The Thousand Year Curse (The Curse Books) (15 page)

I grab Ari's hand and move him down the hall. I pull him but it isn't difficult. I don't think he wanted to stay there either. I walk him around the corner of the hall so that Ollie isn't within sight.
 

"I'm sorry about him." I say feeling the need to apologize for Ollie's behavior. It was completely unwarranted.
 

"Oh, it's quite alright." I laugh a little but realize that Ari is dead serious by the expression on his face. I'm not sure why but the intensity in his expression starts to freak me out. We start walking towards the East wing when I realize we are still holding his hand from before.
 

Feeling slightly awkward, I drop his hand pretending to fix my hair. I look up at him and he has a slight grin on his face. He's so hot but I resist the urge to return a smile. I focus on putting each foot in front of the other instead of Ari.
 

"Well, here it is." I say when we get to his classroom. "Do you want to wait here for me after class? I have government. It's only down a floor." I explain to Ari trying not to ramble on forever.
 

"Sounds good." He says and turns to go into his classroom. He saunters away from me without even looking back, which strangely annoys me. It's not like I want his attention but he just totally blew me off. I'm wasting my time walking him around and he can't even give me a simple thank you.
 

I turn on my heels and basically run to class furious. I get to government a little late but the teacher nods her head in understanding. Thankfully Junior saved me a seat so I scoot in next to him. He gives me a questioning look raising his brows but doesn't ask, since class has started. I'm guessing he talked to Ollie about the awkward encounter from earlier but I don't really know. Their super close relationship is starting to annoy me.
 

"Why are you rushing?" Junior asks me as I shove my books in my bag and all but trip while attempting to stand. Concern and worry covers his face while he stares me down. He must think I am having a melt down or something from the look on his face. I feel like a freaking zoo animal.
 

"I have to walk this new kid to class. Later!" I yell out as I run out the room. I make it up to the statistics room in record time but Ari is nowhere to be found.

I peek into his classroom but he isn't in there anymore. Seriously, if this kid is going to ditch me all day I'm going to flip. I stare down the hallways as a final check for him and it's empty of Ari.
 

"Boo." A voice rings in my ear. I scream, jumping back from the closeness of the voice. I felt their hot breath ride down my back.
 

Thinking it's Ollie playing a prank, I turn with a smile on my face. The smile fades when I realize it's Ari. He's beaming while holding back laughter. I give him a stern face and hold my ground snatching the schedule out of his hand. I figure out where his next class is. Study. I try to tell him he should go to the library but he responds that he is just going to walk around like a weirdo.
 

"Alright, well… I have class so I'll meet you in the student center after." I say in leaving, feeling overly awkward.
 

"I'll walk you to class." He says and starts moving down the hall expecting me to follow—which I do. Obviously I have to get to class. It's not because of him, at all.
 

"You really don't have to do that." I tell him as I jog to catch up with his long strides. Ollie will freak out if he finds out another guy is walking me to class. I don't want to deal with the questioning. Ollie tends to get jealous very easily. Basically any guy other than Junior and he goes into beast mode.
 

"I want to learn the school?" He responds after a couple seconds but it is more of a question. He just wants to walk me to class—I'm not that naive. He has to have an ulterior motive with me.
 

"Right." I answer in a clipped tone. The bell rings when I am only halfway there. I start to pick up my pace panicking that I won't make it to class on time but Ari grabs both my shoulders and pulls me back to him.

"You're excused, no need to rush, little girl." He says pulling me against his body to slow down our pace. My back presses to his front and the heat from his body connects with mine. A hum runs through my body that makes me feel relaxed and carefree. His hands move on my shoulders gently massaging them and I have to fight back a moan. His hands are freaking magical. He stops to roll up his sleeves and I snap out of the funk.
 

"Little girl? Are you serious?" I ask him stepping away to create a two foot space between us. I'm no little girl.
 

He walks up to me, spins me around and places his hands back on my shoulders. He starts pushing me towards my class. I have to admit, I never once think of telling him to let me go.
 

We get to my class and I walk in without saying goodbye. If he can do it, so can I. He doesn't know me.
 

The thought is kind of thrilling. I can be anyone I want to be around him. He won't know the difference. I fight back the urge to turn back and instead walk straight to my seat.
 

"What took you so long?" Junior asks.
 

"Ari made me walk slow." I sigh dropping my bag on the floor. It makes a loud thump and so do I when I drop my body into a chair.
 

"He
made
you? Who is this guy?" Junior asks.
 

"Sort of. He's a new kid. Let's just bake something. I don't wanna talk about that guy." Junior takes my hint and drops the subject. I can tell he is going to bring it up later though which fills my body with dread. It's nice not dealing with the crazy guy this period. I need a break from Ari's erratic behavior.

Junior and I talk about Halloween all period. Our school has this big dance coming up. It is a mix of homecoming and Halloween. We ditched it last year but Junior decided for us that we're going this year. He made plans to get our outfits at a really cool costume shop in New York City.
 

I find Ari leaning against a column in the student center after class. He looks pretty cute posted up there. I find him oddly alluring. I can't let him know that so I mask my emotions as I make my way up to him. I try not to even think about how long his eyelashes are and how when he looks up through them it's the hottest thing ever.
 

