lovely desire

boiling

"At home," I answer like it was a stupid question.
"And what about the helmet?"
I look down to the helmet I placed next to my bag and shrug my shoulders.
"Aryan saw me waiting at the bus station."
Another lie.
"And quite by accident he had a second helmet with him?" The suspicion with which she said it spoke volumes. She doesn't believe me one bit. She knows me too damn well.

"And since when are you wearing your hair like that? You hate braiding it."
You're really leaving nothing out right now, are you?
"Oh that," I say, grabbing the end of the braid. "I wanted to try it out again. I thought it might look well. You know, my mom used to do it when I was a little kid and-"
"You're aware of your blabbering, are you? I know you're lying to me."
I look at her and then turn my attention to the teacher without giving her an answer. Because she's right. I am lying to her.

Thirty minutes later, the bell finally rings, releasing us into our lunch break. Amy and I go down to the cafeteria and buy ourselves something to eat.
"So," she exclaims, swallowing a piece of her cookie. "Did you finish math homework?"
I look at her, not tilting my head up as I suck on the straw in my coke.
At least she knows when to shut up about something.
"You know I never do my homework," I answer in a serious tone after swallowing my drink.
"Yeah right," she face palms herself. "I forgot just how much of a baddie you are."
"Is sarcasm the only language you spea-"

"Can we talk for a second?" Eros' voice suddenly reaches my ears, making me turn my head up to where his face is.
"What?" I snap. Amy and I look at him, waiting for him to speak.
"Alone." he adds and then rolls his eyes into Amy's direction. With a sigh, I get up.
"You know I'm your sister right? She's gonna tell me anyway you idiot," Amy shouts after us as we leave.

We walk around the corner into an empty hallway. His eyes flick down to my hand before I sense a twitch of his and step back slightly. "You don't wanna hold my hand?" he asks confused, hurt flashing in his eyes.

"So what's the matter?" I ignore his question. Because I really don't want to hold his hand. I stand in front of him and cross my arms, giving him an expecting look and counting to ten in my head. If he doesn't open his fucking mouth at five, I'm out.

"Have you seen Aryan's hickey?" My heart skips a beat and I have to suppress a smile. "Yeah what about it?" I shrug my shoulders, rolling my eyes to the side but then quickly look back to him. "I don't know I just wonder where he got it from," he challenges, knowing damn well where Aryan got it from.

I shrug my shoulders and look away again, this time turning my whole head. I can't look at people's faces when lying to them, even if I want to.

"I just thought he maybe told you since you two are such good friends again."
That was more passive aggressive.
"Is there anything you'd like to talk about? Because if you're gonna keep accusing me of random things I'm gonna leave," I snap at him, my patience about to run out.

"The problem is that it's not just random things. You weren't home last night. I know that because I was there to ask you out on a date. I also couldn't reach you via phone. Today you came to school - four hours late - with a helmet in your one hand because Aryan took you to school with him. On his motorcycle. I bet you spent the night with him," Eros says with a now even more aggressive voice than before.

My blood starts to boil. I'm so annoyed of him, I might actually snap and break his fucking nose to release some anger.
Taken aback by my violent thoughts, I quickly decide to shake it iff and leave his pretty nose alone.
I feel like the more time I spend with Aryan, the more my past self starts to appear. My angry self, unbothered by anything. Simply not giving a fuck about anyone but herself.

"I already told you I don't know where he got the hickey from. He saw me at the bus station and offered me a ride. We've been best friends back then so what's the point of acting like a bitch now?" I lie smoothly.
"You were friends before he decided to ruin everything and fall in love with you, Eros argued.

"Yeah," I nod,"and we grew the fuck up and got it sorted out. I spent the night at my aunt's because her boyfriend left her for a younger woman. Then I overslept because I was awake all night watching movies with her to distract her. And anyway - we're not even in a relationship so what's your fucking problem," I scream the last words without even realizing that I raised my voice.

Lies lies lies.

He looks at me in disbelief and leaves me standing in the hallway on my own with my arms still crossed. I let out an annoyed sigh before pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Well that didn't go very well," I hear a deep, husky voice say behind me. The same one that whispered dirty things in my ear the other night. I turn around and see Aryan leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed.

He lowers his arms and starts walking towards me. "What should I have told him?" I start. "Oh I made that hickey last night when we made out in a club while his friends sold drugs for him and then I spent the night at his house," I purposely deepen my voice to achieve a sarcastic overtone, my face matching my attitude.

Aryan smirks, taking a few steps forward.
He brushes my hair strands behind my left ear and then cups my face, sending electric sparks through my body. This is the first genuine smile I caught since he came back. He always has such a careless, cold look on his face. Probably to show dominance - not gonna lie it works.

"What?" I snap at him but with a more calm voice than before. "You're cute when you're angry."
"Shut the fuck up, Aryan," I warn.
"Say it again," says, making me furrow my brows. "My name. It sounds pretty on your tongue."

"Careful," I raise my brows. "I might dagger you if you don't stop spilling shit."
I slightly pull my face away and look at him with my eyebrows still raised and a smirk on my face. "Eros could come back. We don't want anyone to think you're catching feelings," I say in a fake dramatic tone. "Nah," he shakes his head and comes closer again.

I step back against the wall behind me. There's no space for me to move backwards anymore. Aryan presses me against the wall, his one hand next to my head and the other one placed under my ear with his thumb in front of it. I put my hands on his chest to push him away gently but he doesn't step back. Instead he goes in for a kiss.

"I'd better get back to Amy. She's probably wondering where I am," I try because this is the only excuse that comes to my mind. "She'll survive half an hour without you," Aryan says, unimpressed with my lack of improvisation.

"No, really, Aryan," I say a little more urgent. He looks at me, letting out a heavy sigh in annoyance. "Fine. I'll meet you in the parking lot after school."
I smile at him and leave, having to push past him by mere inches because he won't move away from the wall.
"Mabel," I hear his deep voice shout so I turn around,"they're not my friends. They work for me." he corrects with a wink and stalks off in the opposite direction.

I get back to Amy and finish eating right before the bell rings.
"I mean I can understand his concerns. I also thought it looked weird when you came into the classroom and then when I saw his hickey afterwards," Amy says while we're walking to our next lesson, expressing her loyalty to her brother.
"I know but we're just friends," I answer.

When are you going to stop lying?
Shut the fuck up.

After school is over we walk to our lockers. "Okay, I'll leave now. By-" "Wait, I can drive you home," Amy interrupts me as I'm already turning around to leave. I turn back to her.
"Oh uhm, it's fine. Aryan will drive me, actually," I say. Amy slowly turns to me and raises her eyebrow.
"Okay. Well then see you tomorrow," she says, then turns back to her locker. "Bye bye," I say while quickly leaving.

That's enough Williams for today.

I walk out of the building and towards the parking lot where Aryan is already sitting on his motorcycle.
"Did you want to leave without me?" I ask while climbing onto it.
"I didn't think you'd come anymore," he justifies.
"Aryan, there's people that put their stuff in lockers," I say while leaning to the side to look at him and putting on my helmet.
"Yeah whatever. Are you ready?"

I give him a thumbs up with my other hand already holding onto him. We drive off the parking lot with everyone else looking at us. They're probably all wondering since when we're talking again and if the hickey's from me. I mean it is but that's besides the point.

Aryan drops me off at my house and I wave at him while going inside.
"There you are, finally," I hear a familiar voice and flinch as I put the key away.