"So. Care to explain yourself?" Caine asked, his annoyed gaze staring daggers through me. I couldn't keep eye contact with him."Go on. I'm waiting, Ms. Porter."
"I don't think it's a crime to have more than one job, is it?" I stammered, still looking away from him.
"Oh, don't bullshit me. Wait a minute..." he trailed off.
Please don't let him put two and two together.
"If you don't work at the shopping center-"
"I never said that," I interrupted.
"Then where were you going the day we first met?"
Fuck.
"You're the one who keeps saying that. I never said that I don't work there."
"Yeah?" Caine retorted, "Then prove it."
"And how do you suggest that I do that?"
His eyes flew to my library ID clipped to my sweater.
"If you really work at the shopping center, you wouldn't mind if I asked to see your ID. Would you?"
My face quickly flushed, and my lips twisted with chagrin. I don't think I can weasel my way out of this one.
"Alright, alright. So maybe I don't work at the shopping center," I said, surrendering. "So where were you really going that day?" he asked.
What do I say now?
"Don't even think about lying again. I'll catch you in it."
I smirked, "You didn't catch me in it the first time." He snickered under his breath. I could taste the sarcasm in the air and sensed that his patience with me was dwindling.
"I was..." I could feel myself swallowing my words. I couldn't tell him. Even if I wanted to, how would I tell him?
In truth, I was following you, Caine. I'd heard of you around town, and when I finally saw you I thought that you were so attractive that I had to stalk you. Wanna make out?
I never thought that I'd be able to make myself cringe so easily. I figured that I had no other choice but to come clean. After all, I was bound to do it eventually, I just have to do it in a way that doesn't make me want to vomit.
"I was interested in you," I muttered, finally. Caine smiled at me and laughed; a knowing laugh.
"That seems to be an understatement," he responds, his brow raised, arms folded. I'm not usually one to be intimidated easily. But now? I could just barely meet his gaze without a chill running down my spine. God, he was terrifying.
"Look, why didn't you just come up to me and say hello?"
...That was an excellent question.
"I didn't know what to expect. It was just a decision made on a whim. It's not like I'd been stalking you for a while," I said, hoping that he didn't catch that I was slightly bullshitting.
"And yet, you decided to have coffee with a total stranger. I'm not buying it."
"You don't have to. I'm not trying to sell you anything."
I could feel Caine's tolerance waning. But, while I was still mildly terrified, I realized something. In a weird way (well, weird for lack of a better word), this was kind of fun. It was amusing to see him get so...frustrated. It filled me with a small sort of euphoria to see him riled up, and even more when he tried to hide it. The way he'd glare at me, how his smile gave off just the right amount of animosity to make my heart beat a little bit faster, the way his eyes looked as if he was waiting for the right moment to make the little shivers down my spine into quivers of agony; as if he was waiting for the right moment to make me beg for mercy.
"Look, Aria. If-"
I've never flushed so quickly before. Just as I was about to hear what could very well be the most frightening sentence I've heard in a while, my phone buzzed. I looked up at Caine, my eyes wondering if I could quickly take a glance. He turned his head and huffed, what I could only assume is translated to "Go ahead. But make it quick." I turn it over and see that I've received a text from Pete. And it's an...image? I quickly open the message and see that it's an invitation to a party one of our classmates is throwing.
12:49pmyou wanna go?
12:49pm
i think i'm just going to sit this one out
12:50pm
aww cmonnnn😩marie told me that conan is going to be thereeee
12:50pm
conan?babe.
12:51pm
oh cmon plssss
12:51pm
i've got some work to do :/you have fun tho <33
12:53pm
fineeehave a good night <33
12:54pm
luv you
"Finished yet? We're not done with this conversation," Caine said under his breath, clearly miffed.
"I'm aware. For a grown man, you sure have the patience of child," I said, regretting that snide comment the moment the words left my lips. I didn't even need to look up to know that he was pissed. I felt the sting of his glare mere seconds after, and I could've felt it from miles away. Oh, how I was beginning to enjoy this game we played. Still looking down at my screen, I said "You've yet to show me otherwise, Caine. You can insist upon something as much as you want. But you and I both know that actions speak louder than words," my eyes flick upward to meet his gaze, and I added a smirk for an extra...flair of sorts "Don't we?"I'm not sure if he was taken aback or too angered to speak, but he merely scoffed. "You know what? Forget it. I'm only here to find a book for our class tomorrow. If you could just point me in the direction of the nonfiction section, then I'll be on my way."I nodded my head towards the left side of the library. He grabbed his things from off of the counter, but before he departed, he uttered a departing message. "I really hope you don't believe that you've evaded this discussion, Ms. Porter. I'll see you tomorrow." He then walked away, swiftly. I checked my phone and figured that I only had a few hours left to go until my shift was left. Part of me couldn't help but wonder if I'd gone too far, while the other was far too excited to get home to bed.
A/N:
GAH! I'm so sorry that I haven't published in more than a MONTH! I've been so swamped with schoolwork and theatre! I promise that more chapters will be coming soon. Happy reading! <3
YOU ARE READING
Lessons
RomanceAria Porter has not had the best experiences with relationships. If it wasn't one thing, it was always another. And having recently ended things with her most recent situationship, Aria has found herself in a strange liminal space. And to make matte...
