Chapter Twenty-One
Caliegh's POV
"So she's with Alfred, eh?" I muttered under my breath at dinner one night, noting that neither of the obnoxiously loud idiots were anywhere to be seen.
"They're up in the dorm, I believe…" Matthew said at the same volume I had.
"Well what are they even doing?" I whispered, pushing around a kernel of corn on my plate, thoroughly worried at this point. I sure hoped that Gabby hadn't moved on to Alfred, because that would mean she moved a little fast. I mean, yes, it'd been a couple of weeks since our breakup with Lukas and Mathias. But it was still much too soon to find another boyfriend.
In the midst of my thoughts, I hadn't realized Gilbert leaning in close to me. "What're you two whispering about?" My eyes widened when I heard that German accent in my ear, feeling his breath against my cheek.
"Gilbert…get…away." From the corner of my eyes, I could see his lips curve into his signature smirk.
"Why should I? It's not like you're dating anyone. You're single,ja?" I paused, turning to glare at him.
"Uh, ja. Doesn't mean you can harass me." Gilbert got closer to me yet.
"Mm, how sexy. You're speaking my language…" With that line, I'm pretty sure he deserved that bruise he's going to have on his chest after I elbowed him so hard that he winced and slid away from me down the bench. For a few seconds, at least. Because within the next five or so seconds he had already placed himself so that his arm was wrapped around my shoulders, his hand dangerously close to my off-limits area. Matthew's eyes widened as he watched him do this, frowning slightly to himself.
"Get off."
"Nein."
"Ja." Did that really come out of my mouth as an argument? Damn it, he was rubbing off on me. His smirk deepened, and he turned to face me, putting his hands on my shoulders as if bracing me for a kiss.
"You are so cute, liebe," He whispered, placing a hand to my cheek and stroking it affectionately.
Much too affectionately for friends to do.
"Please…don't touch me." I stiffened as his hand trailed down my cheek, down my jaw, and stopping right at my collar bone.
"Stop, Gilbert." Matthew suddenly spoke up, and as he said this, he placed a hand on my forearm in comfort. Gilbert paused, actually looking somewhat shocked. Had Matthew really just told him off? That's right, my little Mattie isn't all shy and quiet.
Wait, he's not my Mattie….
"Yeah, don't touch me." I repeated for what seemed like the tenth time in just a few minutes. I moved away, closer to Matthew. And just because I could, I hugged Matthew around the waist and stuck my tongue out at Gilbert as if to say, "Ha ha, I like him better!" Gilbert narrowed his ruby eyes slightly, pouting and turning to complain to Francis. Good, complain, Gilly!
…Okay, I don't know what had gotten into me just then, but for some reason, I wanted to make Gilbert angry with me. So because I was acting without thinking, I hugged Matthew tighter and buried my face in his shoulder, smiling. Random, pointless detail, but he reallysmelled like maple syrup.
"Kay…!" He said airily, eyes widen.
"Whaaaaat, we're best friends, right?" I said, smiling sweetly.
"Well, yes…I suppose, yes." He said, lightly patting my head, then proceeding to run his hand through my hair. I grinned; I couldn't help it. Matthew was just so cute, so addictive. Addictive…what a strange word used to describe someone. I mean, it was true. He was amazingly addictive; one of those people that you just want to hug forever, you never want to let go of.
Whoa. Whoa, Caliegh. Stop your train of thought before it goes somewhere unpredictable.
O~O~O~O~O~O
When I heard the door click open, I didn't look up from the sheet music I was flipping through on the desk. "So Gabby…where were you after last period?" I heard her footsteps pause. She was obviously trying to sneak in, supposing I wasn't there.
"…Shit." She muttered, sitting on her bed.
"Answer me."
"Alfred's dorm." My eyes widened, and I spun around in the chair, crossing my arms.
"And what, might I ask, were you doing in the boys' dorms."
