Out of Reach

Chapter Twenty Two

My alarm for school goes off at its usual time. Like every morning, I manage to get ready and slip out the door without waking Jacq.

I swiftly make my way into the building and the lecture hall.

I pause for a moment when I see his seat empty, but before my mind could wander, I felt a presence behind me, and a hand snaked around my waist.

"Morning," Cassidy mumbled into my ear, carefully pressing his lips on my cheek for a peck before walking around me and sitting down.

I giddily followed him, sitting in the seat next to him.

The teacher began his usual speech, starting class. I pulled out my notebook, pens, and highlighter and began copying what he was writing on the board.

Despite my efforts to pay attention to the lecture, I couldn't help but notice a pair of blue eyes intensely watching me. I turned my head ever-so-slightly towards Cassidy to see his entire body turned toward me, watching me instead of the lecture.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, looking around the room.

I couldn't help but mirror the smile plastered across his face.

"Nothing," He said innocently, his smirk deepening.

I playfully rolled my eyes, glancing back at the professor, who was still busy writing what he was saying on the board, and then back at Cassidy. His eyes still fixated on me.

My cheeks flushed red, "Stop." My attempt to be serious failed at the growing smirk on his face.

"Stop what?" His lips pierced. He knew exactly what he was doing to me.

"Stop staring at me," My eyes widened as I tried to hold back a chuckle.

His tongue swiped across his lower lip, rolling his eyes as I pointed to the front of the room. Finally, he listened, turning to the front of the room and taking his eyes off of me.

I spent the rest of the class period trying to refocus on the lecture, but it was near impossible.

I caught myself looking over at Cassidy frequently, studying the side profile of his face as he watched the professor lecture.

My eyes trickled from his eyes to his eyelashes, to the slight curve of his nose, his bony jaw structure, to his prominent Adam's apple.

"Alright, class. I'm going to end there for today. Please remember to grab-"

The sudden sound of students shuffling, throwing their notebooks and laptops in bags, and getting up snapped me out of my trance.

I quickly followed suit, trying to act like I was paying attention the entire time.

We filed down to the front of the room, picked up our homework, and made it out the door.

Once we reached outside, Cassidy reached out towards me, intertwingling his hand in mine.

"You're a hypocrite," He chuckled.

"What?" I asked, my free hand shielding my eyes from the sunlight as I peered up at him.

"You were staring at me for the entire class," He smirked, "not that I mind..."

"I was not," I turned away, hiding my smile.

"Were too."

"Mhm..whatever you say."

"Oh, so that's how we're going to play this," He said.

I felt Cassidy's hand tighten around mine, pulling me into him. His lips immediately found the crook of my neck, his warm breath sending chills down my spine as he kissed it.