𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐌𝐄

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟒

carmen

Marketing was going by painfully slow, the only sound being Professor Acker's voice and students scribbling down as many notes as they can, considering the Professor's exceptional pace of speaking.

I was trying my best to listen to his lecture, but every so often my hand would creep up my neck and feel a certain spot. The spot where Damian had kissed me, or more like sucked me. The next day, I woke up and found a dark purple bruise where his lips had touched.

The idiot had given me a hickey.

It was my first time receiving a hickey and I couldn't tell anyone. No one could know that Damian had given me this hickey, not even Nila. I couldn't risk anyone knowing, and I worried that Nila might accidentally tell Eli or someone else.

That morning I had spent about fifteen minutes googling YouTube tutorials on how to cover a hickey. A lot of blood, sweat and tears later, about half a bottle of concealer was slapped onto my neck and blended as best as possible.

I was nervous that the concealer could be melting off or the purple accents of the hickey was showing, potentially ruining my whole 'good girl' act. The last thing people think I would have is a hickey, considering everyone around me treats me like a child and no one wants to tarnish my innocence.

Except Damian.

Damian was the only person that didn't seem to care about the fact I was completely inexperienced in every department, but instead, he seemed more focused on trying to ruin me. The stares, the times where he touched me when he shouldn't have, or the little threats he would give me whenever another boy was involved.

I shouldn't like it, I repeat to myself. But I can't help it.

The man gave me butterflies in all the right places, leaving me breathless whenever he was near. I should stay away, if it was any other boy I wouldn't be comfortable around them, the looming darkness; the black ink running down his arms, neck, hands which makes me wonder where else he has tattoos; his piercing eyes that could kill.

But if he was so dangerous, then why am I drawn to him? Why do I feel safe around him, as if no danger could come near me?

All this built up frustration is soon going to get the best of me, I'm already suffering at this moment. But whilst I'm having all these mixed thoughts about Damian, he's probably as calm as a yoga teacher.

This is all just a game to him, he's bored and taking it out on me. He doesn't like me like that and I know it, I'm just choosing to ignore it. This is some twisted fantasy if I'm expecting him to drop to his knees and pretend that I'm the only woman in the world. I'm familiar with Damian's reputation and his common habit of sleeping around. He's just like every other male in this world.

I'm having a silly crush and need to get over it asap, and get out of the Damian-drooling phase. My molars grind together and I continue on with the work, unless I wanted to crush my jaw from how much my teeth were grinding against each other.

The lecture ends and Professor Ackers calls me back to talk to me. I'm not exactly sure what his unusual interest in me is but I brush it off, it's probably nothing.

"Hey, Carmen!" His eyes quickly trail over my attire consisting of leggings and a sweatshirt.

"Hey Professor, what's up?"

"I just wanted to congratulate you on your hard work and effort that you've been putting in this class. I understand it's a hard topic to grasp but you seem to be handling it really well." I smile at his praise, feeling content. This Marketing class was quite hard, and it also didn't make it any easier that boys made up most of the class.