Chapter 3 Detention and Dares

The school day felt long, but Amara's thoughts raced on.

Liam Carter had not talked to her the whole morning.

No smiles, no smirks, No eye contact no words, Absolute bin

That somehow was worse. Silence from boys like Liam wasn't peace, it was part of a bigger plan.

Amara strolled around the school like she was a calming teacher, but her skin felt hot and buzzed like silk on fire. She still had his note from Friday, safely tucked in her planner's back pocket.

She has never admitted how many times she had gone back to the message.

Exactly 3:28 PM, Room 4C was deserted Every, except for her

He practically strolled in, a minute earlier than expected.

As always, he was exactly on schedule

The universe always seemed to conspire in unison with him walking through the soft-clicking sound of the door behind him, as if completely shut.

How do I even begin to assess this individual? He hasn't uttered a single word, and already seem to understand the impact he has with just dropping from straddled seating add observing actions.

Right now, he has complete control over the void that is room 4C He currently resembles the archetype of sin in the flesh.

"Detention," she asserted while trying her best to make herself sound authoritative "No talking, no silence, no outside interference, thirty minutes".

"Wasn't planning on opening my mouth for a discussion," he replied with a relaxed posture, lower half of his body loose against the chair.

"I tell why you intend to silence yourself for an extended duration of time."

"Forever asleep seems like a fair estimate," Amara exclaimed as each click of her heeled shoes thundered towards the intended destination of the board equipped with pens simply waiting for an artist to set them into motion, granting them distance, freedom, and fresh air that was needed by her head which began to whirl.

"Why are you still just a student?" She replied in a low voice "You're barely older than the rest."

He responded, "I'm twenty-one Not a child, Not a boy"

"I'm your teacher"

" A woman first," he retorded, his tone subdued yet cutting "And right now, you're trembling."

She turned "This is where the line is drawn."

But he lifted himself from the chair, void of any rush, and moved closer toward her.

Her heart danced against her rib cage like tiny fists desperately trying to escape while she maintained her posture.

He closed the distance between them A breath away, where she could easily detect the warm cedar and sin cologne that dominated his thoughts.

"Do you need me to go? Would you want me to go?" he murmured, voice raspy in response.

It was a no, and the response was a nod, but deep down she was puzzled.

The warmth creeping from Liam had emerged the very moment he began framing her cheek with his palm The phantom touch lingers even now filled the air.

"Why are you so close?" she said

"Why don't you retreat?" he dared

She stayed put

"It's real easy," she muttered

"The chains of your prison will break."

His smile darkened, shifting in his favor to leave him in control "Well, I might prefer that type of freedom."

They both felt the electric tension that resided between them but in fact with how much tension remained undischarged.

Then.......

The flicks of the light emitting from the hallway could be sensed.

Faint footsteps

She pulled him forcibly backward not for vengeance but a matter of survival and heart racing, rushed to her desk.

"Carter," The voice of a stern Mr. Daniels instructed.

With exact seconds glance, anger setting in as he focused determinedly on the blake deciples

"Blake, You two seem far too comfortable" Tone even, feel lingering, "Everything alright with you two?"

"Of course not, I yelled," too swift from Amara

Silence

Liam in broad day light unguiltily refrained himself from continuing eye contact or paying attention to an active textbook that twenty four hours would face from actually opening.

From a resting position he had gracefully shifted into, supported by his arm while leaning back devoid of any hesitation, relaxation, and requirements of sitting upright.

"I am just about done" he said without looking up

Daniels nodded slowly

"Quite right. And Blake, don't forget that the security system starts arming at four precisely. No one wants to be shut in."

He walked away

The silence returned almost immediately.

Amara exhaled as if she had been holding her breath for a while massaging her temples.

"Reporting you is an option," she remarked, still refusing to face him.

"You won't," Liam answered, unfazed "Because you are too curious to know what happens next."

"Nothing happens next," she retorted.

He stood up again, but this time headed to the window and gazed at the courtyard.

"How amusing it is for someone to say that they're waiting in line, Miss Blake," he said. "They tend to fade away a little too swiftly when no sighted eyes are present."

Then he made for the exit,

Stopped,

Turned back and gazed back.

"Before you go, lock the window," he instructed in a hushed tone. "Because we wouldn't want anyone accidentally returning."

And then he was gone.

Frozen, Amara stood in place.

While it was true that he vanished, did anyone else notice something sticking out from underneath his desk? A macbeth textbook to be more specific

Because to Amara's relief, it was indeed a piece of paper.

Upon further inspection, the note was written completely in big letters It read

Dare to enter the library at 5 in the evening tomorrow, but do so alone

With the information laid out before her, it was safe to say that ignoring it was impossible.

And just like that

A new day with limitless possibilities awaited.