Chapter 13 || Never Fit the Puzzles Together

Heavily unedited. Sorry for the late updates! Currently I'm not writing because I have to focus on my assignments. Thanking you for your patience! Mated to a Married Man will be updated once I'm free.

NEVER FIT THE PUZZLES TOGETHER.

"I need my privacy!" I yell, slamming the door shut as I bound down the steps, running away from my house. Anxious to reach school and meet a certain professor.

I roll my eyes when I hear the yelling continue within that little hell, glad that I had my escape before the outburst. It's tiring to deal with drama everyday. I'm sure the neighbors wish we didn't exist.

Humming a tune to myself, I run down the pavement, crossing every road like I have nine lives to spend.

I can't be blamed, I'm a reckless youth. Like most people. I'm just a bit more reckless than most.

As I look up at the sky, I squint at the sunny rays that descend upon me, as if bestowing me with the light.

Then I hear a few honks on my right and I turn to see who has disrupted my little moment.

A smile breaks out on my face when I see Daniel waving at me enthusiastically from within his small beetle, a dazzling toothy grin adorning his pretty face.

My heart hurts being witness to his beauty. I wish I had even a half of that, I would have died happy.

"Mind if I kidnap you and take you to my basement?" He asks, wiggling his eyebrows.

A hearty laugh rips out of me— leave it to him to freely flaunt his dark humor.

"Only if you read a book by Shakespeare to me everyday."

He makes a face, "as if I don't get enough of that little bastard in class, I'm going to dream about him in my sleep if I do that."

I pout, "so is that a no?"

"Aww, well, I can't resist that face, can I? I guess Shakespearean nightmares about díck jokes and cross-dressing boys are worth it," he puckers his lips, stopping his car.

I open the door, hopping in, "you live around here?" My mood just seems to be getting better and better.

"Yep, a few blocks away. First time I see you around here, though," he pulls on the gear stick, driving off.

"Well I'm an introvert, so you can leave it to me to not come out of the house unless I really need to."

Adding the fact that I'm not independent enough to move around by myself because I've been sheltered all my life, and the fact that I can't bear the suffocating environment at home, school is my release from that chaos.

Not that he needs to know. Stuff like that is reserved to secrecy... and perhaps, to Mr. Williams, if we're able to get closer.

Snap out of it, Namora.

"...So you walk to school every day?" He asks curiously as we turn a corner.

"Yep, I don't drive..."

And my mom won't let me drive.

"Ah... strict parents?"

"Strict parent, yes." I shift my gaze out of the window moodily to show that I'm not up for talking about it.

"...Ah," he says, and I turn around to him nodding his head in understanding.

The rest of the drive is spent in silence, and I twiddle my thumbs together anxiously as I think of all the possibilities in which I can encounter Mr. Williams.

But then my eyes almost bulge out of my sockets when I realize that there's a 0.1% chance Mr. Williams might see me coming out of Daniel's car.

What would he think, seeing me coming out of another boy's car when he'd only just driven me home yesterday?

I shiver, glancing at Daniel, praying to God that Mr. Williams won't be around when we arrive.

"We're here," he remarks, driving into the parking lot, unaware of the way my heart is beating a mile a minute.

He parks the car, turning to me with a small smile on his face, "and listen, whatever you're going through, I hope things get better. You're a nice girl, you deserve to flourish."

Then he opens his side of the car, getting out. Too tongue-tied to say anything, I open the door and hop off the seat.

Looking up, my mahogany browns immediately connect with winter blues.

I could recognize those two unique storms anywhere.

The color drains from my face when I realize he is looking straight at me.

And he does not look happy.

My heart skips a beat and I know my features have contorted in shock.

He narrows his eyes but says nothing, shaking his head. I see the disappointment clouding his features, and I feel like punching myself for letting this happen.

"Uh... Is it just me or is Mr. Williams giving you the stink eye?"

I wince at Daniel's comment, realizing too late how apparent Mr. Williams' blatant dislike for me really was.

I sigh, shooting him a quick look, "uh... I'll get back to you. I need to go..." My gut twists when I see Mr. Williams turning away and moving into school grounds, "thanks for the ride... uh, bye."

