The Trouble of Taboo

Neil’s POV

I woke up confused at first as to who had entwined themselves with me. I had never been what you would call a “cuddly” person in bed; I enjoyed having my space, but this felt so natural that I really did not seem to mind at all. I realised my arms had actually entwined this person, holding her close to me. I opened my eyes and saw Paige’s head lying on my chest and relaxed. She looked like a goddess sleeping there so soundly. I turned to look at the clock seeing it was 8am, my usual time for waking up. I returned to Paige, contemplating whether I could just stay here and watch her sleep, but I knew could not do so. I needed to do some marking prior to taking Paige to her father’s accommodation to get her belongs. I was certain that she would be too upset to leave afterwards and it not being strictly professional to mark books, one of them being hers, in front of her. I gently kissed the top of her head, “Neil.” I heard her whisper and looked down, but saw she was still perfectly asleep; I smiled a bit at that. I gently moved away, perceiving that my shirt had risen over her stomach. I made myself tear away my gaze as I placed the covers over her and watched her reposition herself.

I quietly walked out of the room, picking up my laptop bag with my school materials within it and exited the room. I left the door slightly ajar, so I could hear if she needed me and made my way to the kitchen to put the kettle on. I retrieved the books out of my bag and put them onto the kitchen table, feeling relieved that I no longer had to fret about Lucy moving them or complaining that she could not sit at the table. It was pleasant to feel free to do what I wished in one’s house. I pondered on when I should send her stuff to her parent’s but knew that I did not wish to carry out such a task when Paige was around. The kettle clicked off and I poured the water into my cup, mixed in sugar and milk and brought it to the table with me. I relaxed into the chair and reached for my red pen: the statement piece of any teacher.

I had managed half of my marking when Paige walked into the kitchen. I glanced at her and smiled but had to return my gaze to her; she looked amazing. She was still residing in my shirt and it showed off her legs and curves; her hair was only slightly messy and she looked more rested than I had ever seen her. “Morning.” I said, noticing my voice was a little bit raspy.

“Hay.” She said, looking around her. “Where’s your coffee making stuff?” She enquired and I laughed somewhat. I ushered her to sit at the table and went about making her a cup of coffee.

“So, do you still approve of going to your place to get your belongings?” I asked, knowing that I was not going to allow her to not go but needing her to be at least comfortable with the idea. She looked at me, her face pensive.

“I guess. If you’re sure it’s okay. I could go live with my mother or something, or Ali, or a bnb.” She told me. I just watched her; could she possibly figure that I would allow her to do any of those options.

“Okay, but what would you tell Ali as the reason for you suddenly deciding to leave home?” I questioned, knowing she would not have a response and I was proved correct as she sat there thinking.

“I guess, maybe I couldn’t go to Ali’s. Not after talking her out of running away from home at the start of term.” I looked shocked and saw her face look up to me shocked too. “Forget I said that okay?” She asked me and I continued to just look at her.

“I cannot forget something like that; however, I will not tell anyone, okay? Why was she considering running away from home? Does she have a situation like yours?” I asked her, gently, unable to consider a better way of asking to eliminate Paige getting upset or offended.

“No, she doesn’t. She just doesn’t get on with her parents. But she didn’t mean it anyway; she just wanted something to talk to me about that would get my full attention. I’ve been a bit lax of a friend this year.” She told me and I saw her face blush slightly, so smiled as I handed her a cup of tea. “Anyway, what’s all this? Bit early to be working isn’t it?” She asked me, gesturing to the pile of books.

“I wanted to get it done before you woke up. It is my marking from the class you are in.” I replied, trailing off as she looked up at me with horror. “What is it, Paige?” I asked her and saw her go an even deeper shade of red.

“Um... Have you marked my book?” She asked me and I looked at her confused; why would she mind about that? She had always been a good student.

“No, I have not. I had every intention of doing it first, so you were not around, but it is at the bottom of the pile and I forgot.” I was getting ever more confused when she sighed with relief.

