Page 18 of Cuffed By Love

No one has ever gottenunder my skin and affected me more than this wickedly beautiful five-foot-five girl standing before me. She frustrates me in ways I can’t even begin to explain. Have I mentioned that she’s insufferably stubborn? When Uncle Noah asked what happened between us to get us to this state, I saw the look deep in her eyes. It wasn’t that we ‘grew up or grew apart’ no—her mind went to the same place mine did. To the moment, we went from being friends to so much more. The night I made her mine, and I became hers.

We never spoke about it after it happened, much like our first kiss under the tree at our favourite spot. We have too many moments left unspoken, and it’s no surprise that it’s caused such a rift between us. Is it even worth rehashing old memories and reopening old wounds? Are we ten years too late to resolve them now? What if I want to?

I let my eyes wander over to Mira while she reads a document in front of her, swinging the pen back and forth between her slender fingers. The office is near enough empty. Everyone left almost an hour ago to go home for the evening. After our little spat in her dad's office, she’s been quiet, rather pensive even. I finish the email I was writing and send it off, waiting for her to finish her document so we can discuss where the hell we’re spending the night. I’m not proud of this as a man in a committed relationship and a girlfriend back home, but a part of me is a little delighted to be forced into sharing a bed with her.

I’ve always found it impossible to control myself around her. Will that still be the case if something were to happen. Will I have the self-control to resist her? When she fell into my lap earlier, it took everything in me to not reach up and brush my fingers through her silken waves. The way her big, beautiful, golden eyes locked with mine stole every last bit of air from my lungs. When we were younger, and she would look at me the way she did earlier, as cheesy as it sounds, my heart would glow.

While Mira is busy working, I turn my gaze to look out of the window and my mind journeys back to our prom, to the days leading up to ‘the night.’

Nine Years Before.

It was two days before prom. I sat in art class, barely listening to Mr Hopkins droning on about Vincent Van Gogh. I don’t know why I picked this class. I swear to God, I don’t—actually, scrap that I do know, I’m looking at her. Mira Evans. My precious Tinks convinced me it would be a fun class to take. Fun my fucking arse. I’m not the most artistic person, but I agreed to take the stupid class so she wouldn’t be alone. Other than the times we had to create things together or the time we had to take pictures for a project, it isn’t very interesting. I smile, remembering the day we had to go around the school and take photos of things we found interesting. Mira took pictures of other students, teachers and flowers, and I took pictures of her when she wasn’t paying attention.

I try to tune into what the teacher was bumbling about, but I find myself more engrossed in watching Ryan and Tinks passing notes back and forth to one another. Her face lights up when she reads whatever he wrote to her, and she gives him a nod blushing when he gives her his trademark smile. Ryan Fitzpatrick is on my football team, and he’s a fucking colossal dickhead. Mira calls me arrogant, but she's openly flirting with the most self-centred prick at this school. He’s nothing but a Devin King wannabe, and I’ll be damned if I let him anywhere near my Tinks. After what felt like an eternity, the buzzer finally goes off, ending the class. I gather my papers and stuff them in my backpack hastily before I saunter over to Mira as she slides out of her seat.

“What was that about?” I question while we make our way out of class. Mira looks up at me questioningly.

“What was what about?”

“The back and forth note-passing between you and Ryan the entire duration of the class.” Realisation dawns upon her face, and she rubs her forehead in an attempt to hide her coy smile.

“Oh, that.”

I scowl despite my best effort to keep the bitterness out of my tone. “Yeah, that.”

“He asked me to prom.” I turn my gaze to her sharply and couldn’t ignore the sinking feeling of disappointment in my gut.

“He did what?” I’m going to kill that motherfucker. I thought we would go together. I mean, it goes without saying for fucksake. Dev and Tinks…hello! I open my mouth to tell her that, but with the way her eyes lit up and her smile gleamed, I couldn’t do it.

Fucking hell.

