I can feel your blood pressure rise, fuck this tension. ~ Melanie Martinez

☆

"Hey princess!" Declan sits down beside me. "Whatcha doing?" He scoots closer to me and peers over my shoulder.

I push him back slightly. "Homework and what did I say about calling me that," I playfully glared at him. This was a typical day for us. Victor gave me a practice quiz that was due tonight and I'm just getting to it.

Declan shrugs, taking a big bite out of his apple. The crunchy sound he made every time he took a bite was becoming very irritating. I try to ignore it and continue to write.

"Hey Aniya," he takes another bite. "You never told us where you lived."

I stiffen, almost dropping my pencil. Declan and the girls keep on bringing it up, but I always changed the subject. Victor told me he doesn't want anyone knowing we live together. He already doesn't like me. I don't want to know how he'll react if I do tell people.

A strong breeze strikes past blowing all my papers away. I screech as they fly in all different directions. I gather a few in my hand but one of my papers decides to be naughty and run away from me.

I chase the paper running around lunch tables; bumping into chairs. When the paper finally got tired of its joyride, it landed under a table by someone's feet.

Great.

I get down under my knees and crawl under the table. I reach for the paper but accidentally grab someone's shoe. "I'm sorry," I snatch the paper in my hands.

"Must you be so clumsy," I hear a remote voice.

I hum picking my head up. Piercing grey eyes stare down at me from above the table. My heart spikes in my chest. A hint of green swirls in his eyes. I stammer trying to come up with an explanation. "I- I the wind blew my stuff-"

"Aniya!" Declan calls my name. I jump hitting my head on the table. I groan crawling out from under the table. Declan grabs my arm yanking me up and pulling me to his side. He glares at Victor and brings me closer to him.

I rub the top of my head. That hurt like a bitch. Victor stares at him with an equal amount of hatred. His eyes flicker to Declan's hand on my arm. I turn to move, but Declan keeps a tight grip on me.

"Did he do anything to you?" Declan turns to me.

"What? No!" My eyes widened. "Why would he want to do anything to me? Come on let's go." I grab his arm.

"She's right," Victor says. "Why would I waste my time on someone like her."

Declan whirls around his nostrils flaring. "What was that!" Declan shouts, causing a few heads to turn. I look at Bryant who's sitting beside Victor witnessing everything unfold. He tries to say something to him but he brushes it off continuing to provoke Declan.

"You heard me,  or do I need to explain it to you." Victor smirks sitting back in his seat.

I pull on Declan's arm again trying to gain his attention. "Come on Declan he's not worth it. I feel the same way anyways so can we go?" He stays in his spot not bulging a bit. I huff at his stubbornness.

"Oh," Victor says with a mischievous grin. "That's not how you felt two years ago."

I stiffen as memories of that day clouded my memory. It would have been less embarrassing if a quarter of the school wasn't watching. I cross my arms sending him a glare. "Things change," I shrug.

His malicious grin widens as he gets up from his seat and walks closer to me. "You sure about that?" His face was now only a few inches from mine, and I could feel the blood rush up my neck. "I like you, and I would like to get to-"

Slap.

Tears sting my eyes as I jerk my hand away. Victor turns his face, his wry grin gone and his eyes stone cold. I feel a shiver travel up my spine. "You-you don't have to be so mean about it," I croaked trying my best not to cry in front of all these people. My heart hammered in my chest as I tried to regulate my breathing.

Victor leans back and stands up upright. I keep my eyes on the floor not wanting to look at everyone's face. "What did you expect from me?" I looked up at him searching for any type of emotion in his eyes but found nothing.

Embarrassed, I turn on my heels and walk back inside pushing past people in the process. I hear Declan follow after me calling my name.

"Aniya."

"What!" I turn around. His eyes widen when he sees the tears streaming down my face. "What could you possibly want?"

His eyes soften. "I'm sorry-"

"Sorry about what," I exclaim. "I told you to let it go, why couldn't you let it go." He goes silent. I drag a hand down my face. "Tell everyone I went home sick for the day."

I walk out the doors and rush to my car. Not bothering to grab my stuff, I put my key in the ignition and drive home. My mom and Kendall were at work, and the others were still at school leaving me home alone.

I crash on my bed and cry into my pillow. I hate him! This was the second time I had been humiliated by him in front of everybody. After a few minutes I dry my eyes and trudge downstairs.

The fridge is fully stocked as always. I grab some Rocky Road Ice cream and bring a bowl and spoon upstairs. I plop down on my mini couch and switch the tv on. I surfed through Netflix before pressing on the title "The Vampire Diaries."

I already watched the whole show, but I don't mind rewatching. My mind is distracted for a little while as I consume my ice cream and watch my tv.

In the middle of my fifth episode, I hear the door open. I pause my show and creak my door open peering into the foyer. Cora's long jet-black hair catches my eyes. I brighten hopping down the stairs. "Hey Cora!"

She looked up from her phone, and her eyes widened. "Hey Aniya, what are you doing home so early?"

I shrug. "I felt sick."

"Oh are you ok?" she deposits her bag by the door, a habit she performs whenever she comes home from school.

