HEADMASTER

  “I didn’t realise you were into art,” she continues, closing the distance between us.

  “I– I–” Oh my God, Sasha, get a grip! “I’m not really,” I finally manage to blurt out. “I just thought I would broaden my horizons a little, considering I have a few days off from school that is.”

  She smiles politely, but I can tell there’s something hidden beneath that smile. Maybe I’m just being paranoid.

  “You know, Mr Lockhart is here too. Isn’t that a coincidence?”

  My heart starts drumming a million miles an hour. “Really?” I giggle nervously, but I’m not sure that she buys it.

  “Yes, he’s just over there,” she replies, pointing him out. Easton happens to turn at the precise moment that Mrs Caterham points to him. He smiles nervously, but waves nevertheless. He then covers the distance between us.

  “Hi,” he says, looking to both me then Mrs Caterham.

  “I was just telling Sasha how much of a coincidence it was that we’re all here together.”

  Easton nods, giving nothing away. He’s a better performer than I am, that’s for sure. “Yes, it is. I didn’t think you were one for the arts, Sasha.”

  I laugh, placing a strand of hair behind my ear. “I was saying to Mrs Caterham that I’m not, but just thought I would broaden my horizons.”

  He nods with a bright smile, looking every bit the headmaster that he is, instead of my secret lover—if I can call him that.

  “It’s good to broaden your horizons a little.”

  “Did you come on your own?” Mrs Caterham asks, completely changing the subject.

  My face heats as I try and think of an excuse. Luckily one comes to me. “I’m supposed to be meeting a friend but she hasn’t turned up yet. In fact,” I continue, taking my phone out of my pocket and holding it up. “I must call her and find out where she is. It was nice seeing you both.”

  Mrs Caterham smiles. “It was nice seeing you too, Sasha. See you again on Monday.”

  I nod before smiling towards Easton. He gives me an awkward grin before I walk away. As I exit the building, I can’t help but turn around and see that Mrs Caterham is now walking with Easton. Shit, this is bad.

  I exit the museum quickly and make my way towards a café about half a mile down the road. Once I order a coffee, I text Easton.

  That was close! I’m at a café called Hot Shots, down on Brent Street.

  I don’t get a response straight away, but then again, I don’t expect to. I know Mrs Caterham likes Easton, so I doubt she will let him go in a hurry.

  Sure enough, it’s almost a full hour before Easton enters the café, a look of apology on his face. I stop him just as he opens his mouth. “Don’t apologise. I think I can hazard a guess that Mrs Caterham kept you busy all this time.”

  He sits down in a huff. “I tried everything to leave, but she kept asking me questions about the paintings. I had to go round with her to every single one before I eventually told her that I had to leave to meet up with some friends.”

  I bite my lip. “Do you think she knows?”

  He closes his eyes a moment before meeting mine. “I don’t know, but I made sure I wasn’t followed before I quickly got on my bike and left. I even went in the opposite direction first before heading around the backstreets towards this café.”

  I notice the fraught look on his face and it turns my stomach. “Today is an all too reminder as to why we agreed to stay away from each other.”

  He nods his head in agreement. “This fucking sucks.”

  I laugh. “Yeah. It does.”

  Hesitantly, he leans over the table. “Do you want me to take you home?”

  That question should be so easy to answer, but it’s not. It’s a loaded question filled with choices—either the right one or the wrong one. I know my head is telling me that I should say yes, but having Easton sitting in front of me offering me choices I never once had, I can’t help but say what I do next.

  “No. I don’t want you to take me home. In fact, could we go back to your place?”

  Grabbing my hand resting on the coffee mug, he answers, “I would love nothing more.” He immediately gets up. “Come on, let’s go.”

  I smile widely and take his hand letting him lead back out towards his bike. He grabs my helmet, placing it on my head before securing his own. He then climbs on and I quickly follow suit.

  The journey back is quick, but filled with sexual tension. I can feel it building in my legs, my hips … my loins. Just the feel of me having my legs wrapped around him again cements the idea that going to his place is the best idea I could ever have.

