deeper please

Chapter 2: The Chest

Aleia's POV

"Remember, if you don't bring your sketchbooks tomorrow, you won't be able to take part in the drawing contest. I have some really exciting prizes-" I rattle the box full of trinkets above my head, "that I have for you. Thank you for showing up. Good night!"

My voice is met with a chorus of chirpy "Good Nights". The classroom fills with the sounds of scraping chairs and paintbrushes hitting glass pots. All the kids get up to put back their supplies in the bins around the class and beam at me as they leave. Five hours of class time and fifteen hours outside class every week, along with full-time college is exhausting, but the fact that these kids got to live the dream I never had makes all the tired nights seem lighter.

Ten minutes later the corridors are empty and the only noise was of the old window air conditioner, as if the kids had never been there in the first place. But I know it had happened, I have a bunch of drawings of myself in front of me to prove it. I am taking the rest of the week off and they made me cards and drawings saying they would miss me.

A couple of long classes and marked assignments later, I am back in my dorm with some of the drawings tacked up on my wall and a huge canvas in front of me. I have laid out my sketch and am ready to paint the mask of a person I presented as myself to everyone. The art room at the school I taught is my usual sanctuary, but tonight I wanted to be in my home- my dorm, the only place that felt like mine with its deep red walls. Shit, I spoke too early, maybe I am never going to find the peace I so deeply craved. The disruption to my peace at this moment is a sudden heavy thud against the wall that nearly makes my canvas fall over.

I leave my room with a groan to go bang on the door next to mine, "Okay man, ion know which rocket you're trying to build here but-" I run face first into a naked chest and get a deep inhale of his leather perfume. Khair grabs my shoulder and steadies me with a smirk.

Shit. He knows I was able to smell it.

Double shit. Whatever. Since I am caught anyways, I take a moment to take him in: he is only wearing a pair of grey sweatpants that hang low on his hips and there is a light layer of sweat all over him. I have seen glimpses of his tattoos before, but now that they are on full display, I wanted to spend hours studying them. He looks achingly gorgeous. Do I have a slight crush on my new roommate?? Maybe.

I am about to mumble an apology when a female voice moans from his room, that he tactfully hides with his body and the door: "Khair babes come back in here."

That is when I notice the red lines on his neck, probably made from fingernails and his curls all messy and sticking in different directions. Does this new development make my heart ache?? Maybe.

Putting on a disgusted face I demand "Do you have a girl over?? Have you not read our rules about guests?? First, you barge in here during finals and take an entire week to move in. You still have to move your hideous female mannequin from the living room. Why do you even have-" In proper Khair fashion, he covers my mouth again. And again, I bite down on his palm, only this time his hand doesn't smell like the honey hand soap. Nor does he swear. He just puts on a smug smile, causing his dimples to pop up (in the cutest way possible!!) and deadpan asks me:

"Are you jealous Aleia?" More than I am ready to admit.

Angelique's POV

It is Aleia's spam of texts that makes me look away from my spreadsheet. Shit, where had the last 3 hours gone?? My clients were indecisive, to say the least, and this anniversary party really shouldn't be taking me this long to plan. Deciding that I am not going to be able to conquer this ship tonight, I shove my laptop in my bag and book an Uber back to my dorm. While I wait outside the building, I put on music through my AirPods and glance through Aleia's vent about how annoying Khair is. Cosmo and he had moved in a week ago and while the eye candy was enjoyable, they are getting on Aleia's last nerves and the fact that it is December isn't helping. She also mentions a girl he has over. Well, that's interesting. I have heard stories about him with multiple partners but I am not sure if telling Aleia would help. I love her a lot, but sometimes she can get lost in her overthinking and self-depreciation.

Plus, I have seen her stare a little longer than necessary at him. This is hilarious because I am pretty sure Cosmo is gay and in love with Khair. I just hope she doesn't get hurt again. Shooting her a quick reply asking her to suffocate him with a trash bag if required, I switch apps and pull up my Instagram.

I am not a big fan of social media, but being in an art college and to keep my freelance work going, I need a modern means of marketing myself. It isn't like I could put ads in the newspaper anymore. Orrrrr can I?? I put that thought aside for when I have more energy. This Uber is taking wayyy longer than it should be. How many people are possibly requesting a ride at 2 am anyways??

And just like that, I feel that shiver again. I haven't felt it in years. But at the same time, it feels like yesterday as my skin crawls and my heartbeat picks up. I frantically look around me, but it is all the same. The overflowing trash cans on the right of the building and sleeping kittens in the small cracks and the flickering sign. It is all the same. I repeat that over and over again and again. It is all the same.

Inhale, 1, 2, 3, 4. Exhale, 1, 2- my phone pings in my hand. You would think it was the damned Uber, but instead, it is an anonymous DM. It is a picture. I immediately recognize the matching blond hair, the matching high cheekbones, and the bright red lingerie. Underneath it, a text reads: "Deep breathing isn't going to help you now Angie."