Deviant - Black Mountain Academy

“Is there a problem?”

“Tonight, at six, I want you at my house,” he speaks as he circles a large red A on the white page. When he finally looks up, I grin, noticing how handsome he looks with glasses on. It’s only for a few moments that he wears them, but it most definitely makes him hotter.

“Okay, I can do that.”

He reaches for something under his desk before looking up at me. “Shower at home, and wear what’s in that box under your clothes.” His chin gestures to a box he sets on the desktop, one I noticed when I walked in peeking out from under his desk.

“What is that?”

“Open it when you get home.” It’s not an entirely large box, so I can only imagine what’s inside. Lingerie, something tiny because nothing I would usually wear would fit in a box like this.

“Do you have any preference on what I wear? Clothing wise?”

“No.” The word is curt, yet there’s a hint of the desire I heard last night. “Because you won’t be wearing it for very long after you walk into my home.”

A small smile creeps on my face. “So, this is a date?” I know I shouldn’t ask; he has made it clear that he only wants sex, and even though I’m fine with that, I can’t stop myself from the wishful thinking that’s taken over me.

Elian stops what he’s doing to look up at me. His eyes lock on mine, and I almost expect him to scream and shout, but he shocks me by grinning.

“It could be,” he says. “Who knows just how much I’ll do to have you on top of me?” he continues, which earns himself an eye roll from me. Just when I thought he was being nice. “I told you, I don’t date, but let’s not rule anything out. Okay?”

“Okay.” I nod before taking the box, shouldering my backpack, and heading for the door. I stop on the threshold and glance at him, expecting him to be looking at his work, but instead, his stare is on me. “See you later.” I keep my voice low since there are people outside the classroom.

I don’t wait for a response. On the quad, Marleigh comes racing for me, and I know she’s going to ask about him keeping me after class. Her eyes are shimmering with questions, her expression glinting with knowing.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe you and teach,” she hisses in my ear when we’re far enough away from everyone else.

“Shh.” I don’t know why I’m shushing her because nobody heard, but just the thought of someone finding out scares the living crap out of me. I’m still nervous as my thoughts take me to tonight. I don’t know just what he expects of me. I’m not even sure what’s in the box, and the unknown is scarier than watching something unfold right before you.

“Are you seriously dating Donati?” Her voice is barely a whisper, but the question has me looking around, even though we’ve moved to the opposite side of the quad where nobody ever comes.

The problem with thinking you’re safe is that usually you’re not. I look at Marleigh who’s practically salivating at the thought of Elian and me being a couple. But what do I tell her? No, we’re just fucking. Even to my ears it sounds as if he’s using me when I believe it’s the other way around.

“We’re not exactly dating,” I finally admit. My chest clenches, my heart rate spiking when I see him walking down the steps toward the parking lot. He looks so good, and that’s where the problem lies. Even though I know I’m a beautiful girl, deep down I still wonder why he chose me.

“Come on, you have to give me something?” Marleigh pleads just as Elian glances at us. He tips his head to the side, a small grin on his face, but it’s not amusement. He’s waiting for me to say something. He can’t hear us, he’s too far away, but I have a feeling he’s going to read my lips.

“Nothing. There’s honestly nothing going on,” I tell her as I tear my gaze away from him. A lie. They’re always lies. Everything in my life has been one lie after another.

“Well,” she responds, completely oblivious to the fact that he’s watching us. “If anything happens, I need to know. For research purposes,” Marleigh tacks on playfully, causing me to laugh.

Elian walks off, slides into the driver’s seat of a sleek, black Maserati I recognize. Only at a place like this do teachers drive million-dollar cars. I lock my gaze on my friend again and smile.

“You’ll be the first to know.”

It’s a promise I can’t keep, but I make it anyway. I’m getting myself into shit. Deep fucking shit, but the need that courses through me each time I’m near him is alarming. And I can’t fight the desire I feel for him. Not anymore.