“Do you mind if I umm... just umm... take it back for a few minutes please?” She asked me, and by now I was more than confused. I withdrew it from the pile.

“You cannot take it out of this room mind. It would not be fair if you got to change your work outside of class.” I told her smiling a bit, realising I had reverted to my teacher mode. She took her book, flicked to a page, retrieved a piece of paper and then handed me her book back. “What is that?” I asked her curious, after all what could be so bad that she panicked at me possibly seeing it. I looked into her eyes. “Just tell me that it is not a death threat or suicide note or something equally bad.” My voice betrayed how honestly scared I was, they were the only two reasons that I could figure as to why she would want to hide the paper from my eyes. She looked at me, and I could not decide if she was astonished or hurt, I hoped the former.

“Um, no, it’s just a piece of writing, to um vent some feelings.” She told me and I nodded glad that it was not anything wholly bad.

“Thank god.” I half whispered. “I apologise. I overreacted.” I told her, my hand going through my hair multiple times as I was talking. Paige laughed and I looked at her confused.

“If you keep doing that, you’re not going to have any hair left. And I’m rather fond of it.” She took my hand from my hair and smiled, I smiled in return. She amazed me more and more every time we spoke. I leant down to kiss her and smiled as she tip-toed up to meet my lips. We pulled apart, and she smiled at me, “Maybe I’ll show it to you one day.” She told me and I smiled at her.

“You certainly do not need to. I do not wish you to believe that you are required to tell me anything.” I told her bringing her closer to me. Her hands rested on my bare chest as we looked into each other’s eyes. We kissed again and I sighed with contempt. “We should go and retrieve your belongings.” I continued to hug her. “Do you require another shirt?” I asked, only afterwards realising how stupid a question it was. She nodded and followed me up to my bedroom.

As I searched for a non-science t-shirt, she laid on my bed and when I turned round, my breath got caught in my throat. There she was, laid out on MY bed, with MY shirt hitched up to the very top of her thighs. I desired her so strongly; it was immoral and I was well aware of it, but I could not help but want her. I threw the t-shirt onto the bedside table and leant down to kiss her deeply, wanting her close to me. I wrapped an arm around her so I could bring her body closer to mine as I continued to lean down until I was barely apart from her. She had one arm around my neck and the other around my waist, toying with the top of my trousers as I kissed her harder and harder. I felt so infused with delight each time she responded.

Eventually I knew I needed to end my kissing of her, so I would not go past my boundaries, and sat up next to her. She followed me up. “Well, that was unexpected, but amazing.” She said smiling at me, I looked at her and smiled back, handing her the t-shirt as I found some proper clothing for myself. When I turned back around, she had gone, I assumed to get dressed herself. I was ensuring I looked okay, running a hand over my chin when she walked back in wearing my shirt and her jeans from yesterday. “You don’t need to shave.” She told me and I laughed, looking at her astounded. “That’s a universally male trait.” She told me laughing as she came closer to me and kissed me under my chin. I shivered with pleasure, it felt wonderful; however, I was determined that I could not allow myself to be distracted.

“Shall we get this done?” I asked her and she nodded. “Would you do me the pleasure of going to watch a film with me afterwards?” Paige just looked at me warily. “Not here, in the next town over. It is not far and I believe you need to get out of this house for a while to just relax.” She looked at me and smiled.

“You’re amazing you know that?” I was about to object when she kissed me quickly, but enough to show that she meant it and that I should keep quiet, I kissed her back and smiled. We walked out of my house and into my car as she gave me the best directions to get to her house.

Paige’s POV

It only took us ten minutes to get back to mine. Neil knew most of the way anyway, from picking me up yesterday. I shuddered at the thought as I got out of the car. There were no cars in the driveway, but I didn’t want to take any chances and so indicated to Neil that he should follow me. I led him around back, past the side door to the back door that no one ever really uses but was closest to the stairs and so meant a quicker in and out route. I didn’t want to stay in this house any longer than necessary. “Well.” I heard Neil say and I looked at him. “This house is impressive.” I smiled a little bit and shrugged.

