Beyond Redemption

Chapter Fourteen

"'Cause you're too fuckin' beautiful...And everybody wants a taste, that's why. I still get jealous." - Jealous by Nick Jonas

Phoenix's POV

I hate beating around the bush. Especially when it comes to women. I preferred being direct and straightforward.

This wasn't the case with Scarlet though. When it came to her, I liked playing games. I liked the chase.

It's almost like a journey through the desert. You feel that incessant itch in the back of your throat, making it damn near impossible to see, hear, think. Rendering your senses useless. You're desperate for the smallest sip of liquid. Anything just to soothe the ache.

Fortunately, someway, somehow, a glass of water magically appears. So you drink it. Right?

But it's not that easy. You have to decide whether you're going to savor the water by taking small sips throughout or drink the entire thing in one go and pray that it will satisfy you until you reach a source.

Well, Scarlet was my magic-sent glass of water during this time of endless agony and I longed for a taste. But I wasn't greedy.

No, no, no  I was definitely not greedy. I was going to take the tiniest sips, maybe even increase my intake as I go along. But I wasn't going to take her all in one go.

Where's the fun in that?

Hopefully, my journey will be over soon and I'll find more water. 

After my encounter with Scarlet in the library, I sat through some classes but it was a blur because my mind was on one person.

The answer should be pretty obvious by now. But I'll say her name anyway.

Scarlet.

Scarlet was everything I wanted. She was so soft and perfect. And seeing her body react to me was the highlight of my day, possibly my entire life. She was so magnificently perfect. From the way she conducted herself to the way she spoke. It took everything in me not to stay true to my words and have her against that table.

I longed to drink all the water in one gulp. I was desperate even. But I couldn't.

Not yet at least.

It was finally lunchtime and I decided to eat at school today. My decision was heavily influenced by the part of me that hoped I would see her. However, I was properly disappointed when she didn't show.

Saddened, I finished my lunch and was ready to head out when the footballers, who I avoided sitting with today,  huddled around Jason listening keenly to whatever the hell he was saying.

"She said yes to the date," he celebrated as he pumped his fist in the air before the whole table erupted with shouts of celebration. "Give me two weeks and I'll have her cherry popped." He laughed, splitting his index and middle finger, licking in between them as the group giggled at his inappropriate gesture.

I swiftly turned in the opposite direction not wanting to hear anything more about Jason's sex life.

"Scarlet Rose, here I come." Jason finished mockingly. I didn't get too far before I heard another chorus of incessant laughter that followed Jason's statement.

There was this sharp pang in my chest causing me to halt my movements. The concept of gravity seemed unreal as the blood from my feet pounded its way through the vessels and into my brain.

Tuning out all the chatter and noise of the cafeteria I refocused all my attention on Jason. His torturous and painful demise was at the forefront of my mind. My fists clenched and unclenched to the rhythm of my breathing. My entire body itched to punch Jason in his ungrateful little face. I turned on the ball of my feet, taking determined strides to the table ready to pull him apart limb by limb.