Lucid Desires

Chapter 8 - Congealed Denial

con·gealed

/kənˈjēld/

Adj. having become semisolid

---oo---

The iron doorknob was cold and hard under my right palm. The cold sensation traveled from my fingers to my neck, making me shiver a little bit as I stared at Lea's surprised face. My heart thudded when she switched her eyes from one corner to another, checking if I was with someone. Fear clawed through me, thinking she might see Christian and think of me as an easy-to-get girl – which is far different from who I really am. The last time I remembered, I told her that I would never submit myself to any man, but there I was, clueless of why I kissed Christian back and lost my defenses.

"L-Lea," I stuttered. "What are you d-doing here?" I tried to calm myself to never show hints of being suspicious.

"Why are you shaking? Are you okay?" she returned her gaze to me. "I just want to change my pads. It feels so itchy down under," she trudged inside.

"I, umm, I just thought you are somebody," I followed her, making sure she will not open the cubicle where Christian was. "Use the cubicle on the last. It's, umm, it's clean and it's comfortable in there."

"You seem strange," she raised the left corner of her lips and eyed me from head to foot. "Are you really okay?"

"Yeah," I forced a smile. "Don't worry. You can go inside now."

"Okay," she muttered and stared at me before entering the cubicle.

I dashed in front of the cubicle to where Christian was to tell him to go out immediately. The squeak of his shoes filled the air as he ran into the main door, and paused to give me a weird stare. His gesture was, again, baffling. He touched his lips and gazed back at me, making me tremble as he gave me the weird expression he did when we first met. His eyes were turning into something alluringly expressive, pulling my attention towards him. He stepped forward to get back to me, but he stopped when we heard the sound of the cubicle door unlocked.

"Can I call you?" he asked in a low voice.

"Go away!" I yelled at him softly as I gesticulated. "Please, go away before my friend can see us."

The squeaking sounds of the door opening made him rush outside and never looked back. Embarrassment floundered in me as I realized what I was doing. The firm stand that I will never fall to any man's trap became a lie – a curse-worthy lie that I know will destroy me if Lea, or anybody, will find out.

"Who was that?"

I rapidly pinned my gaze to Lea, easing the nervous freak that I was. She strolled towards my position and gazed outside to see who I was talking to.

"Who? What? What are you talking about?" I firmed myself to sound straight. "Only the two of us are here."

She chortled, "I heard you were talking to a man. Was he your secret boyfriend? Come on, Eunice. True friends never lie."

"I don't know what you are saying. Maybe, you're just imagining too much," I sauntered into the front of the mirror and fixed my ponytail. "Now I know how disadvantageous reading erotic books are."

"...But I really heard a manly voice and it -,"

"There are men outside, Lea. Of course, you can hear their voice."

"What about the squeak of the shoes?" she smirked. "Your sandals don't squeak, do they?"

I sighed and faced her, "Please, stop what you are thinking. I don't have a boyfriend, and I have no plan of having one. So stop mocking me with your false accusations."

"Okay," she rolled her eyes. "But I guess you shouldn't forget what Mrs. Sy told you to get."

"Oh, shit!"

The loud sounds of my footsteps echoed all over the place as I rushed to Mr. Simon's office. Sharp stares pinned on me when I stopped in front of the office door, chasing my breath, and almost fell to the floor. I inhaled and exhaled to relax before I open the door. But as I was about to exhale loudly for the last time, the door opened, and Christian's panty-dropping face showed up again, making my heart gallop at a rapid pace.

"Hi there, kisser," he grinned.

"Get out of my way," I elbowed him and marched directly to Mr. Simon's table. I could hear him chortle and made a kissing sound.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Simon," I smiled when I got in front of Mr. Simon's table. "Mrs. Sy told me to get her phone. She left it here."

He tucked his eyeglasses that slid on his nosebridge as he sharpened his glares to see me clearly. He bobbed his head and raised his right eyebrow when he finally realized that I was there with a purpose. He took the phone with a black case from his bookshelf and gave it to me.

"Please tell her that her age is too obvious. She always forgot her things and ended up telling others to get them for her. "

I giggled, "Thank you, Mr. Simon."

I rushed outside until I reached the stairs. I paused when I realized how dumb I was for letting Christian get through my defenses. Why was I even so weak to not push him away? I banged my head with my palm to forget his kiss, but no matter how I banged so hard, the memories only got worst. I groaned and sighed heavily when I reached the last step of the stair.

I froze when I saw tall shadows on the floor, lining sideways like a fence made of long dark woods. I raised my sight, and the tattooed men greeted me with evil grins and creepy laughs.

"Wow," a tall guy with an average body type stepped forward. "... a virgin – a sweet virgin walking alone. How lonely?" he giggled.

"Who are you?" I stepped back. "What do you want from me?"

"Well, for now, we don't need you," he muttered as he fixed his black leather coat. Tattoos all over his neck were unexplainable, like compiled strokes of abstract lines. "But sooner, we will." He stepped forward while scrutinizing me with his sharp glares.

I looked around to see if other students were roaming around, but unfortunately, there was none. I gulped as he neared me, and I wanted to run as fast as I could, but the others surrounded me, laughing as if they're devils emerged from hell.

"Stay away from me," I yelled. "I'll report all of you to the administrator."

"We fear none, virgin," he laughed, and everyone followed. "...Except for the fact that we can't taste your sweetness."

As they were close enough for me to see their faces clearly, I noticed they were not the tattooed men I saw in the empty room. They're different, and I haven't seen their faces before. I pinned my gaze to the guy who was already in front of me, and I could say he's the leader of the gang. They had the same tattoos on their palms – an X with a devil's horns.

My whole body trembled as he raised his hand and placed it in my shoulder, moving it slowly until it reached my neck.

"Soft skin, fragrant smell, and seductive lips," he whispered. "How can a man who longs for warmth can resist this beauty?" He continued running his hands from my neck to my face down to my hair.

I closed my eyes and murmured a prayer that I had no certainty if it could help me. I opened my eyes rapidly as we heard someone yelled from behind them. Their eyes grew wide when they saw who was standing behind them and ran as fast as they could away from me.