Playing With Fire

Chapter Thirty-Six

                                     Recap     

            “One condition.” He demands, suddenly, holding his finger up.

            I drop my hands from his shoulders and let them hang, “What is it?”

            “I’m taking you both to and from school.” Travis states without room for disagreement.

            As if I’d disagree to that.

            “On your motorbike?” I reply, genuinely curious.

            “No.” He gives me an incredulous look, “There’s an Impala in the garage."

            “I see,” I nod my head to emphasize y point. Clearly, our conversation is coming to an end.

            “Okay.” Travis says awkwardly while I look down and pat my pockets, “I’m going to change.”

            I look up and watch him go, but then he suddenly halts I his position. Suddenly, he turns around as quick as he had done on his way out, and he takes two large strides towards me. He ducks his head and I remain frozen as he nudges my hair to the side. Within seconds, I feel his lips pull on the skin of my neck, a warm-cool sensation tickling my nerves.

            And then, he’s gone. He distances himself again, allowing the cold air to rush to my exposed skin. When I open my daze filled eyes, Travis is staring at my neck.

            “Good luck explaining that one to Layla.” He winks, managing to catch me off guard.

         A hand flies to the subdued sting on my neck, and I silently curse when I feel the tender skin underneath my fingers.

             “Oh hell!” I hiss just as he saunters out the door, “A hickey?”

                                     Chapter Thirty Six

             I’ve always been fascinated by outdated cars. I like to believe that outdated doesn’t necessarily mean outrageous. Perhaps—outrageously vogue—but never outrageous alone.

               Sitting in Travis’s outrageously vogue, exceedingly impressive Impala, I find it surprisingly easy to leave my precautions and heavy anxiety at his doorstep. There still is this hazy cloud hovering above my head, but the scent of fresh leather does a good job of distracting me.

              For every once in a while, I find myself tracing along the seams of the beige leather seats. With Travis driving across the highway towards to school, and Layla sitting in the back seat, her face glued to her phone, I sigh and re-adjust my gym coat from last night.

               Unfortunately, Layla and I wear the same exact clothes we slept in. furthermore, I had to throw on my black jacket to cover my patched up arm and the newformed hickey on my neck.

                At the mention of the hickey, I frown and take a quick glance at Travis from the corner of my eye. The corners of his mouth lift up into a curve, but he doesn’t say anything else. That’s probably best for both our sakes.

               Just as I turn to look out the window, I notice we are entering the parking lot of our campus. I take in my surroundings, observing the usual routine of people gathering around their friends’ cars moments before school begins.