Blackmailed For Love

Chapter 12: You are smiling 

Stupid.

Stupid.

Stupid.

Why did I have to agree? I don't know who was stupider, me or Kristoff.

The boy has become more like a bane of my existence than the friend he proclaimed to be.

If not for him I would be in my room listening to music and dancing like crazy, not here in this dark and scary forest counting the seconds.

Mum was right, I get myself in trouble.

It was all on me.

The dry leaves crinkled under my feet and I could hear the low hums that was the sound of the forest itself as if warning me to stay away but I could not stay away.

Not when I just made a bet with Kristoff. Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

The stupid boy said that I was a wuss for not wanting to go into the forest at close to midnight.

But I am not a wuss! I once kneed the man twice my size for trying to touch my boob.I don't even have those not like the Diana from my class that girl has-1 Something black and small darted across the path in front of me and I let out a startled scream, lost my balance as I put my foot on an uneven stone.

But before I could fall face first on the dry leaves strewn around the forest, a strong hand grabbed my arm and pulled me upright.

Thinking that I was in the hands of a murder who frequented these forests wanting to chase virgins and ravish them before he kills them, I started to flung my arms left and right, thrashing in the strongest grip ever.

But then the deepest and scariest voice spoke, that made my heart ram against my ribcage like it was trying to break free.

"Be quiet, little girl…" He said, covering my mouth with his palm.

I stood still, my whole body shaking like a lone leaf on a branch in a stormy night.

"What the hell are you doing out here all alone?" He asked, his grey eyes looking like dark steel under the moonlight as he looked down at me.

I swallowed.

And blinked up at him.

"What?" Kristian growled.

"Mmhmm… Umm-"

Finally his eyes dropped to where his palm was pressed to my mouth, unintentionally I licked his palm and watched as his eyes darkened before he removed his palm from my mouth.

"That's none of your business.And you just scared me." I said to him, trying to get away but couldn't.

Because his fingers tightened on my arm where he was still holding me and he glared down at me.

"Come again, little girl.Don't lose your manners."

I felt just like a little girl being reprimanded by mommy for stealing an extra cookie.

"Now.Answer me, quick."

"There was a bet!"

I gasped, licking my lips and staring at him.

"Kristoff said I was a wuss.when I refused to come to this stupid forest this late in the night."

I stomped my foot down.

You are smiling – When I looked at him, I realized he was raking his eyes down my body and then they got stuck on the exposed part of my stomach between my top and shorts.

"Stop looking at me like that." I said, my voice all funny and squeaky.

"Like, what?" He demanded.

"Like… like that…" I pointed at his eyes.

He stepped closer.

"Like what exactly?"

It had been four months since we came to live in Aaron's manor, but in all that time I had never been this close to Kristian Aaron.

He had picked me up several times from the school, mostly I would be alone in his car with him with his cold and dangerous aura surrounding me, and it always intrigued me.

Especially when he would ask if anyone troubled me in the school.

Some of the students do, it was all the name calling that I have listened to before and wasn't new to me, but I never told him that.

I was afraid of what he would do and also it felt like he would do something.

"J- Just go…."

I stammered out, feeling overwhelmed with his nearness and the spicy cologne that I was inhaling with every breath.

He shrugged.

"Fine."

Then took a step back and very casually said, "I will leave you to the wolves and the ghosts."

My eyes widened in alarm as I looked around the dark forest.

Before I could think better of it, I grabbed his arm and blurted out, "No! Please don't.Don't leave me alone here.I made a bet with your brother.I have to stay here for fifteen minutes."

"If you are afraid then, why?" He asked as he frowned down at me, like I was stupid.

"I told you, I'm not." I glared at him.

His grey eyes lightened as if he was amused by me.

"Then you should be fine here all alone."

He turned around and started to walk away.

"No."

He stopped but didn't look back at me.

I said, "Please… Please stay."

He stopped.

Turned.

And stayed.

We sat down near a tree with our backs to the thick trunk in silence.

And because it was stifling and I was an idiot, I asked, "Why do you never smile?"

"I do." I snorted.

"No.You don't."

"And how do you know?"

"I have lived here for four months now and I haven't seen you smile.." I replied truthfully and without thinking.

"So, you were always looking at me when I wasn't looking back?"

Feeling embarrassed, I looked down at my feet.

He must've taken pity on me as he said, "I don't have anything to smile about."

"It can't be possible." I said to my feet, still afraid to look back at hiin.

"Why?"

"Because, Mama said there are many things around us that could make us smile, we just have to look for them."

"I think I have found one."

I looked at him and found him staring back at me.Those eyes of his looked iridescent.So beautiful.So haunting.I didn't understand what he meant but then he smiled.And he looked so angelic.

There was a dimple on his left cheek.

An irregularity on his otherwise perfect face, and it only made him so much more attractive.

"Oh" I murmured and wondered why I was so breathless all of a sudden.

"You are smiling."

"Am I?"

"Yes." I whispered.

"Maybe, I found something to smile about after all."

Before I could form a reply for that, Kristoff yelled my name and we heard his footsteps approaching from the other side.