Chapter 18: Secrets and Seduction: Chapter 17

It was late afternoon when I met Noah outside the gates of the academy. He looked really nice in his black jeans, the light gray hoodie, and the dark thin jacket that was more for the spring time.

Now that I couldn’t get out when I wanted, the steps to freedom felt much more tempting.

“Ready?” he asked as he handed me a second helmet.

I stared at the monster beside him, a motorcycle, as dark as a starless night. Impressed, I nodded, walked around the bike and inspected it up close.

A different kind of art and yet just as beautiful. “Let’s go then, I’m starving.” I put my helmet on and swung behind him, the place warm from the seat heater. I had never ridden with anyone before, which only fueled my nervousness. Letting someone else take the wheel was scary. Losing control made me panic.

As Noah slowly sped up, I let out a shrill squeal that made him laugh. I playfully punched his biceps and wrapped my arms tighter around him.

We sped through the gloaming, the academy left long behind. A narrow road stretched out before us, with nothing but tall trees to the left and right, catching the sun’s last rays and darkening the path.

The air was fresh and mossy, calling up memories of my night in the woods with Mr. Preston.

“Shouldn’t you slow down a little?” I asked against the whipping wind. His chest vibrated before he answered.

“You’ve never been safer. My reflexes are off the charts, Avery.” I gritted my teeth and stifled another comment, just hoping we would arrive soon.

Noah took a sharp left turn, and I clawed tighter around his defined belly, my fingers already so stiff they’d probably twitch all night.

“Are you okay?” he asked, concerned. I shook my head, helmet heavy.

“Speed scares me,” I admitted tersely, and he eased off the gas, making me relax a little.

My date mumbled an apology, his words muffled by the wind.

“We’ll be there soon.” I exhaled in relief. We’d spent far too long on the bike already, and I desperately needed solid ground under my feet.

In my mind, I counted to a thousand and back again, trying to distract myself from this situation. I lost myself in my thoughts, my imagination, thinking of a time long since gone, a time when I danced on the tables of taverns. An amusing fairy tale to distract me from the passing firs.

Before more images could flash before my mind’s eye, Noah stopped abruptly, and I crashed against his back.

He helped me take off my helmet, and I looked around, taking in my surroundings. The city center was more like a ghost town, with hardly any people on the streets.

It had something of a horror movie about it, made you shudder. Yet a certain melancholy embraced us, a melancholy that only the locals could understand.

With stiff legs, I stepped down and almost twisted my ankle at the first steps. The cold had numbed my limbs, and I tried not to let my discomfort show.

Instead, I gave my date a charming smile and followed him into the nearby pub.

The floorboards creaked under our boots. Small tables were scattered throughout the poorly lit taproom, locals playing cards and getting drunk, distracting themselves from the desolation that prevailed here.

Noah led me to one of the tables, close to a group of men fretting over the winning of their friend. I stifled a smile and settled down on the wooden bench.

“Nice here,” I assured my friend. That was no lie. This place had charm, the walls decorated with pictures, posters, or rustic metal signs of drinks.

I could imagine spending my nights here. Well, at least in the past.

“Glad you like it,” he said as he waved to a waitress. I hadn’t missed how people had reacted to us, how they had stared at us as if we were some kind of otherworldly creatures.

Just the fear of strangers, I told myself, and ordered a cocktail. One drink wouldn’t hurt.

“Why are you afraid of speed?” he asked me out of the blue. Puzzled, I looked at him, not sure why he had just come up with this topic.

“I haven’t had great experiences with fast vehicles,” I replied, pointing to the prominent scar on my face. Noah just nodded, waiting for me to add something, but I didn’t.

Talking about these things from my past was getting us nowhere. It didn’t ease my pain.

“I had a terrible accident once,” he began, and I was startled by his sudden openness. “So many people have been hurt because of me, and I fell into a deep, dark hole, stayed there for years until Leilah pulled me out.” I didn’t realize their friendship was so deep. “Then we both got sent to the academy, and we’ve been best friends ever since.” His signature-grin emerged, and I couldn’t help but stare at him, a small smile on my lips. “And Caleb? Did you guys know each other before?”

“No, I met him through Leilah. He joined at almost the same time. Long, complicated story I could never tell as well as she would.”

I had already noticed that there was a lot more going on behind the facade.