“I prefer your place.” I told him, opening the door and holding it open for him. I gently closed it in case Maria was here; I didn’t want anyone to see Neil. I grabbed his hand now that we were in the safe confines of the house and led him up the stairs, telling him which parts were creaky and so best to avoid. We got to outside my room and I hesitated, my hand hovering over the handle.

“You okay darling?” Neil asked me, and I smiled at the nickname. It gave me the courage to nod, open the door and even step into the room. I saw that my father had gone but that there was a bloodstain from where I’d knocked him to the floor. My bed still showed signs of what had happened and I winced at the memories. I felt Neil take my hand, “It is all okay. I am right here with you.” He told me and I smiled, I wouldn’t have been brave enough to come back here if it wasn’t for him. I took a deep breath, took out my two suitcases and starting shoving things into them: my clothes, my books, my straighteners and hair drier, my make-up and jewellery, my music. I put my laptop into its bag and grabbed my school bag.

“Okay, I’ve got everything.” I told Neil, happy that I’d managed to fit everything into the one suitcase. Neil looked at me doubtfully.

“What about these?” He asked me, pointing towards my notice board that had pictures up on it and two necklaces.

“I don’t want them.” I told him and he looked at me doubtfully. “The pictures are a lie and the necklaces were bribes from my father. I really don’t want them.” I explained to him, he looked at the pictures more closely.

“Oh, but my you do look adorable in this particular one.” He told me smiling and I knew he was looking at the picture of me dressed up as a fairy when I was about six. My mother's attempt at showing she loved me at a Halloween party with her and fathers' friends. In reality, she had ignored me all night after that and Maria had made me giggle making funny shadow animals.

“Thanks, but really I don’t want them.” I told him, making my voice sound really certain, and he looked at me and nodded.

“If you are sure let us leave. Are you positive you have everything?” He asked me and I half nodded and then stopped, got down on the floor and reached under my bed, until I found what I was looking for. I pulled out a medium sized square box with an a5 notebook bound to it by a rubber band.

“Okay, now I have everything.” I told him and smiled as I put the box in with my school stuff. I led him out of my room; I shut the door and locked it, trying to preserve it from my father ruining it anymore. We left and got into his car and I sighed a sigh of relief. “That went better than I thought it would.” I told Neil and he smiled as he reversed out of the drive. But as we were leaving my father drove in, looking at me and then at Neil. “Neil, just go. I don’t want him remembering your face, please just go.” I told Neil.

Neil’s POV

I was reversing out of the drive, glad it had gone well when, who I was guessing was, Paige’s father drove in, glaring at her and then looking at me. I stared him down. He was the reason my Paige was upset. He had tried to rape her and had hurt her multiple times. I slowed down and almost got out of the car to confront him, when Paige’s voice rang through my head.

“Neil, just go. If he remembers you, he’ll figure out who you are and people can’t know I’m living with you. Think about your job. Please just go.” I pulled myself back into reality, heavily applied my foot to the accelerator, sped off out of the drive and turned onto the road that led out of town.

“I apologise, Paige.” I told her after I had regained some of my composure. I hoped that she would not notice that my knuckles were white from clenching the steering wheel. All I wanted to do was go back there and beat that man for what he had done to Paige.

“It’s okay. I just don’t want you getting mixed up with my father. He’d ruin your life and I couldn’t live with myself if that happened.” I looked at her. It was just like her to blame herself for what her father could do.

“I know. Thank you. I just saw him and wished to make him pay.” I told her and she smiled slightly as she looked down at her hands. I held my left hand out to her, driving with my right, and she took it squeezing it as she did. I smiled at her. “So, what film takes your fancy? I hear that new vampire movie has been released if that is what you would like to see.” I made a face and rolled my eyes at the thought; the sound of her laughing calmed me down completely and I smiled at her. I knew all too well that I was breaking all of the rules but I could not bring myself to worry about that anymore, as long as I was with her.