn't imagined.
"What am I to you? A fake? Joke?" I inquired as anger flared within me.
His hold on my waist tightened as he drew me in, our faces so close, eyes darkening.
"You're anything but fake, Piccola," he whispered. "You're mine as much as I am yours. I'll possess your soul, your body, and your entirety, Anastasia. Mark my words. You exist to be mine."
I scoffed.
Pulling me close, his one hand gently holding my waist, while the other traced the contours of my thighs, forcing me to be weak under his touch. Although butterflies were dancing in my stomach, I forced myself to remember that he was a player.
"No..." I moved away from him. "Don't..." My voice quivered. "Don't do that to me," I said, looking into his eyes. "You may fool those girls who fall for your act but know that I won't. I refuse to be played by your act, Lorenzo."
His brows arched in surprise. Yeah, I was pretty surprised by my voice too. But it is what it is. I won't be a muse of his act. All those promises he made last night... they had to be fake. And what about the day he fought for me on campus? What should I name that?
I don't know.
"You cannot escape me now, piccola," Lorenzo whispered, with an innocent smile on his face.
I abruptly pulled off, finally standing on my feet. But his hands, still holding my waist. "Let me go, Lorenzo," I warned.
His eyes darken again, like a possessive beast. And instead of pulling away, he cornered me against the bookshelf as he dipped his head on my neck. His lips touched my collarbone, leaving only a few butterfly kisses and I could feel a pool swirling down to my south.
I could feel him smirk against my skin and the next minute, he suck a chunk of flesh, nibbling it, before biting it off. My mind seemed to blank out. But before I could release a moan, his hand clutched my mouth.
"Your moans," he whispered, "belong to me now, Piccola. Only to me."
What the heck?
How could he be so good at this?
Because he is a player.
This time, seizing control, I gently pushed him away. My brows furrowed in anger as my brain replayed the scene of him kissing Betty.
"I'd rather not meet you again, Lorenzo. I've heard about your reputation and I don't want to be played by someone like you."
"Someone like me?" He shot back in surprise.
I looked up at him as I replied. "Yes. Someone who plays with feelings. Someone who thinks that girls are nothing more than a toy."
His expression tightened, and there was a flicker in his eyes that made my heart skip a beat. "Ana, you know you're different. I— I," his words faltered. "It's not what you think. I can change, be better."
A bitter chuckle escaped me. "No, Lorenzo. I refuse to be part of your games."
Finally, he withdrew himself from me without any further words as he left with one last look as he disappeared in the shadows down the hall.
A/N: Did Ana do the right thing? Comment down your thoughts.
See ya next week.