She certainly hadn't estimated finding herself in William's car tonight.
This had not been the plan, the farthest thing from it. Noora had lain it all out perfectly several hours earlier as she had applied the finishing touches of lipstick; checking her appearance twice in the full sized mirror before leaving the Kollektiv.
It should have been fairly simple. She would pick up Eva, already down one beer, and meet up with the other girls along the way. Then it was only a matter of attending the Penetrator party, maybe dance with her friends and show William that she was actually there. He needed to know she had fulfilled her part of their agreement. She could leave then, easy really.
Looking back, she should have taken into account how alcohol and too many high schoolers in one crowded space could have caused problems. Noora certainly hadn't anticipated just how wasted Eva would be after only the first twenty minute; she decided to blame Jonas for that particular feat.
Maybe if he had told Eva about the new girlfriend, she wouldn't have had to spent the better part of the night confronting her broke hearted friend. Eva had kept on rambling about the girl in Jona's arms and the jealous and broken sentiment had infected Noora as well. Though she certainly wasn't jealous of the blond girl she had spotted next to William, probably just his next conquest. Rather she was glad he wasn't pestering her with whatever else he had planed.
She didn't care anyways.
Vilde bickering on about the hook up auction, Noora should have definitely seen that one coming. No matter how often she had rolled her eyes and tried to eradicate the idea from Vilde's mind, it seemingly had only mad her keener about the whole thing. Whatever sick game William had been playing at, Vilde could not here it be announces that Noora had paid thousands of kroner for a hook up with the person of her upmost interest and fixation.
Her anger at the whole situation and the prevailing fear about being found out had been strong enough to drive her right into his arms, exactly what she had wanted to avoid.
William being his usual smirking self hadn't helped to calm the fire burning in her belly. Every amused twitch of his lips and ruffle through his hair had fueled the flames. By the point he had forced her to meet his eyes, her finger had already curled into fists and she had bit her tongue so many time she tasted blood.
She hadn't liked him then and she didn't now.
That's when she had thrown aboard ever last ounce of pride and promise she had made to herself. Her mighty plan had evaporated into nothing more than hot air as she found herself chasing after the biggest asshole she had ever met.
She had insulted him, this time carefully not to repeat any word for the lack of another negative attribute. He had shrugged it off and she had flung herself into his arms.
After that everything was blurry. A warm buzz had filled her head and she couldn't stop the colour that crept into cheeks, so she turned to face the passenger window. The cold glass was a stark contest against her burning face and she felt the little bumps in the road translate into her cheekbone knocking against the window.
Noora needed a new plan. This - going with the moment and letting his charming smiles delete any trace of self-control - was dangerous. She could not fall asleep in his bed a second time, she knew better.
But right now her mind was too busy contemplating how dangerously good William's lips had felt moving against hers and his firm hands drawing at her waist, eliciting sparks even through the layers of clothing. The dizziness made it impossible to string together a coherent thought, never the less construct a plan on how to escape William's apartment.
No, for better or worse she was forced to rely on her best instinct and trust that maybe William was gentleman enough not to seduce her into a repeat of what had happened on the bridge.
She certainly didn't want to kiss him again. She didn't like him, she was just going for the hot coco.
Noora bit down on her lip to silence the voices betraying every word inside her head.
They passed through empty streets and the normally colourful houses were muted by the dark nigh. Her eyes followed the ever moving shadows cast by the street lamps overhead. Whenever the car got close enough to catch one, another one sprung up in its place and the chase continued. And she felt his gaze, it made the hairs on her neck stand and the redness of her cheeks almost the same bright colour as her lips.
She shouldn't be bothered by him and he certainly shouldn't have the right to affect her the way he did. Her body stayed turned away from the driver seat for the short remainder of their journey and when her fingers pushed the door open, she did her best to keep a save distance from him.
Maybe she should just run, take her opportunity and refuse to come up to his apartment. Noora half heartedly contemplated the option just to disregard it a second later; this was too intriguing and her curiosity needed to be satisfied, not matter how unwise a choice it may be. She would allow herself just a quick peak, a cup of coco and than leave for home, this time her keys and phone safely in her coat pocket.
Her second plan unraveled even faster than the first one.
William barely spoke, and neither did she. They didn't have to. He had made her the promised hot chocolate and had then settled beside her on the couch.
The low music he had set as a background noise made her head fall back against the couch, her legs wrapped in a blanked, and study the interior of his apartment. Everything was perfectly clean, ever surface polished and not a grain of dust on the floor or any of the mostly empty shelves. Noora didn't doubt that this kind of lifestyle came with a cleaning lady to wipe away any traces of past parties or whatever else rich bored high schools did for fun.
But it was so empty. This could be a very extravagant hotel room for all she knew. No pictures on the tall walls, no unnecessary decor and not a single personal item to proof this was actually somebody's home. A pang of sympathy sprung through her chest, this apartment was the architectural equivalent of loneliness. It reminded her of the time before Madrid, the empty house she had been left to by her parents. No emotions, no attachment and Noora knew just well enough how bitter loneliness could taste.
Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed William repeatedly combing his fingers through his hair - it had felt so satisfying to drag her own hands though his unruly locks. His eyes though stayed fix on her person. Noora had noticed him studying her features, following her movements as she picket up the cup to bring it to her lips. Interestingly enough she didn't mind his gaze and boring eyes; she certainly should have.
