FLASHBACK PART 2-E

`Hey,' Miller tried to strike a conversation with her in their History class. Astrid merely raised an eyebrow.

`Why aren't you talking to me?', he questioned.

`The project has finished. You don't have to burden yourself talking to me', she answered and buried her nose in her book.

`Girls drop themselves to talk to me but you-', he started but she cut him short.

`Why me?'

`I think you are real', he spoke the truth. Astrid took a deep breath and spoke at length.

`Question 1. Are you trying to get into my pants? Question 2. You have no respect for women whatsoever, thinking them as an object and I had to experience that doing the school project with you. Will your amoeba cells change? Question 3. We are not and let me emphasize NEVER will be in the same clique of friends. So why the need to talk? And it reverts to Question 1.', she folded her arms across her chest and awaited an answer from him.

`Wow, that is a lot to digest', he coughs. `I'm not an amoeba but I have a brain', he murmured the last part.

`If I can have a credible answer to those questions then I think it is worth to keep a friendship otherwise I don't see why bother with an acquaintance when strangers sound best', she smiled at his confused look. She guessed him correct, stupid athlete.

Miller was stumped, left speechless by her. He dated girls and threw them aside once done with them and here a girl questioned him and reduced his brain cells to a single amoeba. He resolved to date her before the school year ends. Miller Smith ended his current dates and started courting her. He would bombard her with cheesy notes, flowers, chocolates, and sneak every opportunity to speak to her.

Astrid relented vehemently and never hinted him to continue his game plan. Soon, everyone in school started bitching about her and girls she never knew started approaching her for friendships. They either wanted to get into Miller's pants or his group of friends. Astrid felt her safe cocoon was falling apart. She had to end this.

When their final year exams were about to start in a week, she decided to meet Miller Smith once and for all to clear the air. Being cautious she chooses to meet at their school rooftop. For privacy. She did not tell him in advance for fear of Miller planning something.

It was a Friday, and she finished her PE at 2 pm. She rushed to the rooftop and searched for Miller. She was astonished to see him tipsy.

`How can you get drunk in school?', his breath reeked of beer and she stood a few meters away.

`Why do you keep rejecting me? I've become a spectacle at school!', he was unhappy. Drunk men are impossible to decipher.

`I did not ask you to pursue me. Why I never hinted it ever!', she was exasperated with his attitude.

`Well, I want to. I like you', he spoke softly and started moving towards Astrid.

`Its just infatuation. You will get over it-', she stopped talking when Miller stood just feet away from her. Shit, he is so close.

`No, I won't until I taste you', Miller pounced on her and both fell on the floor.

`Get the fuck off me you asshole!', she tried to wrestle her way but he was too strong and he held her in place by putting his entire weight on her, pinning her.

Astrid was afraid of this. Violation of herself, of her body. She tried to bite him but he ignored her and started kissing her neck. She felt dirty, his tongue invoking fear in her.

`You are too sweet for your own good', he licked her jawline.

`Let me go, let me go Miller', she pleaded. His tongue and kisses were revolting, and she wished all her might for him to let her go. Astrid needed to think fast, she estimated the distance between the roof door and herself and decided to try a calculative move. She pretended to go along with his act, pretend to like it.

Astrid stopped fighting and laid still. Tears stream down her cheeks, her heartbeat racing, praying for a moment to escape.

`That's good. You liked it huh?', he spoke in a drunken daze. Astrid simply nodded. He continued kissing her face and his grip loosen for a second. She got her second; focused her entire energy on her knees and kicked him hard on his balls.

He immediately let go and fell aside, holding his groin in pain. Astrid ran for her life, with tears running down her cheeks and only stopped when she reached her home.

PRESENT DAY

Ace Wagner's body was rigid with tension and anger. However, his hands were soothing her, moving up and down her spine, never stopping. Enlil perched on a stone boulder nearby them, with a dark face.

`Grandpa Jones complained but the school authorities did not take serious action. It was the end of the year anyway, so they just gave him a warning letter. I changed school the following year and pop always accompanied me to school every single day until I finished. He would wait for me, rain or shine without fail', a tear dropped from her eyes.

Her dark past was something she never wanted to reminisce. She ended up having therapies to combat the assault, thinking it to be her fault. Eventually, she got over it, but she never trusted anyone close enough to be called a true friend. She closed her walls with bricks, high enough and sealed herself in it.

