Nightingale Academy

I woke up with chills running up my back. I scrunched my eyes and partially hid my face with the covers, trying to hide from the light and warm myself at the same time. The chills continued and I whined, angry that my back was so cold. The familiar body heat that had been present all night had disappeared and left me alone to freeze.

I shivered violently again and threw the covers off me in one frustrated motion. “Mother fu-” I grumbled out the rest of my curse and positioned myself on the floor in a push-up. I tensed my arms and slowly leaned down till I was parallel with the floor. Thirty push-ups later the door opened and I looked up and over to the entrance to see Amaranth with his brow raised.

“What exactly are you doing?”

“What does it look like I'm doing?” Alas, my attitude shall ensue further until my body fully recovers itself.

“Well, I can see that you're doing push-ups, but I'm asking why are you doing push-ups?” Amaranth closes the door and sits down at the end of my bed

“I was cold.” He continues to stare down at me, amused. I elaborate more as I finish my fiftieth push-up and get up. “If I get the circulation in my arms flowing, then my back will warm itself as well.”

I sit at the opposite end of the bed and sigh. “Someone decided to leave so I could freeze to death.”

Amaranth smirked slightly as he looked my body over. “Are you sure it wasn't just your choice of clothing?”

I looked down at myself. I was wearing a tank-top and floral boyshort panties. I gasped and my cheeks burned up instantaneously. Why hadn't I noticed this before? This was beyond embarrassing. I climbed back under the covers and my face engulfed itself further with fire.

Amaranth chuckled and stretched over so that his face was close to mine. “It's alright, Lily. I should be more embarrassed. I watched you do push-ups and didn't even say anything.” Was he trying to further my embarrassment? My arms were starting to blush too. He chuckled again and pressed his lips against my cheek, his cold lips cooling me down slightly. I melted at his touch and closed my eyes, sighing. And then I remembered.

“Hey! What do you think you're doing?”

“Have the tables turned?” He chuckled at his little joke. “Well, I can tell you I'm not doing push-ups.”

I ignored my returning blush and glare at him. “I'm mad at you. You can't be going around trying to kiss me while I'm mad at you.”

He smirked. “I'm not trying to kiss you, I am kissing you.”

“No, you're not,” I argue back. “You only kissed my cheek.”

He leaned in closer and peered into my eyes, almost seductively. “Would you like it better on the lips?”

I freeze, catching myself off guard by the question. Yes, of course. “No,” I say instead, fighting back my physical urges. “I said I'm mad.”

“And when you're not mad, do you want me to kiss you on the lips?” He smirked wider. This was a game to him.

I frowned, feeling my anger sway and sadness arouse. “Stop this, Amaranth. I'm not here to be toyed with.”

He doubled back with widened eyes and stared at my sombre expression before he sighed and sat himself beside me. “I think we should probably talk about what happened now.” I rolled my eyes, looking down at the covers, rather than him. He took ahold of my chin and lightly turned it upward so I was looking at him. “Lilith, please tell me what it is that I said that made you leave.”

I pouted angrily. “You know what you said. I'm not going to be a tool that which you use to make other people jealous, Amaranth.”

“I-I'm not using you. What makes you think that I'd do such a thing?” He looked innocent enough. His eyes widened slightly and his lips frowning. His eyebrows knitted together as he waited for my answer.

I sigh. “You're always really close to me and holding my hand, trying to make others jealous.”

“I don't understand. Do you want me to stop walking you to your classes and holding your hand?” He looked genuinely saddened now and I looked away.

“No....I just don't want you to use me as a way to make other girls jealous and hate me.”

“Hate you!?” He yelled, making me jump. My pulse quickened and I felt fearful. Amaranth hasn't ever yelled at me before. I didn't want him to start now.

Instead of yelling again he gently cupped my cheek and turned my face towards his again. “Are there girls giving you a hard time? You should have told me.”

My eyes widened slightly. He hasn't noticed at all? The girls always surrounding him? How cold he overlook them when his eyes are always tentative and absorbing his surroundings? “You don't see it, Amaranth?”

“See what?”

Dumbfounded, I stutter. “Wh-what? Th-The girls! All of them! The ones that all want you and hate me for being friends with you.”

He looks down at me astounded. “They couldn't hate you, Lily. They don't even know you. Plus, you're too cute to be disliked by someone.”

I sigh. “Amaranth,” I take the hand he still has on my cheek and place my own hand over. “This whole school is full of girls, even some boys, that flaunt themselves off at you.” I say this slowly, hoping it would sink in. “Everyday and everywhere are people who stare at you and watch you're every move in hope that you would look up at them and somehow acknowledge their existence. And while you're oblivious to this, they glare at me and make snide remarks at me when I don't have a class with you or one of our friends.”

“R-really?” He looks at me apologetically. I nod. He sighed and removed his hand from my cheek. His head falls into his hands and he rubs his temples. “All this time and I didn't even notice.” He looks up at me sheepishly. “You must hate me, Lily.”

“Don't say that.” I frown. “I love y-spending time with you.” I blush at the close call and look down to avoid his gaze. Did he catch that?

But he continues to rub his temples as if by doing so all his problems will be fixed. “Lily, do you want me to leave you alone? Will that make things easier for you?”

I smile lightly and remove his hands from his face. “Amaranth, I don't mind the other kids. I'm actually quite used to it. I had worse in my old school, but that doesn't matter. I like being with you and that makes up for all the odd looks and all.”

“Are you sure?” he asks, not believing me. I nod and smile. “Thank God,” he lets out a breath. “I don't think I would have been able to stay away from you.”

I giggle as he wraps his arms around my torso and pulls me into him. The covers slide off, exposing my panties and thighs but I ignore it and hug him back. I don't think I would have been able to let go of him that easily either.

“And this is why you were mad? You thought I was using you to intentionally make people jealous?” he asks, his cold breath hitting my neck.

I nod. “Yeah, but then what did you mean when you said that you loved make them jealous?”

He chuckled. “I was referring to all the guys in the school that have their perverted eyes on you.”

I scoff. “Not true.”

“Yes, true. I can't believe you don't notice,” he gasps.

I roll my eyes, pulling away from our embrace. “Because it's not true.”

“It is, Lily. All those boys find you adorable and wish they had you.”

“You're mistaken,” I say. “Those are the boys that are secretly in love with you along with the female population of this school.”

He sighed and shook his head with closed eyes. “I am positive that there are not that many gays in this school.”

“Well there must be as they cannot possibly be looking at me! Maybe Azure, but no-”

“Let's end this discussion. They are looking at you. Not me nor my sister. You. Okay? Okay.”

And his arms were around me again and I sighed. Melting into him is easier than resisting.