Page 16 of Obsession (Dark Revenge)
Jared became still, keeping my body pressed to his. While his breathing evened out, I remained awake, my whole body tense. I knew I should sleep. Jared wasn't the only one who had had a long night, and it was almost four in the morning. I sighed, closing my eyes, but sleep eluded me. My heart was racing in my chest, but it wasn't from fear. It felt as if a long-suppressed desire, dormant for so long, was stirring within me, gradually unfurling and coaxing me into doing something I knew was forbidden.
Carefully, I turned my head, finding Jared asleep behind me. I shifted onto my back, trying not to wake him. He remained asleep as I moved my free hand over to him, running my fingers down his cheek, tracing them over his lips—lips I now knew so well—before retreating and simply gazing at him as he slept.
I knew that Jared had always avoided my gaze because he understood that when I caught sight of him, it meant trouble for him. However, there was something he had never realized.
Jared stood by his locker, which wasn’t far from mine. Students bustled up and down the hallway, some guys tossing a football around in the room. I could hear a teacher scolding them, warning them that the ball would be confiscated if they didn’t stop immediately. Amid all the activity around me, my attention was fixed on the kid further down the hall. He rummaged through his locker before stuffing some things into his worn, ugly dark green backpack, a relic from the ‘80s, seemingly his favorite.
The football players approached Jared just as he filled his bag and closed his locker. After scanning the area to see if the teacher was still around, they slapped his bag out of his hands, causing it to tumble to the ground. Some of his books spilled out, but as always, he didn’t even flinch. Instead, he stooped down to pick up his belongings, hastily shoving them back into his bag before slinging it over his shoulder and heading to class.
“Alison!”
Two of my girlfriends appeared on either side of me, leaning against the lockers with smiles. I shook my head, breaking free from my trance.
“Is Kyle taking you to the party tonight?” Simone asked.
“Probably, why?” I inquired, opening my own locker to retrieve some things.
“Can I get a ride? My mom completely freaked out after I was caught driving high,” she told me.
“Why did you even drive high?” I asked, closing my locker and turning to her.
Simone shrugged, but I already knew what she wasn’t ready to admit. She had a problem, and she refused to listento anyone. I knew the weed was already leading to harder substances, but I had warned her that if she continued down that path, we couldn’t be friends. My mother couldn’t risk me being friends with a junkie. My threats seemed to have some effect, but getting an addict to quit their habit was like trying to move a boulder singlehandedly. I knew that better than anyone, having once commented on my mother’s drinking, and my cheek had burned for weeks afterward.
“So is that a yes?” Simone asked, sidestepping my question.
“Sure.”
Just then, Kyle and his friends joined us. He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close. I stiffened, but I managed to muster a smile as I turned to him. Kyle leaned down and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before guiding me to class. I tried to subtly shrug off his arm as we entered the classroom, and luckily, he let go as we found seats next to each other.
As I arranged my things, I glanced back at where Jared was sitting. As always, he had his sketchpad in front of him, waiting for class to start. Sometimes, he even drew during class. I wondered how he could see anything with his bangs hanging over his face, but I had seen his artwork before. Perhaps he was planning to attend art school after graduation. He certainly had the talent for it.
“Hey, Ali,” Kyle called, drawing my attention away from Jared. He leaned closer to me. “Should I come over earlier before the party?”
I knew what he was really asking, and my heart began to race with fear, but I maintained the smile I had been taught.
“Um, actually, I think I’ll drive myself tonight,” I replied.
Kyle furrowed his brow, looking confused since I usually rode with him.
“Then come over to my place,” he insisted.
“Um…”Think fast, Alison, I told myself. “I got a B on my last chemistry test, and my mom is furious, so the only way I can go to the party tonight is if I study for the next test before I go.”
Kyle sighed, appearing disappointed, but he leaned away from me, turning to one of his other friends to chat. As voices continued to buzz around me, they gradually faded into an indistinct cacophony as I once again turned to watch Jared. He was intensely focused on his work, his hand moving in perfectly straight lines to create whatever he pictured in his mind.
My heart raced again, but this time, I couldn’t identify the feeling that surged within me. It seemed to accompany every glance at Jared, and for once, it wasn’t an unpleasant sensation. He was the one thing that didn’t make me feel like something was wrong... and I resented him for it.
Chapter 8
-Alison-
I woke up in the morning, finding myself once again turned away from Jared, with his arm draped around my waist. His hand had shifted from my breast, but his warm breath brushed against the nape of my neck, and I could sense his morning wood pressing against my back. I let out a sigh and endeavored to inch away from him. However, even in his slumber, Jared seemed to have an uncanny awareness of my movements, and he drew me closer to him. My attempt to push his arm away was met with a displeased groan, along with his instruction for me to remain still.
“Master, it’s morning,” I whispered.
“We can sleep for a little while longer,” he replied.
I turned to look at the clock, only to find it was already 12.
