Page 58 of The Commons

“I never really let you. You never asked, you just did. I could have a punishment in mind.” He draws closer.

I hold my gasp with my head bent, intensely nervous as he continues to speak.

“And moreover, Patrons are the law…” He puts his hand on the wall beside me, enclosing me, causing me to gravitate backwards against the flower garnished wall.

“Right… how could I ever forget?” I tuck my hair behind my ear, flustered in his presence.

I’m terrified that he might lose interest if I change the conversation like last time, so I decide to use this opportunity to get to know him even better.

“What’s that?” I ask, pointing to the snake tattoo on his wrist.

“A tattoo.” His gaze stays on me, steady, with a slight smirk.

“Right. I can obviously see that. How did you get it?” I respond with a slight chuckle.

“My dad burnt it into my skin.”

“What? You’re joking⁠—”

“Yeah, I’m joking.”

I narrow my eyes and bite my lips unintentionally, trying to read him. Something about the way he said that sentence at first without hesitation made me think that he was not actually joking. But I can’t bring myself to tell him he is lying, so I just move on despite my puzzlement.

“Oh! Wow. Some joke. So, why’d you pick a snake?”

“I didn’t. My dad picked it for me.”

Okay, now I know he wasn’t joking the first time, but again I can’t tell him he is lying.

“Oh, okay, so um… why are we here?” I ask, staring at him with a puckered forehead, trying to read him again.

“Do you not want to be here, with me?” His beautiful eyes open like a butterfly’s wings, alluring me, but I want to concentrate, so I look down.

“Are you really here with me, or are you about to leave once I ask you something you don’t like?”

“I’m sorry about last time. I can’t promise that it won’t happen again, though.”

“Why’s that?”

“You ask too many questions. Some things are best left unanswered.”

“Not to me. I want all the answers!”

“Sure, you do.” He smiles, his eyes tracing me from my lips, to my neck, to my breast, to the edge of my skirt, then back into my eyes. He draws close.

I am tense.

“How about I ask you the questions this time, huh?” he whispers in my ear.

“Sure.” My eyelashes flutter in attraction to him.

“Okay, let us start light. Did you want me to kiss you in the Chemistry Hallway?”

“That’s light?”

“Very light. Compared to what I have in mind.”

“Um… I wanted you to save me from your Patron group, so I guess, in that respect.”