Sydney had tried to reach Nathan for hours with no success. She was beginning to worry…a lot. Finally unable to ignore the anxiety overpowering her thoughts, she took a drive by the school and saw that Nathan's car was still there. Frowning, she jogged up the front steps of the building and caught the janitor locking up the building.
"Pretty late, Sydney," he said with a smile. Pete was a sweet, older gentleman who didn't mind cleaning up after the teenaged masses. Sydney always spoke to him when he came to her room at the end of the day.
"I know, Pete, sorry. I left some paperwork in my room. I can't believe I didn't remember until now."
"Happens more often than you'd think. Building's almost empty, door'll be locked behind you, okay?"
"Thank you, I'll just be a few."
"I'm all finished up…do you want me to wait and walk you out?"
Sydney smiled. "Oh, I don't want to hold you up. Thank you, Pete. Have a good night."
"You too." Pete walked out the door and that was that.
She now knew that she and Nathan were the only two in the building…and she couldn't help but dread what state she might find him in. She ran down the hall to his room, finding the door closed. The only light she saw was from the desk lamp he had. She tried to open the door, but found it locked. She knocked. "Nathan?" Nothing. "Nathan? Please open up." She heard a slight groan and she panicked. "Baby, please," she begged.
Heavy footsteps approached the door. It unlocked, then opened slowly. Nathan looked at his lover through red-rimmed eyes. He looked terrible and he wanted to tell her to leave, but couldn't. "I'm a fucking wreck," he confessed. He opened the door wider to let her in.
Sydney looked around the room and felt sick. It was completely trashed. "What…did you do?"
"I had a really bad day." He leaned against his desk and put his head in his hands. "He wouldn't listen to me at all…wouldn't call you in…believed every word that fucker told him because he's the school's golden boy and I'm the fuck up." He looked up at Sydney. "You're going to leave me when I go to the board, and Susan…" He got up and paced.
Sydney walked toward him, but he put his hands up, wanting her to stop. She ignored this. "Nathan, whatever happened today, I'll fix it tomorrow."
"You can't! Sedgewick's had it in for me since day one and he knows…" He stopped and Sydney didn't press about what he'd just omitted. She got close enough to take him into her arms and held him.
"He was scaring me, Nathan, and physically hurting me. If you wouldn't have gotten to me when you did anything could have happened." She ran her fingers through his hair, trying to soothe him. "That's my story, as well as the truth…and they won't be able to argue the bruises."
Nathan stiffened. "What?"
Sydney pulled back and rolled up her sleeve. In place of the red marks that were there earlier that day were angry purple welts. "As far as I'm concerned, he shouldn't be in this school."
Nathan gazed at the injury, his head clearing. "Syd…"
"Please tell me nothing else happened here."
He understood. "I swear…that's why I stayed here." He swallowed. "I was too scared to leave…too tempted."
"I told you to call me…"
"I couldn't there's…" He began to pick up the room, Sydney joining him. "I told you there were things, other than my drinking, that I'm not proud of. Going to the board will…"
"I know you're not ready to tell me and…it's okay. Let me try tomorrow, please. I don't even want you to go with me."
Nathan nodded, mentally exhausted. "I want to be drunk," he confessed. "I want to…not be able to focus or think or…" He kicked a desk. "Fuck!" He turned and looked at Sydney. "I'm sorry, Sydney, I'm trying…"
She wasn't scared. She wasn't sure it was possible for him to frighten her even though anyone else acting like this would. He had had a vice for so long and she understood that, as she had been keeping her own secret from someone else for a very long time. She knew recovering addicts had issues with stress; the same went for recovering alcoholics. She went to him again, placing her hand on his chest. "Never be sorry. I promise you, I understand."
"You can't…"
She frowned. "You have to believe me when I tell you I do." She licked her lower lip. "Use me."
"What?"
"You want to be drunk so you can forget, so you don't have to think about what's going on, fuck that. I love you, I never want you to fall. Use me instead." She kissed him, wantonly.
"Syd…"
"I'm better for you than scotch."
"This doesn't make for a healthy relationship…"
"Doesn't it?" She took his hand and led him out of his room down the dark, deserted hallways of the school. "The way I see it is much different." Her pace picked up and Nathan was confused. "The night you called me, you had a bottle. Do you remember how we resolved that?"
Nathan felt himself harden instantly at the memory. "Syd, I used you."
