Page 25 of Life Lessons

Up to this past weekend, I felt the same way around my staff quarters but that’s been blown out of the water. The more I try to rein Abbie in and force her under my control, the more she proves how naive I’ve been. She’s not a desperate slut begging for my attention, she’s all her own woman and it’s me who keeps finding himself put in his place. Dare I say, I can’t fucking wait until she does it again.

Mock exams pass by in a blur, they are easy. I had already done most of them last year. I just need to catch up and sit the final exams. It’s actually a good job that I’m so far ahead in all my classes since no matter what class I’m in, I spend the whole time wishing I was in Advanced Maths. I don’t think I know anyone who would ever say that, but I don’t want to be there for the learning experience, it’s all him.

We have been seeing each other for over six weeks now, and I’m not ashamed to say that after each encounter, I get more addicted. It’s not just the sex either, which is fucking amazing, it’s the bits afterwards too. Sexually, he teaches me new things, pushes me to my limit and helps me find that elusive pleasure/pain barrier, and fuck me is it amazing when we do. But afterwards, the caring he shows, melts my little black heart.

Before we realise it, Christmas is here. The majority of the students and teachers have left, going home to family for the Christmas holiday. Not me. It was made painfully clear there would be no Christmas in the Nightingale household this year, which is good, as I can’t imagine celebrating without Tillie.

I don’t think Jett and I ever really discuss spending Christmas together, it just kind of happens. We spend most of the day curled up in bed, just talking, and watching horror movies. I don’t know how he knew, but he made it as far from Christmas as possible. So, to thank him, I give him a present with a very happy ending for us both.

Afterwards, in his little kitchen, we walk around naked, comfortable in each other’s skin. He doesn’t even seem to notice my scars, focusing instead on the ink that marrs my skin. He asks what they mean, and why I have a gap on my back, if I have a design waiting. I tell him the standard answer I tell everyone, the tattoos have no meaning, and I’m still stuck on the right design. Of course that’s bullshit and I think he knows. I am not the sort of girl who gets her skin permanently changed by something that doesn’t hold any kind of story. But I’m also not ready to talk about it with anyone. It was hard enough mentioning losing my sister, to tell him the story really would be the end of us. When Jett finds out what happened that night, and that I killed my sister, we really will be over.

So instead, I decide to enjoy the moment while I can. I embrace the fact I can stay in his room, not afraid of if we might get caught. When the day starts to wind down, Jett cooks for me for the first time. He makes one of his mother’s famous recipes of Chicken and Waffles. He is from Southern America, although that’s as much as I know, he isn’t really too keen on talking about his family. Given my circumstances, I am fine with that. I’ve never had this dish before, but I can tell his mum must be an amazing cook. It’s delicious.

“Your mum really is talented,” I say, and notice the bittersweet smile on his face. I don’t mean to upset him. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Don’t apologise. She is an amazing cook. I was thinking that it really has been too long since I last spoke to her. I guess when it’s been so long, it gets easier to not call. Does that make sense?” he explains.

“Yeah, it does. I think everyone deals with grief differently,” I say, and his resounding sigh shakes my soul. Only someone who has experienced the true heartache of loss knows what it feels like. “Maybe you will go back home again soon. I have always wanted to go to America.”

I realise as soon as his eyes go round as saucers that he thinks I just invited myself on holiday with him and to meet his family. I stutter to tell him that’s not what I meant. It was supposed to be a subtle conversation change, but it isn’t. I try to explain myself, but he cuts me off.

“Relax, Little Bird. America is amazing, so many sights to see. Maybe we will see them together some time,” he muses and I can’t help the massive smile that crosses my face. It’s hardly a promise or a guarantee, but it’s something. It’s a maybe that I will clutch like a life raft.

Once we finish eating, he makes me a hot chocolate with marshmallows, and I notice he doesn’t add any alcohol to his, which he seems to be very comfortable doing. Even in just a short space of time, I have come to expect his kisses to have the bitter taste of alcohol, but the last few days we have been together all the time and I don’t think I have seen him drink any. This means that the casual banter we had, and all the talking we did, was all natural.

