9

She's got me hooked

It just ain't fair, but I...

I'm love stoned and I could swear

That she knows

Think that she knows, oh, oh

- Lovestoned Interlude (I Think That She Knows) by Justin Timberlake

BRICE

I try ignore the banging on my door as I taste satisfaction on my lips. Soleil is sticky and sweet from whatever she put on her now pouty mouth. I suck on her bottom lip until I nail the flavour - strawberries.

Finally, I have her where I want her.

Finally, we are alone and she's finally taken the leap into my arms.

"Brice! Cummon man." Thump!

Hidde sounds irritated, so much so his Afrikaans accent seeps through into full boer. He's going to be in a foul mood if I ignore him and worse yet, he wont stop. He's been this persistent since we were kids. I guess his tenacity paid off since he's now Head Boy just as he said he would be from the first day we set foot on school grounds.

Soleil is a temptress. I wrap my hand around her neck to tear my lips away from her. I'm so hard I'm annoyed because my waking fantasy was so short lived. I pick her up off the desk and slide her against my dick. She trembles in my hands.

Soon, I vow.

I tell her to sit as I adjust my dick and prepare to face the Head boy and not my cousin based on his tone. I can see Hidde was about to knock again when his arm stops mid air.

"What?" I bark out with a sad case of blue balls.

Like a frustrated bull, he blows out a harsh breath. "You know you're not supposed to have a girl in here. Jy weet. Why die hell do you have a girl in here? Hoekom?" he pinches the bridge of his nose. You know. Why?

"Relax." I open the door a bit wider and there sits a composed Soleil with the pages of our contract in front of her. "Ms Spellman and I were just putting things in writing. Let's go,"  I tell Soleil gathering the contract, my textbook, and notes.

We march downstairs with Hidde leading the trail and Soleil between us. He disappears down a passage to the west wing without a backward glance, most likely heading back to his room. I move around Soleil when she stalls as to where to go. I head for the common room drawing the attention of some of the boys.

I place my fingers in my mouth and whistle.

A hush fills the room as the whistle echoes through the house. I didn't intend for it to be that loud but whatever. I turn around in search of Soleil and find her a few feet behind me staring wide-eyed at me and the people gathering around us.

I run a quick headcount - 7/15 boarders present. It'll have to do. Eventually the others will get the message.

"Listen up gents. This is Soleil and she will be a recurring guest at Eagles Row as my study buddy."

I turn to Soleil and give her a wink following my short introduction.

She gives a cute innocent wave before saying, "Hi guys, I'm covering chemistry in case you're wondering... not that you asked..." Her lips curl up to silence her in embarrassment before they then morph into a soft smile.

I wonder if they see what I see? She's still in uniform sans the blazer. Her checkered skirt grazes her knees like a proper lady, black shoes polished to a shine; white socks still white. The white collar of her shirt is starched and buttoned all the way to the top covered over by her black jersey. The most attractive thing on this girl is her face because the uniform is doing nothing for her. Pas du tout. Not one bit.

I want to take her back to my room. I want to undress her. I want to keep her to myself but that wouldn't be fair considering someone snitched on me for having her in there with the door closed in the first place.

"Anyone have any questions?" I ask and wonder who it was. I dare him to come tell me that shit to my face.

"May I join in for this chemistry or is it strictly for two?" Tshepo asks me with a sly grin but his eyes are on Soleil.

"Definitely not. These are private lessons and if anyone dares interrupt or infringe on our time, time that I've invested in might I add, then I shall hold you liable and I mean it. A gentleman always honours his word." Okay I need to cool it. "I live here. Speak to me afterwards, over breakfast, whenever you see I'm open." I shrug. "And if anyone has a problem with anything I do, come speak to me first before running off to my cousin."

Gazes shift and someone clears their throat as an awkward silence fills the room. Mark puts his hand up and speaks before I can even think to object.

"Welcome to Eagles Row, Ms Spellman. If you need anything my door is always open as the Head of House."

"Thanks Mark," Soleil responds smiling with all of her teeth.

I feel an elevation in my blood pressure. The Smooth Motherfucker.

And why did she call him Mark like they were familiar. Are they? I need to get this under control, both the situation and myself. Five minutes ago I was ready to buck and now I'm ready to brawl.

"We'll be in the library. Have a good evening." I salute and wave.

"Goodnight," Soleil echoes after me still showing off all her teeth which are pretty straight and quite white. I doubt she smokes.

The anxiety riding me right now gives me a craving for tobacco but I've sworn off bringing cigarettes on school grounds after coach caught me last year.

I place my hand on her waist and guide her out of the common room and down the north hall to the house library which is shelved based on subject rather than genre since only textbooks and set-works are housed here. It's not as big as the main one either with only 6 tables surrounded by 5 chairs each.

I choose one by the window and spread out my stuff. We get to work and time flies by. The orange dusk of senset turns to the black of night. I'm working through some formulas when I hear Soleil gathering her things.

"I gotta go. It's 10PM." She looks at her Cassio as if to confirm what she just said.

I leave my stuff as is and walk her out. I plan on returning to finish off the page before calling it a night. I don't like leaving things for the next day. Carpe diem as we French like to say. Sieze the day.

We walk in a comfortable silence as we steer for the main path.

"How was the first day? Are you finding me helpful?" she asks, making direct eye contact with me.

I lose my train of thought for a moment when I stare into her dark eyes. The desire to pull her into me rushes through me like a heat wave.

"Yes, I am." I force myself to redirect and think methodically over today. "You're like a rabbit."

"A what?" she stops and gives me this bewildered look.

