My phone’s alarm goes off the next morning, echoing loudly throughout my room.
I groan a little and open my eyes, sitting up. I look next to me, seeing Aliyah sound asleep. A smile creeps up on my face as I move a bit of her hair away from her eyes. She stirs a little bit before her eyes open slowly, smiling a little once she sees me.
“Hi,” she says softly.
“Hi,” I say back. “Did you sleep okay?”
Aliyah nods and sits up, using the sheets to wrap around her chest and torso. “Mhm. Although, I am a little bit sore.”
I chuckle a little. “I didn’t go that hard on you.”
“I know that,” Aliyah giggles. She reaches out, grabbing my hand. “But…thank you.”
“For what?”
She smiles at me. “For making my firsts special. My first date, my first kiss, my first time. My first everything.”
I look down at her hand, caressing it gently before looking back up at her. “You don’t have to thank me for that.”
“I know, but I want to.” Aliyah leans down, giving me a quick kiss. “I love you.”
I lift her hand up to my mouth, pressing my lips gently against her knuckles. “I love you, too, Alicat.”
Aliyah gives me another smile along with another kiss before leaning down, grabbing my shirt from off of the floor. She removes the sheet from around her body then slips on the shirt, turning to me once she was done. “You don’t mind if I borrow this, do you?”
“Oh, come on, Alicat,” I said with a small grin as I sat up, grabbing her waist from behind. “I like you in my shirts. You look more sexy in them than I do.”
Aliyah turns away with a small laugh, getting up from the bed. “You’re always saying things like that.”
“Because everything I say about you is true.”
“Whatever,” she giggles.
The grin on my face grows. “Are you doubting me, Alicat?”
“No,” she says. “I’m not.”
I reach over and take her by the arm, pulling her back down on the bed, making her yelp. “I think you’re doubting me.”
Aliyah glances back at me as I wrap my arms around her. “I’m not doubting you.”
I poke at her side with my finger. “Liar.”
She smiles as I do it again. “I’m not lying.”
I pull her closer to me with a smirk, my lips finding her neck. “You are.”
“Deion,” Aliyah breathes out, her head falling back on my shoulder.
My lips find another place on her neck, kissing it gently. “Hm?”
A small laugh escapes her. “That tickles.”
“Does it?” I pull the collar of the shirt to the side, kissing her shoulder. “Then maybe I should keep going, right?”
Aliyah grips the bottom of the shirt, biting her lip. “Deion, I have practice later, and so help me, I am not going feeling even more sore.”
“I won’t go that hard,” I tell her. “I know when to be careful with something so beautiful.”
I see her eyes roll playfully. “We have to leave this room anyways. It smells like sex and cologne. And I have to take a shower.”
I chuckle, letting her go. “Okay, okay. There’s extra towels in the bathroom by the way.”
Aliyah raises her eyebrow. “Yeah, I’m not getting in your guys’ shower. I’ll just wait until I’m back at my dorm to shower.” She gets up, grabbing her clothes off of the floor before heading to the bathroom.
I smile, watching her exit the room. Just like the day she became my girlfriend, I thought last night was just a dream. But it wasn’t. Nothing about it was fake.
The way she looked under me…the way she sounded when I made her feel good…the way she trusted me to take care of her…
Every bit of it was real. Every single bit.
~*~
Aaron stumbled into class on Monday, passing by the other students walking in before slumping down with me and Theo, laying his head down on the table.
“Another hangover?” I ask.
Aaron just lets out a tired groan.
Theo rubs his back. “Why do you decide to drink on a Sunday night, knowing that you have class the next day?”
“Because he’s stupid,” I say.
Aaron lets out another tired groan. “It feels like someone hit my head with a giant ass hammer.”
“You shouldn’t have come to class if you have a hangover,” Theo tells him.
“Yeah.” Aaron gets up, holding his head. “I’m going back to the apartment.”
“Take some medicine when you do,” I say. “We have practice later and Coach is gonna raise hell if you come hungover.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m not that stupid,” he says before leaving the classroom.
Theo shakes his head at him before turning his attention to me. “So. You had a really eventful night last night, didn’t you?”
“What’re you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Theo says. “You and Aliyah weren’t exactly very quiet.”
I chuckle a bit. “Oh, yeah. Right.”
“You’re lucky Aaron was black out drunk or he would’ve been on your ass about it.”
“Man, if he knew, he wouldn't shut up about it.”
Theo’s face then contorted into worry. “Deion,we really need to talk about–” His sentence was cut off as the professor entered the classroom.
Theo lowered his voice to a whisper, leaning close to me. “Deion, we have to talk.”
“Theo–”
“Seriously, Deion. You can’t keep this up. Eventually, you’re gonna have to tell the truth.”
I let out a small sigh. “Don’t you think I know that?”
“If you know that, then why are you acting like you don’t? Why are you still keeping this up?”
“Theo, I don’t wanna talk about this right now.” I turn my head to front, trying to focus my attention on the lesson that was being given.
“See? That’s what I’m talking about. You’re deflecting.”
“I’m not deflecting. I just don’t wanna talk about this while we’re in class.”
“Sooner or later, you’re gonna have to,” Theo says in a low voice. “Otherwise, someone’s gonna end up getting hurt. Are you gonna talk to Aaron or not?”
“Theo, please. I—”
“Are you gonna talk to him or not? Because if you don’t, then I will.”
I let out another sigh. “Fine. When he’s sober enough, I’ll tell Aaron that I don’t wanna do it anymore. Alright?”
“I’m serious, Deion,” Theo warns. “Again, if you don’t talk to Aaron, I will.”
“I get it, Theo,” I say. “I’ll talk to him. I promise.”
“You better keep that promise.”
“Don’t worry. I will.”
Theo eyes me for a moment before turning his head away.
I look down at my desk as I run a hand over my face, my focus being gone for the rest of the class.
YOU ARE READING
Loving Knight: Book One of the Cresswell Series
RomanceFor nineteen-year-old Aliyah Mitchell, her freshman year of college was all she could think about. From rooming with her friends, becoming a member of the dance team, and all around enjoying the college experience, she had it all planned out. What...
