Chapter Twenty Eight

Chelsea's POV



"I want a partner change." I overhear Torin tell Miss Gladys, our biology teacher.

She had earlier partnered everyone up for our projects with any topic of our choice, and lucky me, I have been stuck with Torin, which by the looks and sound of it, he's not happy with.

"Torin, give me a break." She says. Her 4'7" frame looking significantly smaller than his 6ft one. He's looking down at her like he'd like nothing more than to vaporize her at this very second. But she's standing her ground and looking him in the eye, even though she has to severely raise her head.

"I really can't do this project with her Miss Gladys." He's talking about me like I'm not still in the class. Asshole.

Miss Gladys sighs and I feel like they have had this conversation before.

"You can't do this project with anyone Torin. You scare everyone away..."

"Then let me do it alone." He cuts in.

"This is a group project, Torin. Group is the keyword there. Meaning two or more people. So you either do it with her or fail the class." With that, she packs her things and leaves him at her table, visibly fuming.

I turn around and realize that we are the only ones in the classroom and now I feel awkward. I clear my throat and he whips his head toward my direction so fast, he would have broken his neck.

"I guess I'm not the only one who sighs a lot around you," I say and chuckle nervously. He doesn't respond. He just stands there and stares me down. After some time, he walks towards me and stands so close to me, we are practically breathing the same air.

"Tell her you to want to change partners." He demands. The utmost nerve.

"Ask who?" I ask, deciding to play dumb.

"Miss Gladys, Chelsea." He says between gritted teeth. I pretend to mull over his demand for some time.

"Nah," I say and I'm about to walk past him when he grips my arm and pulls me back.

"You do not want to get on my bad side. So you better do as I say." He threatens. So now he has resorted to threatening me. Now I'm pissed. More than pissed, I'm furious. The utmost audacity.

I shrug my arm out of his grip and step so close to him, our bodies are almost touching.

"Now you look here, mister 'I get everything I want. Those threats, this scary facade you have on, they don't work on me. We are doing this project together. And you better bring your freaking A game because I will not fail this course because of you. Try me, and trust me, you would not be the one dishing out or executing threats.” With that, I stomp out leaving him to fume.

I can't believe I did that. I felt like someone walked into the room and just gave me a dose of energy. Stupid spoilt brats. I was once swimming in cash, but heaven knows I never acted that way. Thank God for home training I guess.

I walk into the bathroom to wash my face. The moment I raise my head and at my reflection in the mirror, I scream.

Well, I try to scream. But the man who suddenly appeared out of nowhere has his hand covering my mouth and he is dangerously close to me.

Now, I just finished having a toe to toe fight with Torin. But this man. This close body contact. It has me going hot in all the wrong places. The moment I realize the kind of effect he's having on me and the situation we are in right now. Him being in the girls' bathroom with his hand on my mouth and no one else in sight, I knee him in the balls.

The problem is, instead of a normal reaction, such as him bending down in pain and clutching his balls, I'm the one screaming and saying a bunch of profanities which in turn, makes him chuckle.

"You sure do swear a lot for a girl your age." He says in the most sultry deep voice I have ever heard, and this makes my knees weak. I look at his face and I realize he is the same man who was standing under the tree. This up close, I am certain I have seen him somewhere before.

He carefully lets go of me and I rearrange my stance.

"You shouldn't be in here," I say, looking around to calculate my escape route. Lucky me, there aren't any.

"I know." He says in a bored tone.

"Then why are you here?" I ask.

"Because I can be." He says and walks close to me, pinning me on the wall and trapping me with both his hands. He leans in, his lips brushing my ear. "And because I want to see you."

I'm dead. I am officially dead. I have dated before, and yes I have crushes and whatnot, but what this man is doing to me at this very moment is going to kill me.

"I don't know you." I manage to whisper out.

"Now, you know that's a lie, Chelsea." He practically growls. I'd heard Torin growl before, and it was hot. But this... This is otherworldly.

"I swear I do not know what you are talking about." I try to sound convincing. I honestly do not know him. Granted, he looks super familiar, but I can't even put a finger on where I have seen him before.

His face is just inches away from mine and all I have to do is just close the gap and kiss him. Shit Chels. You're probably or most certainly in grave danger and what you are thinking about is kissing the assailant.

"What do you want?" I say at the same time he asks, "What are you?"

So now I'm super confused. It automatically shows on my face.

"What am I?" I ask.

"Yes, what are you?" He asks again.

"Are you sure you don't mean to ask who I am?" I question. Maybe he is confused. Or was hit on the head?

"I know what I am asking you, Chelsea. What are you?"

"Hmm, I am a human being from planet earth. What am I supposed to be, an alien?" I ask cautiously.

"You've got jokes right?" He says, staring at me deathly.

I swallow hard and shake my head to mean no.

Just when he is about to say something else, someone knocks on the bathroom door.