"Yea I'm ok, how was school?"

"It was great," she beams. "My boyfriend gave me a kiss on the lips today." Her cheeks tint a cute shade of pink.

"Boyfriend?" The door locks start to turn. "You have a boyfriend mh-"

"Shhh," Cora jumps covering my mouth with her hands. My eyes widen as she tries to move us back but ends up making me stumble. I begin to fall but not without bringing her down with me.

Her hands are still on my mouth. "Don't tell my brother, promise me!"

I try to talk, but it's muffled by her hands. "What?" she squints her eyes. I point to her hands. "Oh!" She jumps off of me and holds a hand out for me to take.

"Please don't tell him," she pleads up with anxious eyes as the door opens.

I nod, smiling at her. "Ok, just promise you won't jump on me again."

"Deal," she sighs just as the door opens and Nico enters. Behind him is Victor carrying his backpack.

"Hey Nico," Cora and I both say in unison. Nico waves, walking farther into the house. I don't bother greeting Victor as he drops Nico's bag and heads upstairs.

"What's wrong with Vicky," Cora pulls my arm her eyes lingering on Victors receding back.

"What do you mean?"

"He seems angry."

"Isn't he always like that ," I scoff.

Cora turns to me, worry and curiosity etched on her face. "No, he seems off."

I shrug, squeezing her shoulder. "I'm sorry bub, but I can't really tell you anything. He''ll be back to his old self soon." She nods understandingly looking back at the hall he disappeared to. I hook an arm around her neck steering her toward the kitchen. "Want some ice cream?"

---

Knock. Knock.

I raise an eyebrow from my computer. I get off my bed and open the door. Victors standing there in only pajama pants and a towel around his neck.

My eyes travel down his chest down to his stomach. Jesus is that a six pack? His arms were muscular as if he works out often, shit his whole body was. You could see the veins running down his arms. His deep v-line disappears into his pants.

I gulp bringing my eyes back up to his face. His eyes glisten with a glint of amusement. "You done staring?"

I roll my eyes as I feel my cheeks burn. I poke the inside of my cheek with my tongue. "What do you want?"

"It's ten o'clock, we were supposed to start our session thirty minutes ago." He leans his forearm against the door frame.

I instantly drop my eyes. "I don't feel like working today. We can do it tomorrow." I try to close the door, but he catches it with his hand swinging it back open.

"That's too bad, I promised your mom I would tutor you. I already adjusted my schedule for you I can't do it again."

"That's not my problem," I glare at him letting go of the door. I walk away only to be pulled back by my arm. Why all of a sudden everyone has an interest in pulling my arm. He pulls me, so I'm right under him as he towers over me.

A drop of water from his damp hair falls on the bridge of my nose. Anger and annoyance swirls in his alluring eyes. "I'm not playing with you, Aniya," his jaw ticks. He seems to do that a lot.

My breath hitches in my throat. My eyes fall to my hand which is laying on his bare chest. His skin feels warm under my palm. I hastily withdraw my hand and step back to catch my breath. I turn around not wanting him to see the kind effect he has on me.

"Fine, I'll meet you in the study room in five."

Satisfied with my answer he leaves with a hum closing the door behind him. I huff, internally screaming at myself for reacting the way I did. My whole body feels hot. I open a window letting the cool air flow in for a while.

When I felt cool enough I fastened the window and gathered my stuff. When I opened the studies door, I spotted Victor laying on the rug, a book in his hand and a hand behind his head.

At least he's wearing a shirt now.

I clear my throat, setting my books on the table. He stands sitting across from me. He looks at my stuff furrowing his eyebrows.

"What?"

"Where's the practice quiz I gave you?" He moves a few books around and opens my folder.

My eyes widen. I knew I was forgetting something. "The stupid wind blew them away," I cross my arms.

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "It's a good thing I made copies, they're in my room. I'll be right back."

I hum a tune tapping my fingers on the table as I wait for him to come back.

My eyes dart to the book placed upside down on the rug. I pick it up using my finger as a bookmark. "Dark Heart." Hmm, I turn the book over. It's a vampire book. I didn't know he was into that kind of stuff.

"What are you doing?" I jump slightly and put the book down.

"I didn't know you liked to read about vampires. I was just watching The Vampire Diaries earlier." I turn to him crossing my legs.

He looks down at me questingly. "It's not a romance book like The Vampire Diaries is."

I shrug my shoulders. "Yea but it's still about vampires, is that what you like to read about?"

He sits down in a chair. "I like to branch out," he pats the seat beside him. "Now come you have to start the quiz."

I nod and sit beside him. He hands me the papers, and I get to work. Victor watches me work silently, holding his face up with his hand.

By the time I'm done it's almost eleven. My eyes were heavy and my back ached. "Victor," I place the cap on my highlighter. "I'm done." I turn my head when I don't get an answer.

He's fast asleep on the table, his head resting on his arms.

"Oh."

I push my work to the side and do the same; studying his face. His hair was now dry and sat on his head in a fluffy mess. A small beauty mark lays right under his left eye.

I chuckle to myself. He's cute when he sleeps.
I yawned and stared at his face for just a little bit longer...