She laughed. "Oh, baby, no…I gave myself to you. I offered you an outlet and I told you that I am always going to be there when you feel that need." She smiled as they reached Sedgewick's office, happy that this school had yet to install any cameras inside the building.
"Syd, what are we doing here?"
She smiled, sinful. "You're pissed at him, he doesn't want to hear my side of the story, and he's made you want to drink. I think it's only fair that that we both vent our frustrations." She turned the knob, elated to find the door unlocked.
Nathan felt himself begin to warm to her idea. He couldn't help but smirk. "Syd…" He watched as she walked into the room, closing the blinds behind the desk. Nathan shut and locked the door behind him.
"I've been wet for you all day, Nathan," Sydney purred, telling the truth. "I told you, you turned me on." She was in the same clothes she had on earlier in the day; a gray skirt, knee-high boots, and a red button down blouse. She bent over Sedgewick's desk and looked over her shoulder. "He's fucked you enough, so it's only fair you fuck me…on his desk."
His erection strained against his pants and he shook his head, fully convinced he had passed out drunk at his desk. He closed his eyes and opened them again, only to see that Sydney had turned around and unbuttoned her shirt. Her breasts were pushed together by black satin, the sight a fantasy of any boy who'd seen a certain Van Halen video in the eighties…or on YouTube. "I don't know where you came from," he said, approaching her with hunger in his eyes, "but…" He didn't finish his thought as he claimed her lips.
Sydney pulled back. "You said you'd do anything I asked of you, Nathan, know I'll do the same." Her eyes had changed, briefly, from lust-filled to loving. "I will never think less of you." That being said, and Nathan fully understanding just what he had with her, she took his hand and guided it up her skirt. She spread her legs and he felt the wet heat there. "I've been aching to touch myself all day," she whispered. "My sweet, strong man protected me this morning and all I've wanted to do was thank him…so I saved myself."
Nathan pushed the damp cotton aside and roughly pushed his finger inside of her needy body. "I love that I do this to you," he confessed, enjoying the feeling of his restrained length, the anticipation clouding his brain. "Take these off." Sydney obeyed, sliding her panties down over her boots. "Be a good girl and don't scream, not here." He lifted her skirt and caressed her backside. "No paddle," he whispered, "but…"
"Do it," Sydney begged. "It's okay, baby, I want it."
Nathan grinned darkly, so thankful that Sydney was in tune with needs he didn't even know he had. He pulled back his hand and spanked her once. She suppressed an excited yelp. "You bad girl," Nathan growled. "You do want that."
"I want everything you can give me, Nathan…you've freed me too." The honesty they could convey in any situation was a gift and both knew it.
"I need you," Nathan said, his tongue in her cleavage.
"So take me."
Nathan spun her around and put her hands on Sedgewick's desk. He pulled the back of her skirt up and looked at the handprint he'd left. He knew that mark was different than the ones on her arm, but he bent down and pressed a light kiss to it. Sydney heard him unzip his pants and fuss with is wallet. He's listened. After a moment, he entered her from behind, groaning, but keeping his lips tight to try to remain quiet. He held onto her hips as he pushed into her, his pace slow. She was everything he needed. She knew when to be comforting and loving and she knew when he needed more. He felt he didn't deserve her and Sydney felt his concentration changing.
"I know you love me, Nathan, stop thinking and let go. You need it." She pushed her hips back and Nathan gasped.
"Fuck, Syd," he hissed and his hips pistoned. His mind was completely clouded now and his only goal was to make them both feel good. He bent her over further, her breasts pressed to the oak desk.
"Make me come, Nathan," she breathed. She felt his hips slam into her and he reached around her. He barely grazed her clit and she clenched around him, forcing him over the edge with her, his hips bucking wildly. "Oh…you dirty…" He pressed against her one more time, not wanting to leave her body. "…boy."
He panted against her clothed back, then slowly slid from her body. They straightened up both themselves and the desk and went back to Nathan's room, Nathan diverting to the restroom to dispose of the condom. When he rejoined Sydney who was continuing to clean up his room, he pulled her into his arms. "I don't know what you do to me."
"I'm just trying to help you," she said with a smile.
"You do so much more." His eyes began to water.
"Baby, no," Sydney said softly. She caressed his tired face, his stubble rough. "That was supposed to make you feel better."
"It did," he said quickly. "You do." He kissed her. "You have no idea what you do for me."