“I had no idea Mr. Preston was related to her.” Noah cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck.

“Yes, they’re very distant relatives, their shared blood long washed out. Her parents have almost no contact with the Prestons. The elite prefer to keep to themselves.” Maybe I only imagined it, but I heard an ounce of bitterness in his voice.

The redheaded waitress came with our drinks, and I looked at his glass. “I don’t feel like drinking alcohol.” I shrugged and didn’t respond.

“And do you have a girlfriend, Noah?” I asked curiously. His eyes darkened. “Or a boyfriend?” He shook his head.

“My parents are very old-fashioned. In my circles, partners are chosen by the parents. I could never get into a serious relationship with anyone. It would be doomed to fail and would only break my heart. I just hope they pick someone pretty.”

A small smile spread over his face. “And that she’s younger than fifty.” I pressed my lips together. How could he joke in such a situation? His whole life was passing by, and he was no longer in control of his future.

It was an agony I could never understand, didn’t to understand.

“You deserve to be happy.” I stroked his shoulder kindly, and he nodded.

“We all deserve a lot of things and don’t get them.”

Indeed, my friend.

Slowly, I understood why he wanted to meet with me, why he sought my closeness. Not because he had grown feelings for me. No, Noah was just as lonely as I was.

After two more cocktails and a contest to see who could tell the worst jokes, I realized the room was spinning, my field of vision foggy.

A nosy Avery was bad. A nosy and drunk Avery was the worst.

Noah was wolfing down a portion of fries, but my mind was already drifting in a dangerous direction.

Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “Do you know who murdered Olivia?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Were you guys so close that you’re so pressed to find answers?” I rolled my eyes. None of them wanted to understand.

“It’s not about that. I don’t care about Olivia, per se. It’s about the act, it could just as easily have been someone else.” Me, for example. But I couldn’t bring myself to say that.

Noah couldn’t know about my suspicions yet. It would not be wise to accuse one of the faculty of such a horrific crime. If I had bad luck, I would be sent home immediately.

“But it wasn’t. Let the dead rest, Avery. Don’t get caught up in things that don’t concern you. Believe me, there have been plenty before you and it didn’t end well for them.”

Was he trying to tell me in a roundabout way to stay out of the matter, because if I didn’t, I was next?

“But that school is so strange, something isn’t right. I can feel it, I can see it.” His head shot in my direction.

“What did you see?” he asked cautiously, his voice wary and deep. It felt like he knew more than he was letting on.

“It doesn’t matter.” He didn’t let it go, urging me to say the things I wasn’t allowed to say. Leilah, Mr. Preston, Penelope’s alien relative…. How I would have loved to let Noah in on it, but he would have just looked at me like I was a freak. “We probably just have too much mold in the academy and I’m going mad.”

He took the hint and didn’t probe, but I saw that his scrutinising eyes were constantly on me.

“Where were you at the time of her death, anyway?” Oh no, that sounded like an accusation. It certainly wasn’t meant that way.

Only when I saw his amused expression did I know he hadn’t taken it negatively.

“Between Cassandra’s legs.” Noah smiled mischievously, and I couldn’t help but burst with laughter. “But seriously, many students and faculty were questioned–“

“Even Mr. Preston?” I cut him off and cursed myself at the same moment.

Very low-key, Avery.

“Wait a minute… You think our professor got his hands dirty? He’s a lot of things, but I don’t think he had anything to do with Olivia’s death.” Noah rolled his eyes but moved closer. “And please don’t make innuendos like that in public. It could cost you your head.” His words were barely a whisper.

Cost me my head? He was crazy. Of course, I couldn’t tell him about the bloodied scarf or the conversation between the principal and his ex-fiancée in which they might have talked about him. If he were to accidentally blurt something out, then we would both be in trouble. No, in a messed up way, I preferred my place at the academy.

“Let’s change the subject,” I finally begged, exhaling audibly.

“What are your plans for after the academy?” His question showed genuine interest, I could hear that.

I thought for a moment, but nothing concrete came to mind.

“My dream was to become a pianist. Well, now it remains just a dream.” He narrowed his eyes.

I curtly told Noah how it had happened, and he eyed me with that pitying look I hated so much. But I couldn’t stay mad at him. He was compassionate, was kind.

“But once you play again, you can make up for the lost time, right?” I shook my head.