We spend the next couple of days with each other, and then the new year arrives. All the days mould into one, and as each day passes, I expect us to get bored in each other’s company, but we don’t. If anything, it gets easier. What gets harder is the knowledge that students will start arriving back soon, if they haven’t already, and this beautiful dream life we have built together will be shattered.

The next morning, our world comes crashing down and I land in reality with a bump. When I sneak out of Jett’s window, I am so close to Harley catching me. He is doing his run and I didn’t see him come round the corner. I am out of breath from running around frantically trying to find my clothes and get out of the window, all while stopping Jett from freaking out. I was supposed to have gone to my room the night before, but we fell asleep after a pretty rough sex session. We know some students and faculty will have returned as tomorrow is the first day back in classes, and staying had been a risk we shouldn’t have taken.

When Harley found me bent over, catching my breath, he assumed I had been for a run too. He offered to run with me next time, and I could have sworn I heard a growl from the still open window nearby. Luckily, Harley had one headphone still playing music, and was too busy staring at my tits to even notice my mouth moving. We confirmed our meeting for today and I made a very lucky escape.

After I left Maths early, Trix met me straight away. I did question why she wasn’t in her Maths class, but I have quickly learned that Trixie Musgrove does whatever she wants.

“Wow, we are twenty minutes into the week and you have already pissed off Harriett. How do you do it? I’m a little jealous,” she announces sarcastically and I can’t help but smile.

“It’s a talent. But don’t worry, she just found out that we are partnering with Harley and Jackson for the sports medley, so I’m sure you will be getting your fair share of hate,” I say and she rolls her eyes.

“Yeah, I did hear Harley was already partnered with her. He actually ditched her for you,” she states, sounding incredibly proud of her meddling.

“Wait, if you knew he already had a partner why the hell did we target them?” I ask. Believe it or not, I don’t actually want to make an enemy of Harriett. I want to fly as much under the radar as I can.

“Look, I need the Phys Ed credits. I don’t give a shit about her. Harley made the choice. He could have said he had a partner. Besides, technically we targeted a wide group, they were just the ones who took the bait.” I let out a long sigh as I roll my eyes. I should have known she had a fucking plan.

Sadly, she is correct. We didn’t force, or even ask the boys. They volunteered themselves. But I still could have done without the drama. After all, I was trying to show Jett how different I am from the other students. Every time he is reminded that I am his pupil, he freaks out.

The day passes by quickly, I’m sad that I don’t even catch sight of Jett. I’m guessing with Mr Thornton auditing his class, he is probably trying to be on his best behaviour. When he lets me go early, I wonder if it is just because he can’t risk having someone watch us interact. Like they might know just by looking at us.

Sitting in the cafe after school with Trix, we are waiting for the boys to show up to talk about training for the events. They are ten minutes late and I am starting to get pissed off. I know that I’m not annoyed because the boys are late, hell they don’t have a punctual bone in their body. I’m irritable because I miss Jett. When I left in such a rush this morning, we never made any firm plans for meeting up again. I feel like if I leave it up to him, he will try to pull away. But at the same time I don’t want to come off as too clingy.

As I’m worrying about what to do, the boys arrive at the same time I feel a buzz in my back pocket. I pull out my phone and try to hide the smile that spreads across my face. There’s only four people with this number, one is sitting next to me, my parents probably forgot I exist, and that only leaves the one person I want to hear from.

Moody Bastard: Set firm boundaries with Davidson. If he touches you inappropriately, I will kill him.

Booty Call: Relax, there’s only one person I want to touch me.

“Who is putting that smile on your face?” asks Harley as he sits down, closer than I would have liked.

“Just watching a cute pug puppy video, nothing exciting,” I say casually, trying to hide my phone from them in case they want to see. I put my phone away, not able to take the risk, but I feel my heart start to race as his response vibrates in my pocket. My mind drifts to what I hope his response says, an invitation to his tonight. I crave the way he moulds my body to exactly what he wants. I have never given up control in that way, but I actually look forward to doing it. I trust him with my body, something I don’t think I have ever done before.

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