bare | 18+

3. Corruption

"Are you coming over tonight," she asks.

"Yes—actually, I'm babysitting Liam tonight. I can't."

"You're not gonna like...drop it on him are you?"

I let out a rather anxious laugh. I was going to. The plan was to talk to him after my shift. It's all I ever thought about since I had a minor meltdown in front of Ciara. There is only one way today will end, with me breaking things off with Damien.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"I kind of feel bad. Imagine he's tired from working all day and he comes home and you're like, I don't wanna see you anymore."

"Okay, but he's a grown man. It's not like he's gonna be heartbroken."

If I'm being honest, I do want him to be a little upset. Otherwise, it meant he didn't really care about me which would kind of suck.

"Okay okay, let's switch topics please."

I try not to notice him as he walks down the hall, but we make eye contact as he walks past me and then it's suddenly hard to not acknowledge his presence. Where is he going? Our class is where Ciara and I are walking to. It's not my business anyway. I need to know his name, so I turn back, take note of the color of the sweater he has on, and ask Ciara if he knows him.

"I always see him alone, I think he's new," she answers.

"And his name?"

All of a sudden, there's this big fat grin on her lips and I roll my eyes. "Oh my gosh, it's not like that!"

"You're such a little hoe!" There was no doubt someone heard that. "Can I not ask who people are now?"

"You know damn well," she scoffs. "But since I love you so much, I will get his name for you."

I'd get his name, but I don't think I'd do anything with it. He has this menacing aura that I would rather avoid. Just the sight of him made me anxious and I'm not the kind of girl that approaches others with ease. It was stupid of me to ask in the first place.

"Love you!" I smile when she presses a kiss on my cheek before running off. Whilst she gets to leave the building for lunch, I am stuck in yet another one-hour class before my lunch.

The smile on my lips instantly fades away when I walk into class to find him—sitting there. I wasn't crazy. He was just walking the other way not even a minute ago yet he's here before me. It's not impressive, it's just remotely impossible. But it's not my business. I don't know why I'm so infatuated with him, I don't know what it is that pulls me to him but it has to stop.

When I sit down, I get this strong feeling his attention is on me when mine is not on him, so much so I'd rather just say he is staring at me. The atmosphere felt so tense and awkward despite never sharing a single conversation.

Was something wrong with me?

All I can think about is how familiar his eyes felt when I looked into them. Warm and distant, like the glowing window that one night. His long, wispy lashes fluttered like the sheer lacey curtains framing the dark silhouette.

"You're such a pervert."

The class is full, the teacher's eyes are on her laptop, and this voice, it's crystal clear. My heart drops, but no one else seems to react. It makes me feel like a lunatic—hearing things that weren't being said aloud.

I turn to him beside me, and this time he's not looking at me, his full attention is on the projector at the front of the class.

"Did you say something?" He looks at me and shakes his head. I put my head down and fight the urge to break down then and there. Although lunch was right after this, I was stressed. This whole thing stressed me out, so much so I couldn't even tell Ciara. It was times like this when I regret the way I used to be.