"Hanging out. Playing video games, listening to him play guitar…" I stared at her.
"No lip action, no flirting?" Gabby's eyes widened with horror as she blushed furiously, looking at me like I had three heads.
"NO! Why the hell would we?!"
"None of that?" I said smirking.
"No." Gabby murmured, glaring at me. My smirk faltered and I turned back to my music, not even really interested in it anymore. I wanted to know what was going on between my sister and Alfred, my best friend's brother. But I left it at that, because I learned that if I wentany further, she'd probably hit me. Hard. So I shut up and instead listened to the strumming of Gabby's guitar and her faint humming.
That reminded me. I needed to take some sheet music back to Mr. Edelstein.
I stood from my seat, picking up my music folder and slipping on my shoes. "Wait, where are you going?" Gabby said, looking up from her guitar.
"Not the boys' dorm, that's for sure." I turned the handle to the door, swinging it open. "The music classroom." I closed the door behind me, hugging my sweater around me. It was getting cold outside, and the hallways weren't much warmer. I quickly scurried down the stairs, then rushed down the hall to the music classroom.
The curtains had been drawn across the large floor-to-ceiling windows, and only the lights on one side of the room were on. The room was completely empty; no one was in here. I was immediately overcome with nervousness. I hated it when I was in an empty classroom alone. I always felt like someone was just going to come out from behind something and kidnap me or whatever…
I slowly walked over to the teacher's desk, carefully placing the folder on an empty spot so it didn't cover anything. I was about to turn around, but then I felt someone's presence behind me. Just then, said someone wrapped their arms around my waist and hugged tightly so I couldn't get out from his embrace.
"I knew I'd find you here, Kay." Gilbert whispered into my ear quite…seductively. I tensed, but stopped struggling against him.
"How did you even…" I said, clenching my teeth together and glaring at the ground.
"I want you to love me so I can have more fun. Wouldn't that be awesome?" He said, his hand trailing down to a belt loop on my jeans, hooking a finger through it.
"No! Don't touch me!" I smacked his hand away and managed to free myself, but only for a moment. As soon as he realized I was beginning to walk away, he grabbed ahold of my wrist and dragged me back, slamming me into the wall. "Ow! You bastard…" I muttered under my breath, ignoring the pain now forming in the back of my head. Gilbert took my wrists and pinned them against the wall above my head, leaving me defenseless. Gilbert was grinning maliciously, his face getting closer to mine with every second. Please stop, please stop, please stop…I thought helplessly to myself.
At the last second, his smirk faltered and he put his lips about a centimeter away from mine. "I'm just so alone, liebling." I closed my eyes tightly.
"But you have so many friends, idiot." He went silent, staring…hungrily at me.
"Not really." At that moment, I at least felt some sympathy for him. I also wondered how much I didn't know about him. I wondered what was going on beneath that smirk, what was under those red, glinting eyes. I opened my eyes momentarily to see that he had at least backed off (though he was still holding me in place), but looked almost as if he wanted to cry. Well this was new.
"Gilbert…" I lowered my voice, looking at him sadly. "Please look at me." He did so, but now he just looked shocked with me. This was unusual for him…this seriousness. I took a deep breath, gazing up at him. "Y-you may do with me…a-as you wish." I said shakily, and again I closed my eyes, bracing myself for whatever was to happen. Instead, the pressure around my wrists loosened, and I lowered my hands to my side.
"Just go, Caliegh." I paused, opening my eyes in shock. He was staring at me, for once without the self-satisfied expression he usually had.
"Gilly," I whispered, and I slowly took his hand in mine. It kills me to say this, but he looked like he needed some serious help. So I stood on my tip-toes (he was a good seven inches taller than me) and lightly pecked him on the lips. Not wanting to hear him tease me or anything, I quickly ran out of the classroom and back up the stairs, only to rush into the dorm's bathroom and slide down the door onto the floor, covering my mouth.
What had I gotten myself into.