`Astrid, you are the bravest person I've met. And you did so so well. It was never your fault', Ace kissed her cheeks with love. He kissed all her tears away.

`Would you love less me less if it had been wor-', Astrid was stricken, had she not escaped her fate would have been different.

`Never', he spoke with anger.

`Thanks'. Astrid rested her head on his chest and turned to see Enlil watching her. He smiled weakly at her.

`I think I may have been…you know…persuasive…and if-', Ace remembered the times he was practically kissing her into submission and touching her excessively.

Astrid kissed his lips softly and blushed. `But I like you. A lot,' she breathed at his lips and he smirked.

`I will accept like for now'.

`You are getting cold. Let's get back home', Ace told her to piggyback ride him and she did. Enlil checked his watch and the time showed 5.00 pm. Time flew faster.

Once they reached the site of the parked bike, Astrid took her bag and climbed up a tree to change her clothes.

`I can see your head moving up Ace, no peeking', Astrid warned Ace.

`Just checking on you. Eyes are closed', Ace smirked.

`Yeah, man leave you both alone and I can hear babies the next day', Enlil grunted.

`That sucks, mate', Ace elbowed him.

Ace had an itch to ask Enlil, why didn't anyone tell him about her past considering the proximity they shared. `She didn't tell you this?', Ace was serious.

`No. They bottled it up. I would have killed that guy had I known.', Enlil smiled sinisterly, thinking of ways to kill a person without being caught. `She trusts you and loves you', he nudged his shoulder playfully.

`Yeah, but she never uses that word', Ace lamented.

Astrid hopped down from the tree and step in front of them, signalling for them to move. Ace holds her shoulders and brings her closer. He traces his finger around her lips and thumbed them apart as if asking permission.

`Astrid, may-',

This time she doesn't wait and closed the distance between them, pushing her weight towards him and he gladly carries her `Wrap your legs around me, love', he commands, and he holds her butt cheeks in place, lifting her up.

Enlil rolled his eyes at them and started walking away, giving them space.

She wraps her arms around him and looks into his face, admiring his sharp nose, darken lilac eyes, his ear studs glittering under the setting sunlight. His dishevelled hair added his sex appeal and she can't help but admire his handsome face. Her eyes riveting from his eyes to his lips. For once, he has to look up to her and she laughs, like a sweet melody of angels singing.

`Why?', he was aware of her eyes and asked in a hoarse voice.

`View is nice from up here', her finger traces his jawline and paused at his chin, pushing it up. She licked her lips and slowly bends her head down to kiss his warm lips, his pink lips beckoning her to taste him.

`May I have a taste of this, baby', she spoke against his lips, and he knew she was turned on with her choice of endearment word. He grinned at her attitude, teasing him. He locked his lips with her, his answer to her question.

She felt jolts of electricity sparking though the kiss, captivated by it and pressed her lips harder against his. She put all her anguish, fear of the past and gratitude into her kiss, gripping his thick wet hair and pulling his neck back to deepen the kiss. She angled their necks, to mould their lips better.

Astrid bit his lower lip, tasting a metallic drop of blood on her tongue. He gasped and opened his mouth for her tongue to course through, demanding him to enthral her. His rough tongue tasted her sweet mouth with vigour, imploring every space, leaving her moaning with pleasure.

Ace was pleased with her boldness, her stake of claim over him. Their passionate kiss danced in tune with the rhythm of nature. Slow, sensual and arousing. Astrid teased him further by using the tip of her tongue to graze his canine, one each at a time, earning a growl from him and he bit her tongue when she moved to his left canine. She was driving him mad with desire. His grip on her butt tightened.

Her heartbeat increased in an explosion of passion, hungry for more, mind lost in lust, she pulls back and stared at him in a heated gaze. Ace whimpered at the loss of her lips and stares at her swollen lips. Astrid started giving open mouth kisses from the corner of his mouth moving upwards along his prominent jawline. He cursed under his breath.

She alternated between kisses and nibbling, soothing the spot she nibbled with flicks of her tongue, knowing full well his member was hardening and she could feel it pressing against hers. He growls her name throatily when she finds his sweet spot, just below his earlobe, below the angle of the mandible. Unbeknown to her, her canines elongated slightly, and she digs into his soft skin hard. He hissed in pain and his eyes shot up.

Enlil who was walking around to give them personal space heard a tiny sound from his bell and turned towards the couple engaged in a passionate kiss. Ace's eyes were open in a haze, and Astrid looked like she was drawing his blood? Shit!