50| Guilt And Shame

"And that's how we calculate X." Maya said as she finished explaining to Zachary the difficult equation. She lifted her head to look at him and found his eyes zoomed in somewhere else. She narrowed her eyes and angled her neck to look at the tanned brunette sitting few seats behind on the stairs, flashing her dazzling smile to him.

Picking up the notebook, Maya smacked Zachary's arm with it and he winced in return. "Ow."

"Stop staring at her." She said.

"I can't. She is too hot." Zachary shrugged and Maya felt annoyed all of sudden.

"What's so hot about her? She looks like every other girl here." Maya rolled her eyes and opened the notebook.

"Check her out again. You will find out why she is special." Zachary said and Maya once again angled her neck. She tried to find out what was so special about her and that's when she noticed her quite adequately sized cleavage.

"Ew. You are such a pig, Zachary. Guys should learn how to stop objectifying women. Just because she has big chest doesn't mean she is an object that you can stare. I am sure she will feel embarrassed if you tell---"

"She just winked at me." Zachary said and Maya's eyes widened even more.

"What's wrong with girls these days?" Maya huffed and stood up to leave. "Enjoy with Miss. Big boobs then."

She walked forwards and after a minute, found Zachary running behind her. "Don't get upset, Maya. I'll be focused this time. I promise."

"I am busy." Maya said, walking forwards towards the library.

She said and walked again but Zachary gripped her hand and pulled her backwards in a way that she ended up bumping against his chest. This made her scowl harder which didn't have any effect on Zachary who kept smirking at her.

"Leave my hand, Zachary. I am late for my tutoring session." She said and tried to pull her hand away but couldn't.

"Sometimes, it feels like you are jealous of all the other girls trying to get my attention." Zachary said.

"Yeah, right. I am so jealous. I want you to stare at my boobs instead." Maya joked. When Zachary's eyes lowered to her chest, she kicked his shin. "Eyes up, mister."

Zachary slowly loosened his grip on Maya's hand and tucked her unruly curly locks behind her ear. "You are something else, Maya Andrews."

A smile played on Maya's lips at this and she rolled her eyes mischievously. "I am leaving now." She said and walked forwards.

In the last few months, Maya and Zachary had become really good friends but these days, Zachary was trying to take this friendship to one step ahead; be it with his subtle flirtation or sometimes harmless actions like touching her hair or gripping her hands gently.

But Maya knew her boundaries and she knew how to ignore each of his attempt. She always acts like she doesn't notice what he does but in reality, nothing escapes her attention. And the main issue was, a part of her likes when she praises her or slip a flirty remark in their usual conversation.

••••••••••

Entering the store, the first thing Travis noticed was Zoey already standing inside. Seeing her brought the memories of last night, all the memories of their intimacy that caused a shiver ran down his spine. He awkwardly acknowledged her with a nod and she responded with an equally awkward smile.

"Who died?" Maya said who was observing both of their constipated faces.

"Um... Nothing... I... Um... We..."

"We just had a little quarrel." Zoey interfered before he could make a complete fool of himself.

"Just the usual. You guys fight like married couple." Maya said and focused her attention back to her work.

Travis went to the other side of the store so he won't have to look at her again and again. It proved to be a very difficult task because every time he saw her, he couldn't help but imagine her naked. The very thought was enough to make his heart somersault inside his chest.

By the time his shift ended, he had realized that they both needed to talk to each other so escaping Maya's gaze, he reached Zoey who was busy organising the cereals that a customer had knocked over. He walked behind her and lowered his head so it was right next to her ears.  "Meet me in the storage room." He whispered.

Zoey sucked a sharp breath at his sudden action and then waited for a minute before following him so that it won't appear suspicious.

Inside the storage room, Travis walked to and fro in agitation, waiting for her to come. And once she did, he shut the door after her. In the small closed space, both of them kept staring at each other, waiting for the other person to speak.

"Okay so I guess I am the one speaking first." Zoey started after taking a long sigh. "What happened last night can't happen again."

"I understand. We are different." Travis admitted.

"That's not the reason. I would do the same if it was any other guy. Because I don't like to involve feelings in sex and with you, it's impossible not to." Zoey whispered the last part so he won't hear it.

"Why?" He asked, stepping closer so he could have a better look of her face.

"Because I think love, feelings and relationships are a scam. My parents loved each other and now, they can't stand to be in the same room." Zoey replied.

Travis nodded in understanding. "Then it's done, I guess. Starting this moment, we will never talk about what happened last night." He said, looking into her brown eyes. They were like chocolate, warm and cozy. And her hair, he could smell the delicious scent from a distance.

Their eyes remained locked together as they breathed into each other's scent. "Or... This ignoring the elephant thing can start once we leave this storage room." Zoey suggested.

"What do you mean?" He asked and he got the answer when Zoey wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. His eyes closed instantly while his hands found their way to her thin waist.

"One last kiss." She whispered against her lips.

His mouth picked up pace while he guided her legs around his waist. Supporting her against the wall, he kissed her jaw, her neck, her collar bone, anywhere he could reach. The temperature inside the small suffocated place grew hotter with their actions.

"Shit. We shouldn't... We shouldn't do this again." He groaned as Zoey's hands moved under his shirt.

"You are right. We shouldn't." Zoey parted from him and they both rested their foreheads against each other, with her legs still wounded around his waist. Their breaths came out raspy and thickened with lust.

"This stops the minute we leave this room." Travis mumbled under his breath.

"Yes, what happens in here doesn't count." She said and he nodded in agreement.

Their lips once again collided while they tried to get rid of each other's clothes.

•••••••••••

Shame and guilt washed over Travis as he left the store in his wretched car. He couldn't believe what they just did. Never in his life has he done something so irresponsible. In fact, he hated those people who jump on each other's bones in a public place without caring about other people. But the momentary lust won over all his ethics and morals and he ended up having a quickie in a storage room of a store.

After the whole drive spent in misery, he finally reached his house and entered inside, only to find his mother waiting for him on the dining table.

"You are home early." He said, hiding his flustered state from her.

"Yeah." She whispered.

"What's in dinner?" He asked.

"I'll make pasta." She said in a low voice. Her eyes were fixated on Travis in a weird manner.

"What happened?" Travis asked, sitting by her side and gulped down a glass of water to wet his throat.

"I was doing Miss. Zoey's laundry today." She said. "And you know what her bedsheets smelled like? The homemade hair oil I had prepared for you."

At this, Travis choked on the water he was drinking. "I... I am sure it's just a coincidence." He lied blatantly.

"Yeah, maybe." Rose said. "Except you weren't home last night."

Hearing this, Travis felt all the blood rush out of his face. "Y.. you knew?"

"A mother always knows." She said.

"I am sorry. I... I am so sorry, Mom. I know I... It just happened." Travis hid his face in between his palms.

"I understand, Travis. She is an attractive girl and you are a young man. I understand that what I have asked you to do is really hard for you." Rose said and cupped his cheeks. "But you have to understand, Trav. If Mr. Crawford finds out, he will make our life a living hell."

"I know. It won't happen again, I promise." Travis said.

"It better not." Rose said.

After Rose left to make dinner, Travis released the breath he was holding. Why does it has to be so difficult? He thought to himself.

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