One slow song changed to another with an even more calming beat and she wondered if his taste in music was broader than the electro crap blasting at the Penetrator parties or if a well assembled Spotify playlist was to blame. She drew the soft knit blanked tighter around her legs, fiddling with the its. With every note of music the muscles in her body relaxed and she nuzzled her head closer against the pillow with a content curl of her lips.
The buzz of the phone on the couch next to her forced Noora's eyes open - she couldn't remember closing them in the first place. Only one buzz, a text and both her and William's attention flickered to Eva's name flashing across the screen.
Eva: Where are you? Are you still at the party?
She could distantly hear her former self yelling to take the opportunity and run. Her present self felt way to comfortable curled up on William's couch to care. So Noora reached for her phone and typed a few quick lines that would have to satisfy Eva for now.
Noora: I went home. Had a headache, the music was too loud.
Not her best lie and certainly not the last she would have to tell to keep this here secret. While she had her messages open, she decided to send one to Eskild as well, who was most likely blacked out drunk at some bar right now.
Noora: I'm sleeping at Eva's. See you tomorrow.
She sighed and her fingers traced along the metal edges of her phone. She really disliked lying, knowing how hypocritical she was being. Noora normally expected better from herself. But this was nothing like normal.
«Is everything okay?» William's voice pulled her from the depth of her thoughts.
«Eva was just wondering where I was.» she met his eyes.
The dark brown colour looked almost black in the dim light and he did nothing to hide the worry in his reply. «So you have to leave?»
Noora stared at him for a moment - this really was the chance to grab her coat and shoes and run, her last chance in fact. But the defiant voice inside her, pleading with her better judgement, dissolved in the delightfully sweet fog filling her head. She stared and he stared back. Noora took note of how seldom he blinked.
«No» she exhaled with a slight shake of her head «It's alright.»
The tension fell from his body as his shoulder slipped into a more relaxed posture and the line between his brows softened with content. The corners of his lips tucked upwards and Noora found herself carefully returning the smile.
«You want to stay.» he reiterated her previous statement and the realization made his smile spread wider.
«I shouldn't, but yes» she pushed a strand behind her ear and when she sat her hand back down it subtracted from the empty couch separating his body from hers.
«Because you like me.» he was smirking now and her eye roll earned her an amused upwards tuck of his brows.
«No» the giggles certainly weren't supposed to sound this cheerful.
She wasn't supposed to feel anywhere near a euphoric as she did.
In one smooth move, William slid closer to her and when he reached for her empty hand she let him take it without hesitation. He used his grip to pull her obliging body closer and felt her insides curl with excitement when his warm breath tingled her skin.
nape of her neck
Her eyes fluttered close and she was certain that he must feel her abnormally fast heart rate pounding away in her chest. His thumb traced behind her ear and travel down towards her chin to lilt her face his direction.
The overhead lamp made the little light specs breaking the otherwise chestnuts colour in his eyes visible. Her mouth went dry and the soft background music was drowned out by the sound of her blood rushing faster and faster through her ears. William's eyes flickered to her bright red lipstick and back to her eyes before pulling her lips against his.
Though the apartment was perfectly tempered, her body burned with the heat spreading inside he. He was gentle not to rush and it only took a few testing movement of her own to deepen the kiss. She had already disregard ever sense of restraint earlier this evening and now Noora really didn't see a point in denying herself the heavenly experience of William's lips and tongue against her own. She pushed her own hand into his hair, messing up the strands he had rigorously combed into place a minute prior, while his traveled down her shoulder and sides, finding her waste and pulling her closer.
She greedily gasped for air when they pulled apart and before she could even think of freeing herself from his grasp, he pulled her closer, hugging her tightly against his chest. His hand was drawing circles against her back and he gently eased them down onto the couch, carful not to put too much of his weight on her.
The blanked she had used to wrap around her leg hardly covered both their bodies, but the heat of his pressed so tightly against hers and the warmth his sprinkled kisses left on her skin were comfort enough. The intensity of his kisses grew and subsided like waves pulling her under just to spit her out again. Her hands explored the firm muscles of his chest and his thin shirt was the only barrier keeping her skin from his. Now and then she caught the little content sounds he whispered against her cheek and his smiles melted into hers.
The music subsided and Noora had lost every sense of time when William moved to sit, pulling her up with him. He repeatedly spread his finger to shake the numbness from his limbs. She reluctantly followed his lead and stood from the couch, feeling her own muscles ache from the movement. The apartment was dipped in darkness only broken by the muted light from the street lamps outside as she recognized the way to his bedroom.
She had broken ever rule and defiance had never felt this exquisite.
She couldn't very well sleep in only her underwear and two weeks ago had shown just how uncountable streets close were in bed. Willam who had seemingly picked up on her predicament opened his closet and returned with a pair of sweatpants and a plain black shirt.
Still she pulled the duvet up to her chin and reluctantly agreed to William pulling her closer to his side of the bed; his bed, she was sleeping in his bed, again. They weren't exactly spooning, but this came dangerously close. His arm was drawn around her waist and her head curled against his chest. Every muscle relaxed and her eyes closed to the sight of falling asleep in William's arms.
Halfway between awake and nearing dreams, she finally whispered it back.
«I like you»
William, who she had thought to be breathing too steadily to be awake, drew his arms closer around her and pressed one last lazy kiss to her temple.
«Good» he mumbled.
Even her sweetest dreams paled in comparison to this feeling.