Page 37 of The Commons

“And plus, we can’t do that until we see who passes the tests in six weeks. Trust me, I got a long list,” Lenon says.

I think to myself, The Seventh Zone? But there isn’t a seventh wing, we only have 6 zones in The Commons.

CHAPTER 9

Building Chemistry

What if Levon was sent to The Seventh Zone? My heart starts beating really fast. I think to myself, The Tragedy of The Commons book. All the answers must be in there… I think. I need to go to the library. Lost in my thoughts, I look to the right to see the brunette girl come up to me. Before I can say anything, she pushes me forward and into the Chemistry Hallway!

Shocked, I look back at her.

“Sorry, we volunteer you go next,” she whispers.

I look at the Patrons and slowly drag my feet backward before I am noticed. But before I can move out of sight, they all turn my direction, including Pesh. My eyes meet his and I am caught up staring at him, terrified. He looks at me, puzzled, but his gaze stays on me, unwavering.

Lenon looks at him with a smirk. “Yo, she just disrespected you. She’s staring. Are you gonna let her get away with that?” he challenges Pesh.

“Brown eyes just stepped into fire!” Patron Suzandrick exclaims, grinning.

Pesh does not react to them, his gaze still on me. I have no clue what to do. Where to go. I can’t run. I can’t keep walking toward them or that looks like I’m asking for attention. And I can’t go back. I’ll look weak. So, I simply stand still. For some stupid reason, I can’t look away from Pesh. I think that by staring at him, he’ll save me, or something. But he does not.

“If you’re not gonna punish her, I will.” Lenon begins to stand up, but in the same moment, Pesh strikes his hands down and stands up.

I take a huge breath. My goodness.

Pesh approaches me in a fast, confident walk. My heart starts to beat louder and louder. I hold my breath and look down instantly as he stops right in front of me.

He pulls my neck closer and whispers, “Didn’t you know? Or are you trying to get my attention, is that it?”

My palms sweat in nervousness at being this close to him. “I was pushed.”

“Do you wanna go back?” he asks.

I peek back. I don’t want to go back there, so I shake my head.

“Do you want to keep moving?”

I look forward, and somehow, for some reason, I don’t want to leave now that he’s here in front of me. So I’m honest. I shake my head.

He eyes me, a light in his eyes. “Okay,” his voice gently says, drawing closer. “But if you do stay, you know what I have to do?”

My eyes flutter, lost in his gaze. Have to do? Is it that much of an obligation for him to kiss me?

“Are you scared?”

I nod again as he draws closer. He pulls my waist up to his level and tightens his grip.

“Don’t be,” he whispers. “But you do have to trust me this time, no matter what I do. Okay?”

“Oka—” Before I can respond, he cuts me off and begins to kiss me.

I gasp, overwhelmed by the ocean thrust of his lips flooding mine in a heated current. I am at a loss as to when he will stop, so I surrender myself completely to his persistent pressure and let go of my thoughts, just for a moment.

His tongue courses around mine, forming its way through my tongue, tying it tighter and tighter and running rounds on it in circles and circles, and all I can do is open my mouth in order to somehow keep breathing. His tongue is a universe all on its own and its power is bringing every part of mine to its knees. If tongues could bow, mine must have fallen flat on its face.

I try to inhale a single breath that is outside of his mouth, but he catches it with his tongue and drags my lips into his as though to remind my tongue of its place in this moment. Oh my.

He stops kissing me, but before I can gasp, he goes in for another quick round and bites the tip of my lips. I am dumbfounded by his passionate persistence, but he does not relent. I can hear complete quietness as everyone watches. He lifts me up, grabbing my butt with vigor in his veins and pushing me against the wall. I am tense, but I choose to trust him in this moment. His hands contract and expand vigorously against my butt, tightly squashing it into his grip completely, so much my skirt feels so embarrassed at its claim of being a covering. Pesh’s hands are a meteoritic force that cannot be studied or stopped. The way it moves, it cannot be understood or predicted, and I am a subject to its unwavering current surging mightily into my skin, demanding my body to moan in service of its agility. Mmm, I’m so screwed. He pulls my legs up, and I feel his hands scroll from my hips to the tip of my skirt. I try to hold my gasp, unable to predict his next move. Before I can open my mouth to speak, I feel his hand slip a note into my underwear. I swallow my spit in a gulp.