  Once at his place, we’re barely inside his door when he suddenly turns, grabbing my waist and pulling me towards him. His lips immediately press together against mine as we slowly guide upstairs towards his bedroom. Our upper limbs entwine with each other, trying to undress one another as we reach the top of the stairs. Clothes are thrown haphazardly down and by the time we reach his bedroom we’re practically naked. The only items of clothing left now are our underwear.

  Seeming to realise this, we break apart standing about two feet away. Our breathing is harsh and heavy, our chests heaving as we lock eyes with each other before we both scan our bodies from head to toe. Unashamedly, we drink each other in like this is the first time we’ve ever seen each other practically naked. His bronzed statuesque body causes a throb between my legs.

  “My God, you’re beautiful,” he whispers, causing wetness to pool between my legs. I unhook my bra, allowing it to fall to the ground, and all the while my eyes never leave his. Next to go are my knickers as I slowly pull them down past my feet—again, my eyes never leave his. I’m completely bare. Completely naked and vulnerable in front of this man, but I trust him. For the first time in my life I trust someone other than my mother. I know he will never hurt me. I can feel it in my heart that this is where I’m meant to be.

  In one swift motion, Easton lowers his boxer shorts. Now we’re both very naked, standing at the foot of the bed. None of us makes the first move. We carry on staring like we’re locked in some sort of competition.

  “How long do you think we can stand like this together?” I ask, my breathing still erratic. Just staring at him is turning my insides to mush.

  Easton licks his lips causing a fire inside me to burn hotter than ever. “Seconds,” he answers, quickly closing the distance between us. We lock lips, our limbs inter-lock with each other as we try to grab, feel, touch, and taste every single molecule of each other.

  We land on the bed, Easton positioning himself between my legs. He enters quickly, sliding into my wetness with ease. We both throw our heads back, crying out our pleasure before his mouth is on mine, robbing me of speech. He moves swiftly inside me, our passion for each other reaching fever pitch. It almost feels like it’s been months rather than days since we had this connection. It’s raw, fierce, and unbending. His hips flex, and with each movement, he hits my G-spot with ease, causing me to moan into his mouth.

  “You’re so fucking beautiful,” he says again, claiming my mouth before breaking away and dipping his head towards my nipple. I cradle his head, my fingers running through his hair as he expertly suckles on my nipples—a constant zapping of need reaches every part of me.

  “Easton,” I cry, unable to form proper words. “Don’t stop! Keep going,” I pant as his movements become faster, harder, even better. “Shit!” I scream, my orgasm taking me captive, holding me in place. My whole body is rigid as it keeps me there. It’s overwhelming. I have never had an orgasm reach a pivotal point where it takes hold of me so powerfully as it is doing right now.

  “Fuck, Sasha, you feel incredible.”

  I blow, screaming out his name as my orgasm riddles through my whole body. It’s powerful and unrelenting. It goes on and on until finally Easton finds his own release.

  “Wow,” I say, once our breathing calms a little.

  “Definitely wow.”

  Easton pulls his head
up from my shoulder and looks down at me. “Stay with me?” he asks, a look of hope in his eyes.

  “Okay,” I answer, knowing full well that there could only be one answer.

  I stay for four nights and in that time spent with Easton, all we do is eat, sleep, and make love. On our last night as I’m riding on top of him, his hands gripping my hips as I come apart around him, I know that come Monday morning reality will hit once more and our magical spell will be zapped away from us. But I also—frighteningly—know that with every second of every moment spent with Easton. With every touch, every caress, and every soft, sweet word he utters in my ear as we make love, I know I am falling madly, deeply, unshakeably in love with him.

  Christmas

  It’s been two weeks since I found out I was pregnant and for two weeks, Liam has been nothing but sweet and kind, attending to every single one of my needs. Last week I had started working at Liam’s firm, and to be honest, I think I would have lost my mind if it wasn’t for that. I keep waiting for the day to come where I would feel happy about being pregnant. That it would finally click in that I’m about to be a mother and the excitably flurry starts in my stomach.

