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"Till it happens to you, you don't know how it feels." – lady gaga.
I peered down at my shirt and sure enough, some of the buttons were unfastened, and the others were buttoned incorrectly.
"Mmm, must have been like that all day then," I answered nonchalantly.
"Sienna or Imogen didn't point that out?" He raised his eyebrows as if I gave him the dumbest response.
I tried, alright.
"Nope, no one did." I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm just as impressed with humanity as you are, Levingston. There are such people out there that prefer to look at your face over chest. "
"Right," he scoffed. "What high school do you go to again? Holy Cross?"
'Hey, I'm just as surprised as you are that there are some holy roller's in my school too. Humanity has once again proven to us that there are such people who abstains from bodily desires."
Levl looked a bit miffed at my sarcasm. "Did he do that?"
"No," I gasped, feigning innocence.
"Are you lying to me?"
Whoa, wait, what could I be doing that makes him think I'm lying?
I looked down at my hands to see if they were red. There was no obvious signs of deceit.
I peered back up at him and wrinkled my nose. "No?" The slight lift to my voice sold me out.
"You are lying."
"Okay... Yes but---" I put my hands up, palms facing him. "Let's not make this into a big deal, bud. Nothing happened and I got away before anything could."
"He undid your shirt, Maisie!"
"As I said let's not make it into a big deal because, hey, I got away."
"This is why I told you not to go," his hands balled into fists, slamming into the desk top.
I jumped a little then quickly turned around to see if anyone noticed the impact.
Noone seemed to notice.
Even Cassie which, phew, is a good thing.
I turned back to look at him but was surprised to see Levi hovering over me. "S—stop what are you doing? Go! People will see!"
Levi knelt down in front of me. "I'm going to kill him."
"Pfft, no you're not." Levi had murder in his eyes. "You're not allowed, you hear me, mister?"
"Stop protecting that bastard."
What is with guys? Levi thinks I'm protecting Mr. Pratt. ---Then Mr. Pratt thinks because we made a daughter together, that I wouldn't do anything to hurt him.
"I'm not!" My voice raised a little, realizing this; I took a few deep breaths. The last thing either one of us wanted was to be visited by the darling but curious Cassie.
"He touched you," Levi murmured, reaching up to my shirt. He unfastened the buttons then fastened them properly this time.
"So are you." I whispered.
His eyes met mine. "I'm allowed to touch you, he isn't, Maisie."
"---Just drop it, Levi." I shook my head. "Please."
"That bastard shouldn't be teaching, Maisie. You might not be the only one he has his eyes set on."
"I am the only one."
"What would you know that?"
'---He thinks I belong to him because of Scarlett..."
**
I gnawed on the roasted nuts I purchased from the vending machine and watched as Levi paced back and forth in his office.
He was in deep conversation with himself pacing the room like an idiot.
He was plotting like an evil genius and at this point, I didn't have any energy to convince him not to.
He wouldn't listen.
I asked him to drop it and he couldn't.
I threw the empty package in the trash can. "Well are you about finished, Levingston?"
"No."
"Fine, you ponder. I'll go take a quick pee and find me some new eye candy." I stood up to leave when Levi grabbed onto my hand. He kept me at bay.
"Don't leave."
"Pee won't stay in there forever, Levingston." I wasn't going to sit around and listen to him plot his act of revenge.
I was tired of plotting.
I was tired of all the scheming.
Let this ole lady breath!
Levi caught the door just as I was about to walk out. He slammed it shut and turned the lock. "You're not going anywhere."
This possessiveness was not an attractive quality.
This is not the kind I prefer in the bedroom.
"Hey, I want to leave!" I said, instantly angry.
"Your supposed to be here for community service."
"Who said anything about leaving the station, Levingston? I'll be around. I'll just be anywhere but fucken here with you."
"Let me help you."
"I don't need your help."
"Yes you do!" Levi brought his hand to my abdomen and carefully led me backwards until my back met the door. "I know you're scared."
"I'm not afraid of him." I bared my arms over my chest. "I'm done talking to you."
"Good because I'm not finished talking. Maybe I can get somewhere in that big head of yours if your actually quiet for once!"
My jaw dropped slightly. Wow, another insult from Levi Knight. "I talk too much?"
My head is big?
---Says the guy who just loves to help little damsel in distress Maisie all the bloody time!