I hear Daniel murmur something back but he's immediately lost my focus as I practically sprint into the school building, looking around frantically, trying to spot Mr. Williams' retreating form.

My heart does several flips when I see him talking to that woman from a week ago— the brown-haired vixen who got into his car.

Who is she to him?

Before I can stop myself, I find my long legs moving over to join him rapidly.

"Mr. Williams!" I say, trying to push away the guilt. I have nothing to feel guilty about, honestly. It's not like he cares.

Or does he?

"What do you want?" He snaps, narrowing his glinting blue eyes at me, his lips forming a thin line.

"It's not what you think," I begin, trying to hide the hurt I feel as he glares down at me.

"—Oh? Who is this?"

I turn my eyes away from him, looking at the woman.

No, it's who are you, bítch.

"This is one of my many literature students," he says dismissively. Again, I feel a pang of hurt in my chest.

Why is he being so grouchy again? And dismissing me like this? After all that drama yesterday?

"Hi, nice to meet you, I'm Namora. And you?" I quip, sending Mr. Williams a glare which he is more than glad to return.

What on Earth is his problem?

"I'm the Economics professor, Ms. Lopen," she says, but doesn't provide any more information on what she is to Mr. Williams.

She glances up at Mr. Williams to see him giving me the stink eye, and her lips thin.

"Uh, I have to go now. It was nice meeting you, Namora. Later, Vincent."

A pang of jealousy hits me when she calls him by his first name. I want to be the one to do that. I want to be the one to do that while he pounds into me.

Shut up, Namora.

I watch her turn around and walk away, but not before she shoots him an award-winning smile.

"Bye, Phoebe." Even her name is nice.

Once she's out of earshot, I don't even have time to address him because he's already turning around and crossing the hallway, bounding towards his classroom without giving me a second glance.

I roll my eyes, finding my feet following him down the hallway.

As he enters the classroom, about to close the door, I stick my feet through the small gap.

I hear a groan, and I sheepishly stick my head into the room, blinking up at Mr. Williams.

"What do you want?" He barks, glaring down at me, his blues flashing.

But he lets go of the door, retiring over to his desk in defeat.

I open the door further, closing it behind me with a satisfying click.

I hear a sigh come from him, and I turn around to find his eyes already trained on me.

"It wasn't what it looked like," I immediately blurt out.

His sharp eyes narrow, "what makes you think I care?"

"He lives in the neighborhood and I was running a bit late today because I..." I inhale, shifting around on my feet, "I got into a fight with my mom..."

I look up at him with glassy eyes, my lips wobbling.

His expression immediately softens, but he remains guarded.

"...And then when I was walking down the streets, he was coming in his car and he offered me a ride to school, that's all there is to it."

He sighs, pushing away his papers, "I ask again, what makes you think I care? You don't have to justify yourself to me, Namora."

I feel like I just had the breath knocked out of me, but then again, what did I expect?

Certainly not him caring about me and being possessive over me.

Certainly not that.

I clutch at my chest, taking a step back.

"... I... I'm sorry for disturbing you and bothering you, I'll just go..." Bashing myself for thinking even for a second that he might really care.

"Namora."

I halt, looking up at him with eyes which for sure display my insecurities.

"Stay. You have 20 minutes before class begins. Do you want to talk about it?"

I inhale, trying but failing to quell the happiness that flutters through my heart, ripples over my face, evoking a huge smile.

"Get that stupid grin off your face or I'll take back my offer," he grumbles, turning back to his papers.

I love you, Vincent Williams.

"I don't want to talk about it... not yet... but..." I look at him shyly, "I do want your company."

He looks up at me, emotionless eyes caressing my face, as if searching for an answer he can't seem to grasp, "I really don't understand why you like coming here."

I chuckle loudly, "me neither..." Lie.

"...But I like it anyway." I love it. But he doesn't need to know.

And then I find myself taking a seat at the front desk, letting my eyes come up to meet his.

The shivers that go through me at his intense stare; as if I'm a puzzle he can't figure out, leaves goosebumps rising all over me.

Never fit the puzzles together.   You won't like the final picture.

But wait, is that a ghost of a smile playing on his breath-taking features?

I really hope it is.

Because my heart can't have skipped a beat for nothing.