"Let's go. What class is it now?" I need to stick to business.
 

"Western Civ. W143." My stomach sinks as Ari speaks. Ollie is in that class if I remember correctly. I double check the paper over his shoulder making sure there's no mistake and dreadfully start moving us in the right direction.
 

"What's your problem?" Ari asks as we continue to walk towards his class.

"You. Clearly. Now let's move it." I tug on his arm muttering. He stops walking refusing to move at all. "Are you freaking kidding me?" I exclaim out loud throwing my hands up in exhaustion. "I swear you are a two year old." This only prompts him to stick his tongue out at me.
 

"Pleasssee." I beg. I am starving and the last thing I need is to have this brat not go to class and make me miss lunch.
 

I grab his hands and start pulling—literally dragging him down the hall. One step at a time I keep telling myself as his heavy weight becomes unbearable.
 

"There you go." I say when I have him outside of the room. "I've done my duty." I clap my hands applauding myself for getting him here. The door to his room is closed since class has already begun so I peek in the window and see Ollie sitting all the way in the back of the room. Of course he decides to go to class today! Just my freaking luck.
 

I quickly duck so he won't see me. The last thing that I want to happen is for Ollie see me, in the hall with this stranger when nobody else is around.
 

"I'm not going." Ari professes stubbornly crossing his arms across his muscled chest.

"And why is that?" I humor him placing my hands on my hips. I stare expectantly at him waiting for the rude remark I'm sure is coming up.
 

"I'd rather eat lunch with you." He states and my heart stops for a second. I get a familiar flutter in my stomach and wonder why my body is reacting like this.
 

"I highly doubt that." I turn on my heels, pretending to be this strong girl and start walking towards the stairs. If he doesn't go to class then that's not my problem anymore.
 

I make it to the second stair before he grabs my hips from behind. I scream before he covers my mouth with his hand, silencing me. I know it's him from his hard body pressed against my back. I try to bite his hand, but he spins me around to face him. My breath catches and I gasp as the closeness. A second goes by before either of us make a move.
 

Ari breaks the silence by dropping his hand from my mouth and laughing at me. At first I'm taken aback. He's laughing at me! Then I can't help but join in. His laugh is contagious and I'm swept into a full blown, tears in my eyes laughter with a stranger.
 

My heart beats a hundred miles a minute as I try to regain my composure. I swear anyone within a mile radius can hear it. Our bodies are pressed up, face to face against each other—his lips merely inches from mine. My stomach is in a state of constant uneasiness, like I swallowed a freaking hummingbird. My body is on high power, filled with energy.

He looks straight into my eyes turning this situation serious, "Why don't you believe me?" He looks vulnerable but I know guys like him. They want one thing, sex. And I can guarantee that he will never get it from me. I glare at him but it's hard not to be mesmerized by him.
 

Of course right at that moment as I'm swept into his gaze, I hear a door shut upstairs. I don't know who it is but I don't want word to get around that I'm hanging out in abandoned stairwells with anyone.
 

I hear foot steps so I grab Ari's hand pulling him down the flight of stairs and behind a large emergency door. The footsteps start getting closer. I swear whoever it is is at the stairs now.
 

Ari starts giggling a little so I stomp down on his foot. He makes a grunting sound as the footsteps start again. I cover his mouth with my hand and glare at him begging him to shut up. He puckers his lips but I ignore it. He's basically kissing my hand for crying out loud.
 

The foot steps keep getting closer and closer. By now, I know exactly who it is by the sinking feeling in my gut. I had a feeling this morning that my great life was going to crumble at my feet.
 

"What the hell is going on here?" Ollie yells as he rips the door open exposing our hiding spot. The look on his face is almost primal.
 

"Nothing, I swear!" I yell back rushing over to his side. He wraps one arm around my waist but his violent gaze never leaves Ari. Ari doesn't seem affected by the exchange at all. He's actually straightening himself out and moving closer to the two of us. He doesn't seem to have a care in the world.

"Your girlfriend here was just taking me to class." He stresses. "No harm done." He says as he waltzes right up to Ollie. He looks him up and down and then brushes past Ollie's shoulder. I could swear Ollie growls at him.

As Ari goes up the stairs, he starts whistling. It's a familiar song that I can't seem to place. It's almost creepy the way he acts. He doesn't care about anyone but himself. I can't believe I ever thought there was more to him.
 

I know I have to explain more to Ollie but I just don't want to yet. I wrap my arms around his tight stomach and rest my head on his chest. At first his chest tenses up under my touch. I feel awful that I've done this to him. I feel like he doesn't trust me anymore.

After a minute of me holding onto him, he relaxes and hugs me back fully. He tilts his head down over mine and strokes my hair.
 

Neither of us utter a word for the longest time. He lets out a loud sigh and picks me up in his arms. I'm relieved that he is able to calm himself down. His eyes have mellowed out and are back to normal, clear blue, like the ocean in Tahiti.
 

I wrap my legs around his body and let him walk us towards the wall in the stairwell. He lowers us both to the ground, his back against the wall and me on him. I sit on his lap since he refuses to let me go. When I feel like he is calm enough, I sit back to stare into his eyes.