Page 99 of Cerulean Truth
Apparently, a grunt was all I could expect.
Without another word, he gestured for me to join him, which I quickly did. Clearly not a day to antagonize him.
The tension between us was mounting as he and I squared off on the mat, our eyes locked in mute determination. With a nod from James, we began circling each other, each step calculated, each movement deliberate.
I lunged forward, aiming for a takedown, but James sidestepped gracefully, slipping out of my grasp with ease. Frustration boiled inside me, but I pushed it aside, focusing on my next move.
As I scrambled to regain my footing, James pounced. He swiftly closed the distance between us, his hands expertly finding purchase on my shoulders. Before I could react, James's leg swept out, catching mine with precision. With a quick flick, he sent my leg crumbling beneath me, leaving me off balance and vulnerable. As I stumbled, James capitalized on my moment of weakness, his hands now pressing firmly against my chest.
With a decisive shove, he sent me sprawling to the ground, his weight bearing down on me like a heavy blanket. I gasped as the air was forced from my lungs, my limbs pinned beneath him as he asserted his dominance. I struggled beneath him, but his positioning was flawless, his hips controlling my movements completely.
As James's body loomed over me, pinning me down with the force of his hips, I instantly found myself unable to tear my gaze away from his intense eyes. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I became acutely aware of the proximity between us, his every breath mingling with my own. His muscular frame enveloped me entirely, and I could feel the warmth of his skin against mine.
My heart raced erratically in my chest as a wave of desire washed over me, igniting a fire that threatened to consume my every thought. I swallowed hard, my pulse pounding in myears, and I struggled to contain the wild attraction that coursed through my veins.
As I wetted my lips, I could’ve sworn I noticed his gaze drop onto them, but considering his hostility, that surely must’ve been my imagination.
Either way, my eyes darted to his lips in response, and instantly thoughts of pressing mine onto his were all I could think of. My breathing started to become slightly irregular and my heart was pounding so hard he could probably hear it.
I had to get out from under him before I did something embarrassing, like leaning in and kissing him.
Realizing I had mere seconds before I’d create an immensely embarrassing situation, I quickly managed to bridge my hips, creating enough space to slip out from underneath him. Rolling to my feet, I launched myself back into the fray, my determination unwavering.
James met me head-on as he attempted to secure a submission. I countered with a well-timed sweep, reversing our positions and trapping him in a tight armbar. With a grunt of effort, I applied pressure, my muscles burning with exertion as I sought to force him to submit.
But James refused to yield. With a sudden burst of strength, he twisted his body, breaking free from my grasp and maneuvering into a dominant position once more.
We continued to grapple, and with every move, every counter, I pushed myself to the limit, hoping it would at least earn me a word of appreciation. By the end, I would have welcomed even a hint of critique. Anything to break that relentless silence. But alas.
No more than an hour later, he concluded our session with minimal interaction and swiftly left the training center.
As he departed without a second glance, I couldn't shake off the feeling of confusion and frustration. Why was he treating me like this? Why was he such anassholeto me?
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I fought the urge to chase after him, to demand answers. No. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. I still had some pride left after all.
But even as I stood my ground, a part of me couldn't help but wonder what had happened between last night and now.
With a heavy sigh, I turned to pick up my stuff. Leaving the Scola by myself, I sought solace in the garden but found myself too restless. Lacking the courage to reach out to Enya again for a drink, I sauntered off toward the Touchstone, figuring it could maybe suggest a fun way for me to spend my afternoon. If not, I could always go back to my dorm and read one of my trashy novels. Which evidently, would be a fun way to spend my afternoon.
I hadn’t even reached the Summer Palace yet when the familiar blue drops emitted from my Nexus, signaling an incoming communication request.
James.
I guided the drops toward the accept button, unable to simply "accept" them with my absent translation, and he flooded my senses with the clear intent of discussing something serious.
Great. What now?
“We need to talk,” he said without so much as a ‘hello’.
“I’m surprised you’re familiar with the concept,” I replied dryly.
"It won’t take long,” he interjected, ignoring my jab.
I sighed, exasperated. "James, you're really giving me a headache. We were literally in the same room not even half an hour ago. You could’ve spoken to me then. What could possibly have changed in those last twenty minutes?"
"My schedule. Meet me in the Atrium," he instructed, cutting off any further discussion before I could protest.
The call ended abruptly, leaving me fuming.That infuriating beast of a man.
