Heartstrings

Chapter Seven

What are we drawing today, sweetheart?" Levi whispered, his breath hot on my exposed neck. He moved away and pulled his chair close, leg touching mine.

My surprised phase faded and I wanted to throttle him for being so close. I crossed my legs and looked at him. "It's not like you can draw either way. Why are you here?"

"I want to get to know you. So I'm going to use this period to get to know you." He responded

My eyes met his stare and held it. "To know me? Why?"

"Because," he reached out and caressed my cheek, "of reasons I can't disclose with you. Don't worry. I'm not going to use whatever information you tell me against you."

I moved his hand away from my face and turned to my sketchbook. "You might not like the answers you receive. If I choose to answer you."

"You know I have ways of getting answers from people." He said

I glanced at him. "And I have ways of keeping people silent."

He sighed and moved my book from in front of me. "What's this for? You know... You should become a fashion designer."

"I want to be a surgeon." I said "Art is just a pass time."

Levi stared at me, unmoving. "I can't picture you in a lab."

I rolled my eyes and snatched my book back. Or attempted to. Levi smirked and cocked a brow. "Give me the book."

"Talk to me." He said

I sighed. "I question my sanity. What do you want, Levi?"

"For you to answer my questions." He answered with a small smile

This boy was going to make me commit crimes. I held up one finger and narrowed my eyes. "One question. That's it."

"Two."

"One or nothing, Levi." I said lowly. Threateningly. I wish he would try to challenge me on this.

His eyes darkened as he looked at me. "I found that rather sexy, sweetheart."

"You're impossible." I huffed and started placing my things in my bag. The bell rang and I stood, placing my bag on my shoulder. Turning around, I noticed that Levi wasn't in his seat. Upset, I walked out of the library and started for my locker.

I took my time walking from my locker to the cafeteria. He's so frustrating, I thought angrily. And I still didn't get my sketchbook back.

The cafeteria was quiet as I entered. It's a little too quiet, I remarked.

"Raelyn."

I froze and turned around, meeting Levi's alluring gray-blue eyes and smug smirk. The nerve of this boy, I looked him over as he walked towards me. He really was a little too handsome for his own good. Quite possibly Clara was right.

"You forgot something, sweetheart." Levi held up my sketchbook and stared at me with those gorgeous eyes of his. Gorgeous eyes that I found myself thinking about at random times.

"Seeing how you stole it, I really didn't forget anything." I crossed my arms and cocked a brow. Is this boy serious?

He smirked, which irked me to wipe it from his face. "You just didn't move fast enough."

I took the book from him and made sure he didn't vandalize it or take anything from it. This was my personal sketchbook, I had random doodles and thoughts jotted down inside. It looked fine, but I'd know later.

He tilted my head up. "I didn't vandalize it and I believe you should be thanking me."

My heart raced, pounding against my ribs to be free. Wait, thanking him? This boy needed a reality check. Not everything revolved around him and his rich friends. Keeping my face void of my emotions, I stared at him. "And I believe you should be apologizing to me."

"Sweetheart, those words will never leave my mouth." His voice was low. Seductive almost.

I moved his hand from my chin, missing the warmth immediately. No, bad Rae. "You don't have to tell me things I already know, Levi." I left him to get lunch then to join my friends.

"What the hell was that?" Clara demanded "As sexy as that was...What the hell, Rae?"

I ate my salad in disinterest. Like salad would last me another four hours. It was all they had left and I knew I was late either way. "It was nothing." I didn't really feel like talking about Levi, it would make me want to throw a tantrum. I was a little too old to be throwing tantrums.

"Nothing? My cousin doesn't get that intimate with anyone." Andrea added

I ran a hand through my hair, fingers tugging at the curls. Why did my mother have to have such curly hair? It was bothersome at times. "It doesn't mean anything."

"Why can't you just acknowledge the fact that he wants to date you?" Clara demanded, expression fierce. Why was she so pro date Levi? I didn't know what was so great about the guy and quite frankly, didn't want to find out.

I put my fork down and glared at her. "Can you drop it?" My tone was sharper than I intended, making me feel guilty immediately. I shouldn't have snapped. We both knew I hated being angry or irritated, it was like lighting the fuse to a bomb. Anyone to anger me had a death wish, and Clara knew that better than anyone else.

She opened her mouth to reply but shut it, stabbing a carrot on her tray. She was upset and I hated myself. Clara didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of my temper. Hell, I didn't want to be on the receiving end of my own temper. My temper was uncontrollable and I was a pure troublemaker when I was angry. Which is why my feelings were always on lockdown.

"I'm sorry." I said staring at my tray, dejected "I shouldn't have snapped. It's not your fault."

"It's my fault for pushing you like that in the first place." She said

I ate in silence, listening to Andrea and Clara talking about the game Friday. Andrea brought up Don's party and how Levi wasn't allowing her attend. Clara told her that freshmen, sophomores and juniors were forbidden from attending any parties, telling her the reason why. Underclassmen were unpredictable. Andrea huffed and grumbled about how unfair it was.

Andrea sounded like Clara when we were juniors last. It was refreshing in a way.