Chapter 15
Something wasn’t just adding up from his explanation, but Ariel ignored the questions that had been plaguing her and decided to put them away. She didn’t totally forget it, but right now, her mind couldn’t think of anything but rest.
Kane had managed to push her body to the limit, and while it was fun then, she needed to rest her weary limbs before she collapsed.
She dragged herself to the bed and managed to take a short nap, but even that one proved difficult because she was just turning and tossing on the bed, reliving the minute they kissed.
It had been long since she had been kissed like that, after her first relationship, which had pretty much failed, but even that couldn’t hold a candle to what she felt.
Kane was a grown man, and he kissed her like one, holding her close and pressing into her and- “Arrggghhh.” Ariel grabbed the pillow in front of her, screaming into it as she could barely contain her happiness.
It had happened in a way she didn’t expect, but she couldn’t have had it any differently. But somewhere in her mind, she was afraid she was moving too fast with him.
Kane was supposed to be her guardian, and she doesn’t know how guardian-guardee relationships work, but she was sure there was no kissing going on.
But this was Kane; everything was different with him; he looked like he was born to break the rule, and honestly, she didn’t care one bit.
“Alright, enough.” Ariel was chiding herself when 20 minutes had gone by, and she was only relieving the kiss. She had been replaying it, scene by scene, making sure she wasn’t missing any parts. “This is not going to help.” She said, and she was walking towards the bathroom.
A scalding hot shower should wash away any impure thoughts she was having, and it worked like magic.
But the day after, when she was training with Kane and she was pressed close to him, she remembered the way he felt on her, and she was like a ripe tomato.
“Are you sick?” Kane’s voice was disrupting her thoughts, and she was shaking her head, trying to get rid of the images.
“No, why?” Kane was staring at her as if he could see through her, and she wasn’t sure she liked it.
“You are turning red.” He pointed out, his eyes carrying a sweeping look all over her, just to be sure.
“Yeah!” Ariel was fanning herself furiously, even as she was inching away from him. “It is from the heat and exhaustion. Excuse me.” And she was fleeing before Kane could reply.
The next day was a bit better, as she was able to rein herself in from jumping him when he was flexing those muscles as he taught her how to throw a punch.
He had lost the shirt he had been wearing to reveal a wife beater when things became hotter and her eyes remained glued to his biceps, but she was able to exercise enough self-control and held off until it was over.
Their training became consistent, and it was the only thing Ariel was looking forward to as she woke up every morning. In fact, it was what was waking her up earlier than usual.
It has been a week since they started training, and everything has been going well. Although they haven’t talked about the kiss or shared it with anyone again, they both pretend it never happened and go back to their normal lives.
That day, Ariel was waking up earlier than usual, and she laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She needed to talk to Kane to know what her next decision would be.
For seven years of her life, Kane had been financing her, and now that she has graduated, she has doubts that he will be eager to do so anymore.
It is time for her to look for a job and maybe find out more about herself. It had always plagued her that she knew nothing of her first fifteen years on earth.
Nothing; whenever she tried to recall something, it was completely blank, and she was beginning to get frustrated. She could only rely on what Kane told her, and the man was as vague as ever.
Toby would never provide anything, no matter how much she begged him, as he claimed that he didn’t know anything, but she had a strong suspicion that he was lying.
Ariel laid on the bed and continued working on her next line of action, mapping out companies she could apply to until it was almost time to go.
She jumped out of bed and was walking towards the bathroom to brush her teeth, smiling at the work of an overly expensive dentist. She finished brushing her teeth, and she leaned down, sniffing her armpits, and was satisfied that it wasn’t going to drive anyone away or worse, mad, but to be on the safe side, she sprayed a generous amount of antiperspirant.
Ariel changed into her training outfit-nothing ridiculous, just an old T-shirt and joggers that had seen better days. Since the last kiss, Kane has been avoiding all sorts of body contact with her.
She had gotten the message loud and clear, and she decided to abide by it. Ariel strolled to the mirror, looking at her outfit, and she nodded her head in appreciation.
She wore her sneakers, and she was out of the door. There was nothing Kane hated more than lateness, and she had to make sure she was there on time.
But you could imagine her disappointment when she had raced all the way to the training room and it was locked.
“What the heck?” Ariel looked around, trying to find a possible explanation for why the training room was locked. It had never been locked since she started her training, and she didn’t fail to notice the lack of people around.
Just what is going on?
She looked around her, trying to make sense of what was going on, but no one could give her an explanation of what was going on.
She was walking up the stairs to get her phone, but on second thought, she was taking a decor to Toby’s room. If there was anyone who knew what was going on, it would be him.
You could imagine her surprise when she got to the front of his door and tried the door knob, but it refused to give way.
“Geez!” Ariel yelled, kicking the door, but she was quick to find out that that was the wrong decision. Stumbling on her throbbing foot, she continued the journey to her room to get her phone.
She should be able to reach Toby and ask him about his whereabouts or even about Kane. She was ashamed to admit it, but she didn’t have Kane’s contact information and had never bothered to ask.
Ariel arrived at their floor, and she was walking towards her room, but she was pausing for a moment as she looked at the hallway. Kane’s office and room were also located there, and she could save herself the trouble by just checking up on him.
He had probably forgotten or had been too busy to remember.
It sounded like a great idea in her head, and she didn’t give it any thought before she was marching towards his office. If he wasn’t in his office, then she would try his room.
Ariel stood in front of his door and held the doorknob, praying that it was locked. Now that she was in front of it, she couldn’t shake the nervousness that enveloped her.
“Who are you?” A voice barked behind the door, and she shook in fright.
“Shit!” Ariel was releasing the doorknob like it was on fire. She knew Kane’s voice very well, and right now, that wasn’t him.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
It was a wrong decision anyway, she thought, and she was turning to go.
“I know you are outside, so don’t try to run away; otherwise, I will hunt you and find you.” The voice spoke again, and this time she broke out in sweat.
It is fine; no one will hurt you here. Ariel tried to reassure herself while she took on her self-defense stance. If the intruder tried anything, she was going to practice all she had learned on him.
She took in a lot of air, releasing it slowly, and she opened the door, letting herself inside. Ariel crossed her arms, trying to appear menacing as she faced the intruder.
“Who are you, and why are you here?” Ariel glanced around the room, looking for something, anything she could use to her advantage.
“I should be asking you that; you are the intruder here, and I don’t like intruders.” The man snarled, exposing his fangs just a bit to scare her.
He was inching closer to her, and Ariel didn’t know where she got the confidence from, but she remained on her spot, unmoving.
And suddenly, the door opened with the force of an open-palm smack, and the new intruder looked at the scene in front of him, recognizing his female.
“Ariel?”