Read Wreck me, Tavian :: Chapter Nineteen

A few minutes later, she was walking far behind him-not exactly tailing, more like drifting in his shadow.

He didn't look back, even with the faint echo of her footsteps behind him.

From afar, Nyssa watched him round a corner. Her brows knit together, but she didn't slow.

"Something's fishy about him" she whispered, quickening her steps.

She turned the same corner and found herself in another quiet hallway, too fûçking quiet.

She caught sight of him slipping into a room, the door shutting behind him.

Wait, you're going? Are you sick? a voice snapped in her head.

Nyssa stopped walking, eyes fixed on the door.

What if he's an assassin? He could kill you the second you step inside, the voice pressed.

Her lips puckered into a pout before she could stop herself.

"Assassins can't be that handsome" she muttered, smirking at her own words.

Then, her expression turned tight.

What's that room he entered? An empty classroom? His hideout?

Her stomach twisted with questions she didn't have answers to.

She resumed her walk.

Her phone buzzed inside her handbag. She didn't even need to check.

"Alba, not now" she hissed, brushing her aside as she neared the door.

Before she could think again, her hand was already on the knob. The door gave way with a soft click, opening into a room swallowed by darkness.

Nyssa froze.

Why's it so dark?

Still, she went inside, her gaze darting into shadows that revealed nothing.

Did he really just come in here?

"I think this is a bad idea" she breathed, already getting scared.

She retreated one step, almost ready to turn back when the door slammed shut behind her with a deafening thud.

Her chest jolted.

Was that the wind...or something else? Her pulse was hammering in her ears.

A bead of sweat slid down her temple.

But then, the air carried it again-a honey cedar scent.

He's here, she thought, goosebumps forming on her skin.

She walked further in, turning and looking around.

"I know you're here" she blurted, her voice trembling.

"But can you...can you at least turn on the lights?" Her voice echoed in the room.

She clutched her bag tight against her. Only her ragged breathing filled the silence. Something scraped across the floor and her stomach knotted.

What the hell was that? She thought.

Slow, deliberate footsteps followed.

Her throat went dry. Her legs moved on instinct, backing away. The footsteps kept approaching but she didn't stop until her back met the cold wall. Slowly, her bag slipped from her grip and hit the floor.

The steps halted in front of her. A presence pressed in so close her chest nearly exploded from the force of her heartbeat.

The scent of honey cedar washed over her again, pulling almost all her thoughts apart.

Tavian's hands planted against the wall, either side of her head, caging her in.

Though she couldn't see him, she felt his sharp eyes burning into her face.

He stared at her with a dark and cold gaze as if he could see her face so brightly and clearly.

His breath brushed her face, making her pulse thundered so loud he could probably hear it.

"Wh-what... um... what are you trying to do?"

He heard her stammer.

He said nothing and didn't move. The silence stretched, swallowing seconds and even minutes.

She bit her lip nervously.

They stood in the position for so long.

And finally, his hands fell away. His fingers brushed through her hair on the way down, sparking a shiver across her skin.

He stepped back, leaving her side.

Few seconds later, Light burst against her eyes as Tavian flicked a switch.

Nyssa winced at the sudden brightness, then blinked toward the figure standing many steps away from her...with his back to her. He was facing the wall, where his hand lingered on the light switch.

Nyssa's eyes stayed glued to him, her stare unblinking.

"Get. Out" Tavian said at last, his tone low, calm and detached.

She swallowed hard, feet rooted to the spot.

"And if I don't?" The words slipped from her mouth before she realized she'd spoken them.

Her gaze clung to his back, waiting, expecting and hoping for a response. But he didn't speak, he stood there, mute.

Nyssa's teeth caught her lower lip due to the silence.

She stooped, grabbing her handbag off the floor and slinging it back over her shoulder.

Her eyes flicked around the room, staring at a handful of desks and few chairs scattered across the space. The window was curtained. Overall, It felt like a forgotten classroom that was abandoned long ago.

She dragged her gaze back to him once more, then turned and hurried out without closing the door.

When she was sure she's far away, she leaned against the wall, exhaling.

Her palm pressed to her chest, still feeling her heart racing. Thump. Thump.

Memories flashed one after another...

The day his bike crushed her phone.

The day she spotted him in the hallway. The time she trailed him into that strange area...where the dog chase that ended with her throwing herself into his arms.

The gym. The embarrassing night she stumbled drunk into his suite in the club.

She chuckled under her breath.

The gym again...when she nearly flipped over a medicine ball and he caught her in time.

And now... today.

The corner of her mouth twitched as her face grew warm. He had caged her against a wall.

Her cheeks flared red and she hugged herself.

"Why does 'get out' sound so sexy from his lips?" she muttered with a sexy smirk.

But her smirk faltered, turning into a scowl.

"How dare he tell me to get out?"she whispered, her fist clenching at her side.

_______________________

CAMPUS CAFÉ

In front of the counter, Sunniva stood in line with a few other students, her brown handbag hanging from her shoulder.

The guy in front of her collected his order and left, making her next.

She placed her order and later, the barista slid it across to her.

"Thanks" Sun said, pulling out cash.

"You're welcome" the barista replied, taking it.

Sun took her drink and walked away from the counter, scanning the café for a seat. Nearly every table was taken. Her shoulders sagged until she spotted some girls vacating a table.

Relief washed over her.

"Thank goodness" she murmured.

Before people could sit there, she hurried over and slid into the empty seat.

Sun sipped her coffee, only to yelp softly when it scorched her tongue.

"Ouch" She stuck her tongue out, puffing air over it.

"May I?"

The deep voice startled her.

Her eyes shot up to see a boyish girl standing at her table. One hand held an iced dirty chai latte, the other gripped the back of a chair.

Her hair was cropped short, dark and slick. She wore an oversized navy rugby shirt, black cargo pants, and crisp white sneakers.

With that, Sun already assumed she was a tomboy.

"May I?" the tomboy repeated, quirking a brow at Sun's lingering stare.

Flustered, Sun cleared her throat and forced a small smile.

"Sure..you can sit" She gestured awkwardly at the chair she held.

"Okay" The tomboy's voice was plain, almost flat, as she pulled the chair back and sat.

She slid her canvas backpack onto the table, then lifted her latte for a sip.

Sun quickly tucked her tongue back into her mouth and returned to her drink, eyes on her cup.

Silence pooled between them.

********

The parking lot glowed under the low evening sun. At 5:30 PM, shadows stretched across the rows of cars as Nyssa leaned against a grey bike parked beside her car, FaceTiming with Alba.

"When's your school resuming?" Nyssa asked, squinting into the screen.

"Next week" Alba answered between crunches of chips, her fingers dusted orange.

"Next week? That's long" Nyssa frowned.

Alba scoffed, throwing her a dramatic look.

"You've gotta be kidding me...long? If only you knew how boring school would be. Especially when my crush might not even come back. I heard he's transferring" Her voice dipped as she shoved another chip in, her face falling.

Nyssa hissed.

"At your age, boys shouldn't be your main focus. Study, idiot"

Alba leaned closer to the camera, her smirk returning.

"Funny. Didn't you have your first boyfriend at fifteen?"

Nyssa rolled her eyes.

"We broke up after forty-eight hours"

"Still counts. You dated"

"Oh, please. Anything to say again? I'm about to cut this call"

"Wait..." Alba lifted a finger, as if remembering something.

"What?" Nyssa narrowed her eyes.

"Nothing. Bye" Alba winked and hung up.

Nyssa gasped, holding the phone away.