Natalya
“Natalya, can you tell me the easiest access point to the spleen?”
Professor Luigi saying my name snaps me out of a daze I’d fallen into, as I clear my throat, buying my time. The spleen. “On the left side, about three inches below the armpit.”
Luigi nods in appreciation. “Exactly.” He walks over to the other side of the classroom, still droning on about body parts.
Eva nudges me. “Are you okay?”
I glance at her. “Yes, why wouldn’t I be?”
She shrugs. “You seem a little distracted, is all.”
I swallow hard as I am distracted. It’s been three days since we returned to the academy, and Alexander has barely looked at me. He hasn’t said a word, and it’s making me nervous.
Right now, he’s sitting behind me in this class and I can’t bring myself to glance in his direction. He walked in and sat down without a word or a jibe – no silly comments or throwing things at me. It’s not what I’ve come to expect, and that makes me more nervous than anything else could.
Azira sits on my other side and has hardly spoke as she stares at Professor Luigi. She’s been oddly quiet even if we are in anatomy class and talking can get you in serious trouble with him. It doesn’t normally stop her from running her mouth off. “What you doing after class?” I ask her, knowing we both have a free period next.
She glances at me and shrugs. “Not sure, why?”
I shrug. “I’ve got a free period, thought we could hang out.”
She nods. “Sure.”
“Gurin,” Professor Luigi growls, making me almost jump out of my skin. “I’ll tell you what you’re doing next period, and that’s detention.”
I swallow hard, meeting our professor’s gaze. “I’m sorry, sir.”
“Sorry doesn’t cut it. The two of you will be staying behind.”
I hear Alexander sniggering with his friends behind me, which draws the professor’s attention. “And you can join them, Morales.”
“Sir?”
“You heard me. All three of you will stay behind after class.” He walks over the other side of the classroom, continuing his lecture.
“Thanks a lot, Gurin,” Alexander says, throwing a ball of paper at me.
I glare at him, conflicting emotions swirling around inside of me. A part of me had been excited to see where Alexander took this next, but now I’m unsure what he’s planning.
Instead of making a retort, I focus my attention on the professor and try to stay out of trouble for the rest of the hour. It’s unlike me to get pulled up for detention. Normally, I know when I can get away with talking in Luigi’s class or not.
Once everyone gets up to leave, Azira and I remain seated.
Luigi ignores us at first until everyone else has left.
I can feel Alexander’ gaze burning a hole in my back and it makes me feel uncomfortable. Azira leans toward me. “I can’t believe we got detention.”
I give her an apologetic look. “I’m sorry.”
The snap of a ruler against the desk in front of me makes both of us jump out of our skin. “You two don’t seem to learn your lesson, do you?” Luigi asks, hazel eyes as cold as any I’ve ever seen. They move between me and Azira a few times, lingering on Azira at the end.
“I apologize, sir,” I reply, knowing the only way to deal with this psycho is to play ball.
“Alexander,” he barks, eyes moving to behind me. “Sit next to Gurin.”
A shudder races down my spine at the thought of being forced to sit next to him. I don’t dare look back as I hear him gathering his things and then his footsteps moving toward me. Even when he sits down, I can’t bring myself to look in his direction.
“Now, I want all of you to write me a one-thousand word essay on the best way to murder with a knife,” Luigi says, eyes darting between each of us but lingering longer on Azira, especially at the end.
My brow furrows as I notice Azira’s cheeks redden and I remember her comment the other day in the cafeteria.
Perhaps I’ll try to bag Luigi.
The girl is certifiably insane if she goes after that mess of a man. I’ve heard rumors enough to send most murdering mafia leaders running away. He’s not the kind of man you want to mess with or jump into bed with. A shudder races up my spine as I feel Alexander’ arm brush against mine. He’s sitting too fucking close to me on the bench and I can feel the heat of him against me.
“Got it?” Luigi asks.
I nod in response. “Yes, sir.”
“Sure thing,” Alexander says.
Azira just nods, her cheeks a deep red now.
I open my notebook and write, trying desperately to ignore the man sitting so close to me I can smell the intoxicating scent of his cologne. It lingers in the air and wraps around me like a cocoon.
Alexander’ hand slips onto my thigh and he squeezes, forcing me to look at him for the first time since he moved. His eyes are full of desire and I clench my thighs together, my heart racing. It’s crazy what one glance from a guy I profess to hate can do to me.
“I’m going to have to punish you for getting me into detention,” he murmurs softly into my ear.
I shake my head. “You got yourself into it by being an ass and laughing at us. How is that my fault?”
His eyes narrow. “Don’t talk back to me.”
I clench my jaw, irritated that this is our first conversation since he walked out of the ladies’ bathroom at Jonquils Cafe during winter break. And yet I can’t say anything because then I’ll hand him power. If I make it clear to him I’m disappointed that he hasn’t spoken to me yet, then he’ll know that somewhere along the line, I started to crave his attention. And that’s the last thing I want. Instead, I focus on my notepad and ignore him.
He releases my leg, no doubt worried about being caught by Luigi.
It helps me focus as I zone everything else out and write as fast as I can, desperate to get away from Alexander. I don’t care if it’s a shit essay.
My heart is pounding harder and faster than usual as I scribble everything I can remember down about the best entry points when killing with a knife.