  All I feel is sick.

  And I do—literally. Every day I’m sick, and sometimes all throughout the day. Liam keeps telling me to stay at home and that work can cope without me, but I keep on insisting that I’m okay, when I’m anything but. I know how ecstatic he is. He’s that happy that he’s already been out and bought our child a teddy bear for when it’s born. I know I’m acting well, matching his enthusiasm, but all I keep thinking is I’m seventeen, haven’t even done my GCSE’s, and now I’m one hundred percent reliant upon a man. I feel like I’m only a child myself, so how on earth am I able to look after a baby?

  Tears prick my eyes as Liam drives us to the local store. He wants new shoes and was intent on dragging me with him. Normally, I would jump at the chance, but I just don’t have the heart for anything today. Christmas is just a few days away, and my pretend enthusiasm is waning. Out of all my bad days, today is turning out to be a particularly bad one.

  “What’s wrong, Ray-Ray?” he asks, soothingly from the driver’s seat. It’s so soothing that my tears start to fall down. “Hey, don’t cry.”

  “I’m sorry,” I offer.

  “What have you got to be sorry for?” He wipes away my hair to try and see my face.

  I start to laugh. “I think it may be hormones, or something.” I don’t want him to know how unhappy I am. I know it would ruin just how happy he is, and besides, what good would it be to tell him? Regardless I’m about to become a mother in seven months. That’s not going to change.

  When I hear his laughter I know I’ve managed to convince him. “I did read about this.”

  I turn to see him smiling. “You did?”

  He nods, like he’s really proud of himself. “I’ve been reading up on everything since we found out. I don’t want to miss out on a thing, so everything you go through, I want to go through with you.”

  Despite my misery, I smile. “That’s really thoughtful.”

  He clasps my hand in his. “You’re not on your own in this. I’m with you every step of the way.”

  He smiles again before his eyes return to the road. With my tears gone, he’s now convinced himself that I’m okay, when I’m anything but.

  Things get worse when we arrive at the mall and he points me in the direction of the pharmacy I bought the pregnancy test in. “Go get yourself some folic acid. I’ve read that you’re supposed to take it when you’re pregnant.” He reaches out and hands me a twenty pound note.

  “I do?”

  He nods, chuckling. “See, I know a lot now,” he says with a wink. “I just need to get something from a store at the other end of the mall. I’ll meet you back here once we’re both done, okay?”

  I nod and watch as he walks away before tentatively making my way to the chemist. Maybe I was just paranoid last time I was here. Hell, there’s a good chance she won’t even be here today.

  I take a walk in, and sure enough, I don’t see her anywhere. With a new found confidence, I go down the same aisle I found the pregnancy test in. I figure that should be a good place to find a pregnancy supplement in.

  Sure enough, I see the tablets next to all the pregnancy kits. There’s so many, but I quickly grab the one which catches my eye the most and take it to the counter. As I wait, I look over my shoulder every now and then to see if Liam’s there.

  “Next,” the lady’s voice calls.

  I turn back around, and that’s when my hair stands on end. The lady that was here before is now gone and in her place is Melissa Jacobs, Pharmacist. I stand as still as a statue at first, and when her eyes widen, my heart starts to kick up a few notches.

  “Please come with me,” she says, disappearing before reappearing to open a door.

  “Why?” I ask once I see her. “What do you want with me?”

  She leans over and whispers, “You’re Ray, aren’t you? The girl who’s been missing for over two years?” My eyes widen, and that’s when I see it in her face. “I knew it was you. Why have you been hiding? Your mum’s been tirelessly searching for you all this time. She’s never given up.”

  Tears start to prick my eyes. I shake my head in confusion. “What are you talking about? My mum’s dead.”

  She gasps. “Oh my God! Is that what he told you?” When she sees the answer in my eyes, she says, “Oh my goodness. Sweetheart, your mum’s not dead. She’s very much alive.”

  I start to shake my head and back away. “No. That can’t be true. He wouldn’t do that to me.”

