Page 2 of Hold On

“I’d be offended if you didn’t,” he replies with a sexy smirk. I furrow my brows as I take the desk next to him, my heart racing. My ass hits the seat quickly, his attention making me sweat. I’m self-conscious but trying to hide it. I flip my long hair over my shoulder and smile nervously at him. He lifts a brow and again, smirks back at me. I try not to shiver from his attention.

“You got a name?” I ask in a husky tone before I quickly clamp my mouth shut, afraid of myself and the weird voice that just came out of me. I know his first name. Everyone does. But like I said, we’ve never been formally introduced.

“Sebastian Cox,” he says, plucking three cords, then meeting my eyes with an intense stare. “But most people just call me Bash.” A snort leaves my nose before I have time to repress it.

“Bash Cox?” I ask incredulously. “Sounds awfully violent,” I sarcastically add. Bash is the next to snort. Then he laughs, deep from his belly, his feet meeting the floor beneath him. He sets his guitar on the ground as he looks at me with genuine interest now. His eyes run the length of my body. I bite my lip at his attention.

“And what’syourname?” he asks, studying my eyes with his unfocused ones. It doesn’t matter to me that he’s high. They’re absolutely perfect as he looks back into my own.

“Alina,” I whisper, suddenly entranced by the boy in front of me and all that he’s making me feel inside. We can’t stop staring at each other. I decide I don’t ever want him to look away from me.

“Well, Lina Girl,” he says slyly as I hold my breath, waiting on his answer as he continues to look me over, licking his bottom lip in thought. I begin to count inside my head, wondering how long I can withstand breathing. “I’m more of a lover than a fighter, so the cocks are safe with me. I promise.”

It’s a second before I realize we’re millimeters apart. Our faces have inched together dangerously close during our short introduction. I tuck a piece of my hair behind my ear and break eye contact first, nervous as shit. He grabs a lock by my shoulder, sending a thrill through my body as he touches me.

“I like this color,” he says thoughtfully, holding up the burgundy strand and examining it in the light.

“I dye it myself,” I say shyly as he nods in approval. I like him complimenting me.

“Makes your eyes stand out,” he replies as he releases my hair, and I finally start to breathe again. “They’re a wicked green.”

I don’t know what to say. So, I nod towards his guitar. “How long have you played?” I ask as he smiles fondly at it.

“For as long as I can remember,” he replies. “My granddad taught me growing up and it’s made me feel closer to him ever since he passed. It’s the only thing that makes me feel anything at all,” he tells me honestly. I nod, smiling softly at his story, my heart feeling warm. He looks kind of vulnerable, which makes me want to comfort him suddenly.

“Thanks for sharing,” I whisper as he studies me with a funny look on his face. “What?” I ask, afraid that I accidentally blew snot on myself from snorting earlier. I touch my nose to quickly check.

“You really mean that, don’t you?” he says quietly as I shake my head, a little confused.

“It was a really sweet story,” I reply. He continues to stare at me in awe.

“Yeah, but no one’s ever thanked me for sharing it and believe me, you’re not the first to hear it. You’re different, aren’t you, Lina Girl?” He playfully moves his face around mine, taking me in from different angles, causing me to giggle. I’ve never heard rumors of how Bash acts. If he’s playful or silent, silly or serious. The rumors only talk about his fingers and what they can do to a girl. He’sknownto get around. It’s crazy, because he’s mostly a loner and fights with the popular guys on a regular basis, despite him telling me the cocks are safe. He's always sticking up for the losers and loners and yet, every girl in this school is dying to get their hands, and bodies, on him.

“I guess you can say that,” I respond somewhat bitterly. “It’s not like it makes a difference around here though.” Despite being similar to Bash in the fact that I’m mostly a loner, the rumors about me haven’t gained me any sort of favor. I’m known as the school virgin and least likely to open my legs for any of the guys in my class.

“Of course, not. Not to these assholes anyway. You’re doing the opposite of putting out,” he replies. I feel my face go completely red, my armpits breaking out in a nervous sweat again. “Blue balls,” he says with a laugh as my shame deepens.Ofcourse,the school’s registered sex god is aware of and making fun of the famous prude. Ironic doesn’t even begin to cover it. I feel defensive as I bite back at him.

“Here to laugh at me too?” I ask angrily as I turn away from his face and flip my hair into my own, trying to hide. “Go ahead! Get it out!”

“Lina Girl,” he says gently. His tone has me immediately searching his face for some sort of sympathy, which I find I’m desperately longing for. “You’re repeatedly enforcing boundaries with guys who could give a shit about you, and you think I want to make fun of you for that?”

“The rumors about you are very different,” I say defensively. “Why wouldn’t you make fun of the girl who doesn’tput out?”

“Because I sense there’s a reason you’re holding out on everyone,” he says with a small smile. And it isn’t mean or evil, just knowing. “Tell me what it is.” He leans forward again, his fingers brushing over my arm, plucking invisible strings as he waits for me to tell him why I haven’t lost my virginity yet, even though I’ve had every opportunity. Goosebumps rise where he touches me.

“They only care about what I can give them. The first thing that happens on any date is my head being pushed towards their cheesy half-chub,” I say disgusted. “They barely acknowledge mebefore they’re demanding I stick their nasty dick in my mouth. Fuck that. I’d rather be known as blue balls. So be it,” I say as I cross my arms over my chest and angrily sigh.

“You’re brave as hell,” he quietly remarks as he shakes his head in approval of me. “And you’re right. They don’t give a fuck about you. I’ve heard every one of those guys talk shit about you. In the locker room or in class or in passing. You did the right thing. They don’t deserve you, Lina Girl. And any girl who knows her worth like you do is meant for more than what they could ever offer you.”

“And what canyouoffer me?” It’s out of my mouth in a breathless whisper before I can stop it. His lighthearted mood becomes dark as he levels me with a stare. It makes his unfocused eyes seem more purposeful now. I’m reeling by the pain I feel radiating off of him.

“Not enough, sweetheart.” He means it with everything he is. I can see it in his body language as I feel tension filling the air between us. He has to be lying. I’m not imagining this connection, am I?

“Bash,” I say hesitantly, not wanting to scare him away. But I have to try. I don’t know if I’ll ever get another shot like this. He looks at me and waits patiently for me to gather myself. “It’s my birthday today,” I say, and his smile returns, the darkness forgotten.

“Happybirthday,” he replies earnestly. I can’t help but swoon under his gaze.

“Made it to eighteen, can you believe it?” I ask with a small smile. His eyes darken again, but I’m not sure if it’s from what I said or something different.

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