CHOICES (Completed)

CATS, CLICHÉ, CLASSIC

My breathing falters and I glare at him once again at which he simply bites his lip to fight back a laugh. That jerk!

I try to remove his hand but the touch only aggravates the situation. His hand is warm, rough and soft in the perfect mixture and I have to remove my hand instantly.

I swallow nervously and burst my knuckles in agitation. Hardin’s small but sensually torturous gesture is turning me on like hell.

His palm slowly trails up, over my thigh and he plays with the lace on the end of my black A-line dress.

I clutch the lapels of my denim jacket not concerned that I’m creasing them as his fingers delicately play with the lace occasionally giving me feather touches.

I concentrate hard to keep my face composed and prevent my eyes from rolling back and closing. His fingers trail further reaching the apex of my thighs and I stand up abruptly with a shocked gasp. My skin turns cold immediately and still shivers with the lingering touch. I dare not even imagine my face that has turned too warm presumably with all the adrenaline.

I smoothen my dress lightly and find numerous pairs of eyes looking at me incredulously.

Say something Tessa dammit.

“Uh, I’m sorry. I’ll just bring that.” Dean Brandon looks at me like suddenly I’m the fish with legs and so does everyone else around the table. And I don’t blame them. Bring what?

“Bring what exactly, Miss Young?”

“Uh, whatever it is you need. I mean, if you need anything at all. Some paperwork, or anything? I just had a, um, catch, in my leg.” I catch a glimpse of an amused Hardin while I try to sound reasonable to my own ears.

After a few minutes though, Dean Brandon speaks up and I’m relieved to get out of this situation.

“Ah, a list of the colleges and the games involved would be good, Miss Young. You’ll find them with the librarian.”

“Right. I’ll just be a minute.” I turn instantly, so fast I almost get a whiplash and somehow my legs try to embarrass me more than I already was by winding up against the leg of my own chair making me stumble.

I save myself just in time with a simultaneous gasp of surprise all around.

“Theresa, are you okay?” Dean Brandon speaks up while Trevor half stands up to help me and Hardin sits unfazed looking straight ahead. Smirking, for all I know. That stupid monkey!

I mumble a small ‘I’m okay’ and scurry off to the librarian, asking her for the required papers and she takes enough time which gives me breath to relax and think.

Personal favourite of a pastime. Replay past incidents, overthink about the conclusions and berate myself for not opting the other badass options available. The ones I would have, could have, should have opted.

Hardin Scott is a total asshole. Period. Exclamation mark.

I just don’t know what gets into him suddenly. He’s bipolar. No, MULTIPOLAR. That’s it.

Minutes tick by and the librarian hands me some papers with a smile that I return.

I pat the papers into a shaped bundle and walk off towards the table when suddenly a hand slides me between one of the shelves!