"I'm sorry I'm not the submissive bitch you're looking for!" Since when is using your brain a bad thing?!
"I don't want submissive!" Levi lowered his voice "For once I'd like you to do what I want. I want him fired! I don't want him around you or anybody else for that matter!"
I grabbed a handful of Levi's shirt and whimpered. "Please drop this! I'm exhausted, Levi! I'm tired of being the bloody damsel in distress all the time!"
I can handle Mr. Pratt on my own. I most likely broke his nose! I'm not against leaving him disfigured if he tries something again.
Levi shook his head. "I can't forget what he's done to you, Maisie."
"Please, try!" I tugged on his shirt.
"I can't."
I dropped my hands to my side. "---Then I guess this is it. If you want to take down Mr. Pratt so badly do it without me."
Realizing that there was no way Levi and I could work together for the rest of the night, I decided to help Melody at her desk.
"Take that stack of paper and file it properly in the filing cabinet," she instructed. "It's important you file them correctly, okay?"
I nodded. "You got it, boss." I pulled out the first drawer of the cabinet and began filing the papers away. Yes, I was making sure to double check.
"Did you want to talk about it?" Melody asked as she read through a file on her desk.
"Honestly? Not really. This is something I don't want you to get involved in." I didn't want to tell her, not because I didn't trust her with another one of my dirty laundry, but because I wanted one friend that didn't see me as only damaged goods.
**
The next morning at school was a bust. Imogen was curious to know what handsome teacher wanted and the only thing I wanted to do was hide away in a locker.
I wanted peace.
I didn't want to talk about Mr. Pratt or Levi.
I spun the dial on my lock and it opened. As soon as I pulled the locker door open, a piece of paper fell to the ground. I crouched down to pick up the paper and unfolded it, reading the black ink.
Here's the key you asked for. Meet you there
Levi
I pulled the tape off that kept the key in place and stuffed it into my pocket. I quickly stuffed my bag into the locker and slammed it shut.
This better be good, Levingston.
It better be an epic apology.
I made it to the camera room and let myself in when the coast was clear.
Inside, Levi was sitting in a rolley chair.
God, I love rolley chairs.
"Well? Shouldn't you be at work?" I tried to look annoyed but I was secretly happy he was here.
I loved his...very inappropriate visits to my school.
I pulled one of the spare chairs from the corner of the room and placed it beside his chair.
Levi twisted his chair so he was staring at me. "I want you to know that there is nothing I regret in our relationship. I don't regret pulling you over that night or inviting you to live with me."
I don't remember it ever being a personal invitation. I didn't give him another option.
"I don't regret being protective because there is nothing more I want than to make sure you're happy and safe
"I know..."
"I got into this job because I want to take people like him down. So if you're hoping that this is my way of saying I'll stop, I won't. I won't stop trying to protect you because the thought of another man touching you like that makes me fucken sick." Levi moved his chair closer to mine then wrapped his arms around my waist. He buried his head in my lap. "He shouldn't be allowed to touch you like that."
"He means nothing to me, Levi."
"He shouldn't be allowed to touch you intimately like that." He lifted his head from my lap and looked at me. He said through his teeth, "I don't like sharing what's mine."
"I haven't been claimed yet, mister.."
"Now whose fault is that?" He removed his arms from around my waist. One of his thumbs, lifted to caress my cheek. "I think you're scared."
"Pfft, please, Levingston." I chuckled once. "I'm waiting for those fireworks, mister. I want the whole thing, with you. I want to know for sure, without a doubt, that the moment is meant to be.----I wanted this time to be special."
"It's not the movie. Your body just knows, Maisie."
"Well then I guess I haven't had a, my body knows, moment yet."
"Right," he mumbled as he leaned towards me, causing my breathing to hitch.
"Fuck," I thought to myself. I bet his head got another small dose of satisfaction from that. "No fair!" I huffed.
Levi laughed and lifted me off my chair and lowered me onto his lap. I wrapped my legs around his waist and brought my arms around his neck. " You've always been a terrible liar, Maisie Brooks."
"Maybe," I whispered against his lips, "I just love getting a reaction out of you."
Levi's fingers dug into my back.
My arms fell from his neck and my hands slipped down his back; un-tucking his shirt.
"Are we going to do this here, really?" he groaned, as his lips trailed a path down my neck. "You're killing me."