Between the desks

Chapter 61

Amren's POV

The night had taken on a surreal quality. Everything felt distant, blurred by the drinks I'd consumed and the pounding bass that shook the walls of the club. Lily and I had been dancing for what felt like hours, our bodies moving in rhythm with the pulsating lights that flickered between pinks, purples, and blues. The alcohol had sunk deep into my bloodstream, leaving me feeling loose, untethered, and weightless.

Lily's laughter rang out as we spun around, the crowd swallowing us up, but I was in my own world. The haze of alcohol helped block out the thoughts that had been plaguing me for days. All I wanted to do was forget. Forget about Jess, forget about everything, and lose myself in the neon-lit night.

"I need to pee!" I shouted in Lily's ear, the words almost lost in the overwhelming volume of the music. She gave me a quick nod, her glossy lips curling into a smile before she disappeared back into the sea of dancers.

I stumbled toward the bathroom, pushing my way through the crowd. It felt like I was wading through molasses, every movement exaggerated and slow. The sharp scent of alcohol and sweat hung heavy in the air, mixed with the sweet tang of perfume and the occasional waft of cigarette smoke. I finally made it to the stairs that led down to the bathrooms and descended, clutching the railing for balance.

The scene down there was just as chaotic. The faint smell of vomit mingled with the smoke as people leaned against the bathroom walls, clutching their stomachs or their drinks, too far gone to care. There was a girl, practically passed out on the bathroom floor, her friend desperately trying to get her to stand up. Another couple was making out in the corner, completely oblivious to anyone around them.

I lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag as I leaned against the tiled wall, the nicotine soothing the slight buzz in my head. The fluorescent lights flickered, casting an almost eerie glow over the chaos, but in that moment, I didn't care. Everything felt far away, like I was floating just outside of reality.

Once I was finished, I headed to the walk-in cloakroom to grab my lip gloss. The music was muffled here, the beat a dull thud through the walls, and the quieter atmosphere almost felt like a relief. I rifled through my jacket, pulling out my lip gloss, but just as I was about to reapply it, I heard a soft voice behind me.

"Hey."

I turned around and found myself face to face with a girl I hadn't noticed before. She was striking, with dark eyes and a subtle smirk on her lips. Her hair was tousled, her makeup flawless, and there was something magnetic about her.

"Hi," I replied, flashing her a smile.

"I've seen you a couple of times tonight," she said, stepping a little closer, her voice low and husky. "I just wanted to say—you look really good."

Her words caught me off guard. Was she flirting with me? My mind was still sluggish, swimming through a fog of alcohol, but a small spark of excitement flickered to life in my chest. I had come here tonight to forget, to lose myself in something—anything—and this girl was offering me exactly that.

"Well, thank you," I said, leaning into the moment, letting the alcohol fuel my confidence. "You don't look bad yourself."

She smiled, her eyes glinting in the dim light. She stepped closer, close enough that I could smell her perfume—something warm and floral, with a hint of musk. "I want to kiss you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, but there was a heat behind her words that ignited something inside me.

Without hesitation, I closed the space between us. My hands found her waist, and I pushed her gently against the wall, our lips crashing together in a fiery kiss. Her mouth was soft, her lips moving against mine with a hunger that matched my own. It was raw and urgent, the kind of kiss that's less about connection and more about distraction—about forgetting.

I let my hands roam, feeling the warmth of her body pressed against mine, her fingers tangling in my hair as she deepened the kiss. We lost ourselves in that moment, our movements slow and languid, as if time had slowed down just for us. The noise of the club, the chaos, the lights, it all melted away, leaving only the two of us.

It felt like an eternity, but in reality, it was only a few minutes before someone cleared their throat behind us.

"Can you two please take this somewhere else? I need my jacket," a woman's icy voice cut through the haze.

I pulled back, blinking as if I had just been yanked back into reality. The girl I had been kissing gave me a quick, flustered smile before slipping away, disappearing into the crowd without another word. I stood there, dazed, watching her go, the taste of her still lingering on my lips. I hadn't even asked her name.

I turned around, my heart pounding in my chest, and came face to face with the woman who had interrupted us. And that's when my stomach dropped, the alcohol's effects vanishing in an instant.

It was professor Olsen.

The sight of her hit me like a punch to the gut. Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, neither of us said anything. The room felt suddenly too small, too suffocating, as memories of her, of us—whatever it was we had—flooded back, overwhelming me.

I had come here tonight to forget, but now, standing in front of professor Olsen, it felt impossible. My heart was pounding in my chest, my hands trembling slightly from the shock of seeing her again. Everything I had been trying to bury, all the emotions I had shoved down, surged to the surface, raw and aching.

I opened my mouth to say something—anything—but the words were stuck in my throat.