Page 64 of The Kiss Of Death
Exiting the classroom, I found the hallway decked out in a Halloween theme, complete with hanging pumpkins, ghosts,and skeletons. Pausing in my tracks, I tapped out a message to Levi, the fifth one today regarding the music score. Deep down, a nagging gut feeling persisted, urging me to probe further and wondering if Levi was okay—even if he only cared about himself.
Me: When can I have the second music score? I could study it beforehand.
Levi: Beforehand? I wouldn’t want you to alter it to spare my feelings. Compared to you, I can handle the truth.
Me: You don’t have feelings, Levi.
Levi: Touché.
Levi: But you’re wrong – I’m pretty fond of loathing, disgust, and anger.
Me: Let’s meet.
Levi: Does it even occur to you that I too have to study?
Me: What happened to that genius brain of yours?
Levi: Still need to put in minimum effort.
Me: And how about your desire to torment me?
Levi: I’ll come to you.
Me: When? How do you know where I’ll be?
Levi: I’ll always find you, Dalia. Let’s not bother with the technicality of how.
Levi: Remember, you initiated this. I’ll be fast, my little thief.
I paced back to my dorm, intending to vent to Yasmine about my day. She wasn’t there, though, and had left me a text saying she’d be out studying with some classmates. In the meantime,I delved into violin practice, showered, and called Grandma, urging her to halt her online poker spree due to the influx of email notifications, when someone knocked on the door.
It was nine o’clock.
Yasmine wouldn’t have knocked.
I swung the door open, my cheeks flaring hot. “You.”
“Your delightful expression is always a pleasure to witness,” Levi replied, leaning with deceptive nonchalance against the doorframe.
I couldn’t believe I stood in front of him with my silky white pajamas on while he was clad in a sleek black turtleneck and charcoal-gray chinos.
“I just didn’t expect you at this hour.” Great. Now I sounded just like Grandma, ready to go to bed at nine o’clock.
“I told you I’d come to you.” He scanned my outfit, his gaze stopping at my chest. “Did you dress up like that just for me?”
I folded my arms over said chest, hoping he hadn’t seen the shape of my breasts from underneath my pajamas or, worse, my nipples hardening. It was all humiliating, and easily averted, if only I hadn’t tied my long hair in a silly crown braid.
“Yasmine will be back soon, and I don’t want her to get the wrong idea.”
“You mean that you’re my dirty little secret?” his voice dripped with a sadistic edge. “Yasmine won’t interrupt us.”
I tensed. “What did you do to her?”
“Why so threatening, little thief? Let’s say, she’s… entertained.”
“I swear if you or your friends hurt her, I’ll—”
“You’ll what? What will you do to me, huh?”
