I didn't sleep.
Not even a little.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Selira's smirk, heard her voice in my ear, felt her pressed against me like fire wrapped in silk. Seven minutes had never been so long… or so short.
I tossed, I turned. At one point, I actually whispered to myself:
"She's insane. She's actually insane. And I'm even crazier for letting her do it."
But beneath all my groaning, a darker thought haunted me. She said the second lesson is a kiss lesson.
A kiss. With Selira.
I groaned into my pillow. If she tries that… I'm doomed. Completely doomed.
By morning, my eyes were red, my body heavy, but I dragged myself to school anyway. My mind was a storm. Was Selira already waiting for me? Would she smirk at me the moment I walked in? Would she tell Aimee? Or Mia? Or worse—Lucy?
Everyone's eyes looked suspicious. Every laugh in the hallway felt like it was about me.
I slumped into my seat, trying to keep my head down.
But of course, fate hated me.
Because the moment the door creaked open, Selira strolled in, her bag slung casually, her skirt swaying far too freely, her lips curved in that mischievous smile that already screamed: "Round Two."
And my stomach dropped.
God… it's happening.
I thought maybe she'd wait until after class. Maybe she'd give me space.
Nope.
Selira had other plans.
She slid into the seat behind me like a shadow, and before I could even mutter "good morning", I felt it her chest pressing softly against my back, warm, deliberate, heavy. I went stiff, choking on my own saliva.
Her breath tickled my ear.
"Until you're ready… I'll be waiting."
My pen froze in my hand. Ready? Ready for what ?
Then, like the devil herself, she dragged just one fingertip up the back of my neck. A shiver snapped down my spine. I almost dropped my notebook.
"…and when you finally are," she whispered, lips grazing the shell of my ear, "there will be… bonuses."
B-Bonuses?
I blinked at my notes, which at this point looked like random chicken scratches. My head swam. Did she just ? Did she just promise something more than a kiss?
By the time I spun around to hiss something, anything. she was already leaning back with that smirk, twirling a strand of her hair, eyes glittering like she'd already won the game.
I swallowed hard, my whole brain screaming one long, desperate thought:
Huh—wha—what?! Bonus?
Oh my God. I'm doomed.
The moment her words hit bonuses I knew I had to run.
Not walk. Not stroll.
Run.
I shoved my notebook into my bag, nearly ripping the zipper off. My brain screamed, "Abort mission! Save yourself, Kael!"
I half-turned toward the door, ready to bolt
Only for Selira's hand to casually slide across my chest, pinning me back down in my seat with one lazy press.
"Leaving so soon?" she cooed, tilting her head, that smirk dripping with danger.
My throat went dry. "I—I have… water to drink. Very urgent. Hydration is important."
She leaned in closer, eyes sparkling, and whispered, "Kael, you're hilarious when you lie."
God. Help. Me.
I jerked my bag up and tried again only to trip on my own foot, stumble forward, and slam straight into the edge of the desk. A loud thud echoed through the room. Papers went flying. My dignity? Already in pieces.
Selira chuckled softly, biting her lip as if this was the best comedy show she'd ever seen. "Still trying to escape me?"
I froze, red-faced, clutching my stomach from the impact. "Nope. Totally… just testing gravity."
Her giggle spilled out like silk. She stood, smoothed her skirt down, and whispered so only I could hear, her lips brushing the air by my ear:
"I'll be waiting."
And with that, she turned and walked back toward her class, her hips swaying like a damn pendulum meant to hypnotize me. No glance back. Just that sentence echoing in my skull.
I slumped in the chair, utterly drained, muttering under my breath:
"Oh my… I'm fed up!"
By the time class dragged to its end, my brain wasn't even functioning anymore. Every word the lecturer said floated past me like blah blah blah, and all I heard inside was Selira's voice whispering, "I'll be waiting… bonuses…"
Bonuses.
Plural.
Oh my God, I'm cursed.
The bell finally rang, and I practically leapt from my chair, clutching my bag like a lifeline. Freedom. Home. Bed. That was the only holy trinity I needed.
I made it halfway to the door—salvation shining just a few steps ahead
When a hand slapped the wall right beside my head.
I froze.
Mia stood there, her lips tugged into that dangerous smile, her eyes glinting with mischief. Her other hand pressed lightly against my chest, pinning me back.
"Not so fast," she purred. "You've got work to do. With me."
My knees buckled.
I swear I almost collapsed right then.
"M-Mia… not now." My voice cracked, my body sagging like a dying leaf. "I'm done. Drained. Empty. Kaput."
But Mia only leaned closer, her perfume curling into my nose, sweet but intoxicating. "Don't act lazy. We need to mark those files and submit them together. Remember? Or should I tell the lecturer you refused to help me?"
My eyes widened. Blackmail?. This woman…
I groaned and dragged a hand down my face, muttering, "God, just strike me down already."
Mia tilted her head, lips curling with satisfaction. "Cheer up, Kael. It'll be fun… working with me."
The way she dragged out "fun" told me it was going to be anything but.
I sat down beside Mia with the grace of a man being dragged to his execution. She was all smiles, flipping her hair like this was a date instead of detention duty.
For me? She wasn't even human anymore. She looked like some carved statue too perfect, too flawless speaking directly at me. Her lips moved, her eyes flickered into mine, but her voice? It was just a blur.
I blinked.
Nodded.
Didn't understand a single word.
"…and then we'll divide these papers into sections," Mia said, sliding closer until our shoulders brushed. "You take the left pile. I'll take the right. Easy, right?"
Her perfume stung my nose. My eyelids weighed like bricks. I opened my mouth to answer
and instead muttered something I didn't even register.
"…don't… bonus… boobs… God why…"
The next thing I knew, my forehead hit the desk.
I was out.
Cold.
Mia froze, staring at me like she couldn't decide whether to laugh, smack me, or both. His mouth still moved faintly, as though he was arguing with ghosts in his dreams.
"…Selira… not fair… Aimee… wait your turn…"
Mia's eyes widened. Her smirk returned slowly, curling with mischief.
"Well, well, Kael," she whispered, leaning close, her breath brushing my ear. "Looks like you're hiding a lot from me."
Her hand hovered for a second tempted to poke his cheek, tempted to test how deep his sleep was. But instead, she picked up a file, shaking her head with an amused chuckle.
"You're lucky you're cute when you're pathetic."