A Dangerous Desire

12| Right This Second

<Glory>

I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night.

My mind was a jumbled mess of words. I could hardly breathe right. It felt as if my world was ending.

The three words that I dreaded the most.

I love you.

Words that could either break you or make you.

"U-um, it's getting late," I had said, avoiding his gaze. I couldn't look at him or else he'd see how vulnerable I really was.

"Yeah," he responded, searching my face. "I should... go. Good night?"

"Good night."

My night was long and uncomfortable. Any time I tried to force myself to stop thinking about him, I'd end up thinking about him more. Whatever I had just entangled myself into, it was sticky and messy.

I was a sticky, messy, mess.

My alarm clock went off and I lay there in my bed and listened to the repetitive blaring for a moment before turning it off with a sigh. Had that night already finished? Was it already time to go to school and put up with everyone once again?

I groaned, dragging myself out of bed and heading to the bathroom to brush my teeth and shower. By the time I finished dressing myself, I was already late and running down the stairs.

"Good morning," Grandeur said from beside the countertop as she sipped on her tea. "Slept well?"

"I slept fine," I said, fumbling with the coffee maker to pour me a cup of coffee. "You feel okay?"

"I feel fine," Grandeur replied, eyeing me dubiously. "You look tired. That boyfriend of yours kept you up all night?"

"Uh, no," I said, trying to hide the faint blush that made its way to my cheeks. "I just came home late, that's all."

"Right," she murmured in response as I quickly covered my coffee and headed for the door. I quickly sent her an air kiss before walking out of the house and locking the door behind me. I started walking at a quick pace and noticed Sunny sitting on the porch of her house, looking around.

"Sunny?" I asked. "We're going to be late!"

"I know!" she cried back, running off her porch and matching my pace. "I was waiting for you."

"Why?" I asked, taking a sip of my coffee.

"Because I saw Deathbringer bring you home last night and knew you'd be too happy to sleep. Also, I brought you breakfast because I know you didn't have any."

"Thoughtful, but unnecessary," I said, but took the egg sandwich she handed me. "Also, I didn't sleep because I had homework. Deathbringer had nothing to do with it."

"Right," Sunny said. "Tsunami and I are going to start the Prom posters next week, if you're interested," she mentioned at a rather quick pace, and I had to beat back the growing suspicion that she was deliberately changing the subject.

We made it five minutes late, well, later than everyone else, and I had to go to my first class by myself because Sunny had a different class than me. I quickly sat down at the desk beside Tsunami as her eyes narrowed in my direction.

Don't look at Deathbringer, don't look at Deathbringer.

"I thought you'd never come," she whispered to me as I set my coffee down and organized my things. "What held you up? You're never late."

"Glory Bright," Web's once again condescending tone said. "You're late. And you know the consequences for being late."

Crap.