  She motions me forward. “Come with me, Ray. I’ll show you. I’ll prove it to you.” I look behind my shoulder and see Liam approaching the shop. He hasn’t seen me yet, but he’s about to. “Quick,” she says as if realising straight away who’s coming. “It’s now or never, Ray. Please trust me. Come in the back with me, and I’ll prove it to you.”

  As I look from Liam to Melissa, my mind wages war with itself. Who do I trust? Liam or this stranger? I have a split-second to make my decision, and with the thought of my mother on my mind, I finally act.

  With not a second to spare, I quickly move inside, and Melissa swiftly shuts the door behind me. “He never saw you.”

  We both breathe a sigh of relief as she starts to walk down the hall to one of the back rooms. She opens the door, and we walk into what looks like a locker room. She goes up to locker thirty-two and puts the combination in the lock. She pulls out an iPad, lights it up, and presses a few things before finally turning it over. She shows me article after article of my mum campaigning to find me. Months and months worth of articles and videos. Some were uploaded as recently as two weeks ago. Like a fool, I now realise why Liam never wanted me near the Internet.

  It’s because he never wanted me to find out the truth.

  Everything caves in on me. My knees buckle, and I find myself falling—falling into an abyss of nothingness. I vaguely hear the sound of Melissa’s voice as I go down, but pretty soon, I’m out like a light.

  These past six weeks together have been amazing. Every spare moment we have are spent locked in each other’s arms. We never go out anywhere for fear that we’ll be caught, but I’ve gone way past caring now. It’s been so easy to fall into this place where we only exist, that what we’re doing isn’t wrong and if we get caught serious consequences will ensue. We talked about it a lot for the first week or so, and then we just fell into a pattern—a kind of couple pattern. At school I still keep my head down and I still work my butt off trying to catch up enough with all the months missed so that I can come away with some decent results.

  “I want you to spend Christmas with me,” Easton suddenly says. It’s a Saturday—less than two weeks before Christmas. We’re sitting on Easton’s sofa, my legs draped over his waist as he reads the paper and I do a crossword in a magazine. I love these moments with him. They’re a way to spend time with each other without
having to say a word. If anyone saw us now they’d think we looked like a married couple.

  “In Edinburgh?” I ask, knowing full well where he means. We had discussed Christmas before. I had been under the impression that Easton would go visit his family while I stayed at home and spent the holidays with my mum. The only promise we made was to meet up for New Year so that we could welcome it together.

  “Yes, in Edinburgh.” I bite my lip and he notices. “You’re thinking about your mum.” I nod my head. “Bring her with you.”

  My eyes widen. I set my pen and magazine down. “I would love to, but there’s no way we could find a place to stay so soon before Christmas.”

  I’m about to go on when he places his hand on mine. “There would be no need to find a place to stay. We have plenty of room at my family home.”

  The prospect of staying with Easton thrills me, and the fact that he obviously wants me to meet his mum and siblings warms my heart more than anything—bar his brother of course. “What about Grayson?”

  He shakes his head. “Don’t you worry about Grayson. I can reel him in. I’ve already told him that we’re an item. I also told my mum. She’s eager to meet you.”

  I smile despite myself. “Nothing would please me more than to meet your family.”

  “Then it’s settled,” he responds without letting me finish. I start laughing. “What?” he asks, with a frown.

  “I haven’t even said yes yet.”

  He smirks. “You were going to.”

  I lean forward, grabbing his hand. “Don’t you think this is a big thing—me meeting the parents, so to speak?”

  He looks a little worried when he says, “Do you think it’s too soon?”

  I roll my eyes. “I think you already know the answer to that.”

  “Then what?” He jabs me playfully making me jump and giggle.

  “Stop that!” I screech, pushing his hand away.

  “Stop what? This?” He jabs me again causing me to squeal. In an instant his hands are all over me, tickling me so hard that I lose my breath. I’m wriggling hard, so hard that I end up flat on my back underneath him. I scream at him to stop and he immediately does, our laughter echoing around the room.