The test, I knew would be the dorm. If stalker guy was there, if he left me alone, I had made a big breakthrough. If he was there, I would finally be able to use my new get-lost techniques.
My footsteps echoed in the empty stairwell. I opened the door to my floor and almost felt disappointed that he also had evaded me. Then again, the last time he had been around it was less than comfortable.
Still, he felt like the strongest of my visitors besides Elizabeth.
My mood sank when I realized I hadn’t done anything to help locate her mother. I would have to ask Dr. Eyebright about it when we met in a couple days. I rounded the corner into my hall and froze.
Standing against my door was Stalker guy.
“I said, where is she?” His words ricocheted off the cinderblock walls.
I stood my ground, anchoring, and grounding as quickly as I could. Taking a deep breath and keeping myself calm. “you are not welcome here. You must leave.”
His image waivered slightly. Interesting – this was new.
He seemed to falter, but repeated, “Where is she?”
“I hear you; I see you, and you are not welcome, I forcibly remove you from this space.” My words were not as strong this time, partially because this was the one that required hand motions. I took a few steps forward, focusing on my breathing and remaining grounded. “I command you to leave this space.”
He looked at me with conviction, his image flickered, and then he was gone.
I had done it! He left! I could feel it instantly. The energy in the hall shifted. I smiled, walking forward but froze as I saw four people at the end of the hall. Their expressions read they had unmistakably witnessed most of the interaction that had taken place just now.
Awesome. I walked as casually as I could to my door, trying to avoid the overwhelming wave of intense dread. All the rejection, alienation, and solidarity that I had come to know as my everyday existence before I arrived here rushed back in less than a second.
I shut the door before I could hear the whispers that had started. I sighed tossing myself onto my bed.
Well the good news was I wasn’t going to be bothered by stalker boy for a while, the bad news was rumor would start to swirl about the crazy girl in room 231 who yells at empty hallways.
A knock on the door pulled me out of my self-loathing. I got up slowly, not really wanting to deal with anyone.
The door opened and I smiled, “Hey.”
His smile melted all the negative energy. I opened the door wider, not able to wipe the grin off my face.
“My phone’s dead. Sorry, were you busy?” Tyler sat on my bed and reached for my phone charger. “How do you not have an iPhone?” He dropped my cord and looked for one of the roommate’s chargers. He plugged his phone in, turning back towards me, “So, how’s your day?” He reached for me, and I complied. “I missed you” he said as I sat down next to him. He wrapped his arms around my waist and nuzzled my neck.
My mind swam with his smell. I loved his scent after practice. The fresh showered smell, with a little bit of his sweat mixed together. My stomach filled with butterflies and I sighed as his lips trailed down my collarbone.
His throaty chuckles against my skin made goose bumps stand up on my arms. “Did you miss me?”
“Yes,” I breathed, pulling his face to my lips. I couldn’t be farther away from him. I had to feel his skin, taste his breath, feel his muscular arms tightly holding me. I pulled my shirt over my head, grabbing his, irritated when it hung up on his shoulder.
His smooth skin was intoxicating. I couldn’t touch enough of it. I straddled him with my hand tightly in his hair, while the other almost clawed at his back.
We hadn’t let things get this out of hand since the one time. We kept our senses about us, controlling the hunger that seemed to build in our souls. For me, he was the only thing that would sate it.
He lifted me and placed me below him, never letting go. “Savanah, you are so beautiful.” The words made him pause, realizing it was the phrase that had sent me crying the last time. I smiled at him, reclaiming his lips.
“Thank you,” I breathed into his ear.
“Never let anyone make you feel anything but beautiful,” he had slowed the fast track we were headed down, making sure I truly was ok. “I mean it Savanah, you are beautiful. Inside and out,” his fingers touched my hair, and I looked down, to keep the tears from creeping out.
“I don’t deserve you,” I whispered almost to myself.
His finger lifted my chin gently, “It is me who doesn’t deserve. I’ve been an ass for years, and I promise I haven’t earned you. Not by half.”
This caught my attention, “You were an ass?”
He laughed, lifting himself slightly off me, still not letting go completely. “Oh, my hell, I was such a dick in high school.” He shook his head, “Seriously, I’m glad you don’t know anyone from my hometown.” He smiled, allowing his dimples to compliment his guilty expression, “I treated girls like crap. I was a complete player. I cheated, used, you name it, I probably did it.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“It’s true. You want some references? They’ll tell ya, I don’t deserve a nice girl. Let alone a smoking hot one.” His hands trailed along my shoulders, grazing my arms, teasing my stomach with his gentle touches. “So, yeah I guess