I laugh and take her hand, urging her forward. "In dog races, there's this electric rabbit that moves on the inside of the track which the dogs chase but in marathons, they are referred to as pace-setters. They run ahead of you and force you to up the ante if you're going to keep up with them. The goal is to not lose sight of them, not to fall behind. I've used one in swimming too."

I think of training at the lake in France for the Mid-Mar mile. I was not contending with mere men.

"Alright. I'll take that as a complement I guess?" She sounds uncertain. "But I really think you should talk to Mr Langesse about electrochemistry."

"I will." I agree with her.

She's here to make sure I'm clocking the hours I need to on my weakest subjects and actually going through all the sections. I may need to borrow her book and copy off her notes seeing there are days I wrote none. I wasn't really understanding the questions on electrochemistry either, let alone what needed to be calculated, and I didn't want to tie us up on that seeing how frustrated she was getting.

We arrive at Hadeda House sooner than I'd like. I stop before the path leading to the front door and draw her to me behind the hedges that form a perimeter around the house and its front yard.

"I'm sorry about earlier. We were interrupted and rather rudely."

"We were breaking the rules." She gives me this half smile, the look in her eyes daring. She bites her bottom lip and I lean into her, trailing my hand up her waist, back, and neck to hold her steady as I push my tongue past her lips and explore her mouth.

Within seconds I tent my pants. I throw caution to the wind and grind on her, seeking her center, wanting to bury myself in her warm folds. She gasps and manages to tear her lips away from mine. I cant stop. I kiss her cheek and trail my tongue down her neck tasting her yet still needing more.

"Brice!" I hear her strained voice through the haze.

She's pushing at me, chest heaving and hair disheveled. She's pushing me away. I don't know what's gotten into me.

I'm embarrassed, frustrated, and annoyed. I can't stomach the thought of her not wanting me the way that I want her.

I take a deep breath and despite not wanting to, I do what's best for both of us right now and walk away.

My arms cut through the water propelling my body in an effortless glide. I'm down at the pool doing laps. It's been days since I've entered the water and it feels good to be back. I've been in here since the crack of dawn, not training for anything in particular but just needing to still my mind. I feel off center like my whole being has been thrown off its equilibrium.

Even though I'm trying not to think about her, she still lingers in the back of my mind. My small ray of sunshine - Soleil. I wonder if she has any French blood running through her veins or if it's just in the name. I've been meaning to ask but as I said, my mind is out of sorts.

"How kind of you to make a return to the water, Brice." Its Thierry.  He's my coach, mentor, guide, and so much more.

"How kind of you to check up on me so early," I shoot back between breaths continuing in freestyle. I tumble turn when I get to the end and emerge on my back.

"Where have you been?" he questions me.

I knew this was coming but I don't quite know what to say or how to explain what I'm feeling. She's got me lovestoned.

"I've been busy. You know exams, final year..." I trail off.

"Your mind is restless and your form is sloppy. Come on Brice, je t'ai appris mieux que ça. Chin on chest. Thrust your hips up," he directs. I taught you better than this.

I swim the next two laps with form at the forefront knowing I'm under Thierry's scrutiny. I return to the starting post and take a break. I've been in the water since 5AM. I take off my goggles and drink down the sucrose filled energy drink.

"Where's your head at. You're distracted." Thierry prods.

"I told you school-"

"La connerie! Bullshit! Don't lie to me. Let's try that again."

I push off the wall floating on my back. I can't even look at him as I admit, "It's a girl - Soleil."

"Ah jeune amore." Young love.

"I don't know if I would call it love, but I can't stop thinking about her. I went to bed and thought of her. I woke up with thoughts of her. I'm only out here because it's too early for me to be at her dorms and I couldn't be with her. That's if she even wants to see me after how we parted last night. I'm obsessed and its making me sick."

I right myself and tread water to look at Thierry. He regards me closely.

"What is it that makes her so... irrésistible?"

"She's different from what I'm used to. She isn't what I thought I wanted but she is turning out to be someone I need."

"Slow down Romeo but this is good. Très bien. Adventure is good even the adventures of the heart," he chuckles good naturedly.

I roll my eyes. Typical Frenchman who is willing to entertain the notions of romance despite chewing me out for being distracted a few seconds ago.

"I thought I had her, but I may have pushed too hard."

"What do you mean?"

"I thought that in paying her to tutor me I'd buy us enough time to get to know each other. But what if she just wants the money?" I sound pathetic.

"Mon dieu! I thought I taught you never to mix business with pleasure. Jamais." My god! Never.

I blow out the breath I've been holding and return to floating on my back. It did cross my mind a few times that making her sign our agreement after deciding to pursue her went against Thierry's tenets. But I had to have her, at any cost.

"You need to fall back," he announces running a hand through his gold locks.

"What do you think I'm doing now?"

"I'm guessing you still have unfinished business?" I nod. "Then keep it professional. Unless it pertains to your agreement, when you see her ignore her."

"What?!" I right myself in the water again staring at him incredulously. "She is stunning. My eyes are drawn to that face, those lips, her eyes. Impossible." I reject the idea completely.

"Even more reason to. Number one, he lists with his index finger, consider this a practice in self control. Two, it's a play on the female psychology since they are the fairer sex which will give you insight into her psyche and three, this is a test of your patience."

"I don't know." It seems counter-intuitive to ignore the thing I want most when I usually pursue it with passion.

"You don't have to know. Trust me."

I close my eyes knowing that I'm going to give in and heed Thierry's advice. I've known him for as long as I've known my name. He's my guardian and despite my reservations on this plan of his, I do trust him.

"Hey Brice, who are you talking to?" Xander asks me as he makes his way over to a starting post.

I look around and see no-one. Thierry's gone.

"No one. Just meditating, thinking out loud..."

11/08/2022