“I’ll never get back to hundred percent. Then I might as well not do it.”

“That’s a very destructive way of thinking. I’m sure Mr. Preston already told you that.” I snorted.

“No, he just made me play, over and over again. He tortured me for hours until I couldn’t take it anymore.”

Just thinking about it made me feel sick. Or maybe that was just because of the cocktails.

“Perhaps you just needed that torture to find yourself again.”

I let Noah’s words run through my mind. Just as I was about to say something back, his tablet rang.

I gestured for him to pick up, and he excused himself outside.

…. Yes, it’s true. I had lost myself, but could a man I basically didn’t know at all, with whom I hadn’t spent any stage of my life, help me out of the darkness?

Be it out of spite or stupidity, but I pulled my tablet out of my pocket and opened our chat.

Only with difficulty could I concentrate on the keys, and it took twice as long for a message.

I pressed send and buried my face in my hands. Tomorrow, I could blame it on the alcohol.

I flinched at the sound of my tablet. He answered really fast; I hadn’t expected such a quick response.

Yes, I asked myself the same thing, don’t worry. I pushed a strand behind my ear and took another sip of the cocktail the waitress had brought at my request.

There was almost no alcohol in it, and I suspected Noah had something to do with it.

Okay, I could have left out the last part.

Because there were so many choices here, smartass.

Was I messed up because it turned me on? I shrugged. No, I was totally normal.

Did my words annoy him that much? He had already made it clear to me often enough that he would rather have me out of the academy, and yet he kept replying to my messages.

No, time to take it a little further.

Okay, he was angry, angry. I imagined his face and couldn’t help but giggle. I had never thought that you could get a man like him so worked up that fast.

Said the woman who had never had sex before.

I remembered how that word sounded on his lips, how he whispered it over and over again. It was almost as if my name was created just for him, just for his voice.

An unfamiliar feeling spread through my belly. Those few words had probably cost him more than I had thought. He didn’t look like the kind of person who would ask for anything. No, he took what he wanted.

So he could ruin my platonic date with Noah? Surely not. I had no wish for him to show up and throw a tantrum.

Still, I couldn’t get over the images forming in my head. He was kneeling behind me, my back against his chest. He grabbed me by the throat and thrust into me so hard it made me dizzy. Before I could stop myself, I sent the next message.

My lips parted as I read his response twice, stunned by his boldness.

Did he even understand the implications of this one word?

“Sorry I had to take the call,” Noah said, sitting down across from me.

Shaken, I quickly locked the screen and slapped the tablet down on the table. “Were you watching porn or something?” He frowned, and I shot him a mock glare.

“Yeah, you ruined the ending for me.” I crossed my arms and leaned back.

The taproom was almost empty by now. Outside, the moon cast bluish light on the streets and trees, adding even more mystique to the night.

‘Never heard that one before.’ I couldn’t hold back the laughter.

His gaze darkened again. No matter what he had talked about outside, it didn’t mean well. Something must have been going on.

‘I know this is super shitty of me right now, but I’m afraid I have to leave you alone. There’s an emergency at my house.’ I nodded, concerned by the sudden sternness in his soft features.

‘Did something serious happen? Do you want me to come with you?’ He just shook his head.

‘No, I’ll be fine. The only problem is that I can’t take you back to the academy. My parents live in the opposite direction. They can get very uncomfortable if I disobey their order.’ I looked at my watch and panic set in.

It was already far too late, the gates of the boarding school soon to be closed. This couldn’t be fucking real right now.

‘What about the school? Aren’t you going to get in trouble?’ Nervously, I tugged at the hem of my top.

‘I’ll take care of that somehow. Do you know anyone who could pick you up?’ I thought about it, but I could only think of one person who would dare to leave the academy at this hour—Mr. Preston.

‘Yeah, I’ll be fine, you can go.’ Noah let out a sigh of relief, his shoulders no longer as tense.

With a guilty look, he finally rose and threw on the dark jacket that would barely keep him warm.

‘I’m so sorry, I’ll make it up to you, I promise.’ I made a dismissive hand gesture and gave him a reassuring smile.

Everything would be fine if time stopped right now. Before Noah was out the door, he turned around one more time, his hair disheveled. ‘And please text me as soon as you get home.’

The next moment he was gone, leaving me with a racing heart. It looked like I would see Mr. Preston tonight.