My mood the rest of the day was shot to hell. I need to find a date to prom now, two days before, so everyone would already have their dates secured by now. Mind you, any girl I ask would drop any guy she’s going with for a chance to go with me. Sounds vain, I know, but it is what it is. I am the most popular boy at school, and that status does come with its perks. Anyone that knows me…really knows me, will tell you that this bad boy image I’ve got at school is just that…a façade. I never chose to be popular. It just happened. It often does when you’re good looking, athletic and come from a wealthy family. And of course, no thanks to Levi, my older brother who had a reputation as the school's heartthrob. His legacy—much to my disappointment continues through me. The King brothers. It’s honestly exhausting keeping up appearances and acting like someone you’re not. People have these expectations, always wanting something from you, expecting you to act a certain way because society deems it, so it must be done.

Only a handful of people know me, my family, my best friends Logan and Mira. The rest of these fake bastards will be dropped from my life the moment I finish school. I can’t wait to get out of this hell hole and be the person I want to be, not what everyone needs me to be.

Mira walks off toward her friends Lexi and Skylar. And I scowl when I feel a hard slap on my back. “Yo broski.” Logan Adams greets, walking around to stand beside me. He’s been my best friend since we started secondary school. We fist bump, and he notices the grim look on my face.

“Sup.”

“Whoa, what’s with the sour mood?” He questions and follows my gaze to Ryan walking past Mira, and he whispers something in her ear, making her laugh before he strolls away. “What’s Ry doing sniffing around Mira?”

“He’s asked her to prom apparently,” I utter sourly, and Logan turns to look at me, baffled.

“What? I thought you’d go with her?” I shake my head and kick away a bottle cap lying on the floor in front of me.

“I thought so too, but I guess I was wrong.” I sigh inwardly and let my eyes wander around the corridor. Who can I ask to go prom with me? “Are you still going with Lexi?” I ask Logan, and he nods in response while leaning against the wall. He lifts his blue eyes to look over at the adorable blonde standing beside Mira. Lexi Parker, Mira’s best friend—yes, we do have other best friends besides each other. Mira has three others that she considers her BFF’s. Lexi, Skylar Richards and Wyatt James.

Other than those three and myself, she keeps everyone else at arm's length. I love Lex. Not in that way, like a sister. She’s the sweetest girl…after Mira, of course. Those two are like two peas in a pod. While Mira is petite and feisty, with olive skin and darkish hair, Lexi is about a foot taller with wavy shoulder-length honey-blonde hair and bright green eyes. She’s got this calmness about her and she’s softly spoken.

Skylar, on the other hand, is the bitchy friend. She’s the tallest of the three, with long fiery red hair, fair skin and blue eyes. I don’t mind Skylar, but she’s a bit full-on, unlike Mira and Lex. I’ve been dodging her come on’s for years. I’m sure she’s slept with half the guys on my football team, and boy, have I heard stories. And then there's Wyatt, the gay best friend. He’s hilarious, and we’ve known him since we were kids. He lives on our street a couple of doors down. If he weren’t gay, he’d be my competition. The kid looks like he belongs on billboards and magazine covers. The definition of tall, dark and handsome fits him to a tee.

“Yeah, I’m going with Lex. Now that Mira’s no longer an option, what are you going to do?” Logan questions bringing his gaze back to me and pulling me from my musings. I can’t believe I’m even considering this.

“I’m thinking Skylar.”

Logan’s mouth drops open, and he stares at me, stunned. Yeah, my thoughts exactly. I’m shocked at myself too, but desperate times. Beggars can’t be choosers and all that. I could take any girl, but I’d rather keep it within my friendship group. Lex would have been my next choice, but I know Logan’s got a thing for her and I’m not about to stick it to my boy. I’m also not rocking up to prom on my own, so Skylar it is.

“I think she’s got a date already. She’s going with Eddie.” I exhale and shake my head.

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