It would be nice to breathe, you know.
The clock strikes noon and my stomach grumbles in anticipation of lunchtime. I glance at Rae, who seems equally eager to escape the classroom. For a moment, I relish the freedom of not being watched by one of the trio. However, I know my respite will be short-lived once we enter the bustling bar nearby.
I tell Rae that I had bumped into Archie at a charity event and hope she wouldn't ask too many questions about that night. I lie, saying to her that I went with my mom because I don’t want to tell her about Cain.
We make our way into the bar and the warm, welcoming ambiance immediately embraces us. Archie greets us with a smile and leads us to a well-lit table where his friends await. While we settle in, I notice Nate and Mike standing by the bar, deep in conversation. Rae leans in and whispers, “Oh, look, Mike's here, too. I wonder who that hottie is with him.” Sensing my concern, I quickly reassure her that he's probably here for lunch, just like us. As we make our way to the table, I can't help but notice that we're the only two women among a group of eight men. My eyes dart over to Nate and Mike, who have now taken a seat at a nearby table, their conversation still going strong.
Archie leans back in his chair and asks me, “So, Tessie, how did you find the charity event then?” I respond, “It was lovely, thank you for asking. Where's the menu? I'm starving.” I try to change the subject. Everyone starts grabbing the menus and scanning through the options, trying to figure out what they would like for lunch.
Archie's voice echoes, “Tessie, you just disappeared without saying goodbye.”
“Yeah, I was so tired. Sorry,” I say, trying to brush off the uncomfortable moment. In an attempt to deflect the attention away from myself, I ask, “What's everyone getting to eat, then?” The group discussion shifts to food as everyone chimes in with their preferred options.
A friendly waiter approaches us with a warm smile and a notepad in hand, ready to take our orders. I lean towards Rae and quietly ask her to keep my birthday a secret from the rest of the group, to which she nods in agreement.
Shortly after, the waiter brings over our drinks, carefully balancing them on a tray. Some of Archie's friends opt for cold, refreshing beers despite having classes to attend later. Rae and I decide to stick to soda.
Archie's friends begin bombarding me with questions. Initially, they seemed harmless enough–basic small talk about where I work and how I know Archie. However, things quickly took a turn for the personal. They wanted to see if I was single, where I lived, and if I had any plans for the weekend. I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about the whole situation, especially since they weren't asking Rae, who was sitting right next to me, the same questions. It left me wondering if there was some sort of ulterior motive behind their line of questioning.
Out of nowhere, I hear a ping from my phone and notice a notification for a group message. Curious, I quickly open my phone to see the message.
Mike
Stay calm. Don’t give them too many details. xx
Me
I don't understand why they ask me so much personal stuff and not Rae. xx
Cain
What the fuck is going on? Need me to show up?
Nate
Nothing, it's ok.
The atmosphere at lunch turns sour as the conversation shifts to Dan. The group expresses their concern about Dan's absence, wondering aloud if anyone has heard from him lately. Archie's gaze meets mine as they discuss, portraying an emotionless stare that hints at knowledge or suspicion of something beyond the surface. We both sit there staring at each other, not even blinking.
He knows. I know he knows.
The tension in the air is tense.
The conversation drones on and I rack my brain for a way to change the subject. Suddenly, an idea strikes me. I reach for my glass of soda and tap it lightly with my finger, hoping to create a distraction. The glass slips from my hand and tumbles to the table, spilling its contents all over the surface. In an instant, the table falls silent as everyone rushes to help clean up the mess. Pretending to be mortified, I apologize profusely.
Archie stops glaring at me and he grabs napkins.
I swiftly turn my head toward Nate and Mike, scanning their expressions for any sign of approval or disapproval. To my relief, Nate flashes me a quick thumbs up and a silent wink as if to say, “Well done.” It's a small gesture, but it fills me with confidence and reassurance.
Finally, the long-awaited food arrives at the table. The delicious aroma of the freshly cooked dishes spreads across the room, making everyone's mouth water in anticipation. Hungry and
tired, everyone eagerly tucks in, savoring every bite of the delicious meal. The thought of the college day ending can’t come sooner.
I sink into the plush sofa and I let out a sigh of relief that the long college day has finally come to an end. The thought of the upcoming evening fills me with excitement and I push aside any lingering thoughts of the day’s events. Nate and Cain are still at work, as usual.
Suddenly, I hear a noise from the bathroom and head towards the hallway to investigate. To my surprise, Mike emerges from the bathroom, his damp skin glistening in the light, clad only in a white towel.
He stands there with a sly smirk, his eyes lock with mine. He lets the towel drop to the floor, drawing my attention to his massive cock. He looks down at it, still grinning. I lean up against the door frame to confront him. “You know you’re in my bad books, right?” I state with a hint of warning in my voice.
He looks at me curiously and asks, “What do I need to do to be in your good books?” As he speaks, he raises both eyebrows, places his hands on top of the door frame towering over me. His skin glistens in the light and his physique is impressive, a well-defined V-shaped torso leading down to his lower body.
His cock nearly touches me as he leans forward. He smells fresh and clean.
I want him so badly, but I didn’t want him to know that.
I turn my head away in a playful manner, rolling my eyes and flashing a flirty smile at him before I saunter off. As I walk away, I hear him let out an exasperated huff and storm off to his bedroom.
I make myself comfortable on the sofa and turn the TV on, but to my disappointment, nothing good seems to be on. Suddenly, Mike walks into the lounge, dressed in gray sweatpants and a plain, white t-shirt. He sits beside me and gently places his hand on my thigh. I feel a shiver run down my spine and I turn to him with a question on my mind.
“Mike,” I ask, my voice quivering slightly.
“Hmm,” he responds, looking at me curiously.
“Why did you choose me?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
