Chapter 20 LINGERING TEMPTATION.
Godiva's POV
Maybe I was overthinking things, but the moment his face came close to mine, I coughed hard. In the next second, I threw up everything I had eaten.
“You need help,” he said in panic.
“How long have you been here?” I asked calmly.
“Since forever. I heard Dina telling your boyfriend, about your health,” he replied.
“Get lost,” I said lazily.
“Chill. I have somewhere to take you. Hop on my back,” Jerald said, squatting in front of me.
“I’m not that weak, but I appreciate it,” I said, smiling as I declined his offer.
He held my hand as we walked carefully. He led me through corners until we arrived at the hall we used for the traditional tea night.
“What are we doing here?” I asked faintly.
“Wait here,” he said, helping me sit on a bench outside.
I could faintly hear him speaking Mandarin to a man standing at the counter.
I never knew he could speak a Chinese language, I thought to myself, smiling.
After a few minutes, he approached me holding a tea set on a tray.
“This is a traditional tea that helps you feel better,” he said, pouring some of the tea into a cup.
“Take it all,” he said, handing me the teacup.
“How is it supposed to make me feel better?” I asked. For a moment I felt suspicious of him, but I could see sincerity written all over his face.
I took the cup from him and finished the tea, which had a sour-sweet taste.
After I finished the substance, I suddenly felt drowsy, sweaty, and extremely weak.
“Are you already feeling sweaty and weak?” he asked enthusiastically.
“Yes, I feel…” I could barely respond as I was getting drowsier.
I knew when Jerald put me on his back, but I was too weak to even resist. His back was so firm for a teenager. I could perceive his pleasant perfume as I lay quietly on his back.
He walked back to the hostel area with me on his back. I could faintly hear the loud roar of boys cheering him as he approached the girls’ hostel, which was a stone’s throw away from the boys’ hostel.
Our culture teacher was standing in front of the girls’ hostel. I could hear her compliment and thank Jerald as he handed me over to her.
I felt every sense of gratitude the moment she carried me in her arms and gently placed me on my bed.
I was already half asleep, but I could hear Dina panicking and asking questions, wondering if I was feeling alright.
“Do you know how badly you scared me?” Dina exclaimed as she hugged me.
“Do you know how many times Jerald asked about you?” she continued, smiling.
Ignoring her drama, I asked in a panic, “What’s the time?”
Checking her wristwatch, she responded, “It’s five minutes past seven, a few minutes to dinner.”
“What!” I exclaimed, jumping in panic.
“How long have I been asleep for?” I asked, still in shock.
“Babes, you’ve been asleep for around eight hours,” she said, counting on her fingers.
“I guess I missed every activity for today,” I said, putting on a sad face.
“You may have missed a lot, but you haven’t missed the biggest culture night!” she shouted as she clapped.
I heaved a sigh of relief. I anticipated the culture night the most because I couldn’t wait to put on my Qipao. I was thankful to God that I didn’t miss it.
“Go take a shower. It’s almost dinner time,” Dina said as she helped me up from the bed.
I felt totally alright the second I got up. I didn’t know what kind of tea Jerald got for me; all I knew was that it worked like magic, and I felt very grateful and indebted to him.
“Go take a shower and come tell me how you ended up on Jerald’s back after sending me away,” Dina said as she lay on my bed.
I felt like never leaving the shower. I knew Dina was going to pester me with questions. I tried wasting time by staying longer in the bathroom so she would forget.
The moment I got out of the bathroom, she was already waiting for me on my bed. I knew there was no escape for me.
I began narrating the whole incident that had taken place as I dressed up.
When we got to the restaurant, I felt a discomfort I hadn’t felt in a long time.
The news had gone round that I was on Jerald’s back. Some people kept staring at me, while others walked up to me to ask about my health.
I had never felt noticed the way I did that day. But I was scared of something different, what would be Leo's reaction to Jerald's constant interference.
Our meal was served, and Jerald wasn’t in sight. I kept looking around, using my eyes to search for him.
I was rudely interrupted by Leo, who gave me a back hug and pecked my cheek.
“Hey baby,” he said, sitting on an empty spot beside me.
“I heard you let another man carry you on his back,” he added, then kept quiet as if waiting for my response.
“Jerald did what you were supposed to do,” Dina snapped angrily.
“Easy, babe… sorry, woman,” he corrected and continued, “I left after I learnt about her health to get her meds. When I got back, the hall was empty.”
He handed me the meds and explained the prescription.
Once again, he made my heart flutter with his assuring words and surprise gestures.
He asked Dina to leave me under his care.
“make sure she’s back before 9:00 p.m. We can’t miss the culture night,” she warned as she smiled and left.
We sat on a bench close to a streetlight that shone directly on us.
We spoke about how we could make our relationship better. I never imagined he also wished for a stronger bond.
After minutes of talking, silence fell as Leo placed his warm palm on my lap and moved toward me with his eyes closed for a kiss.
I had never kissed anyone other than Mama, and I was a Christian who grew up learning to keep myself and all that came with it.
It was definitely a moment of conflict. I quickly pushed him away in panic.
“I’m sorry, I can’t kiss you. Not now,” I said shakily.
“We need to feel each other to strengthen this bond,” he said, still attempting to kiss me.
This time his cologne was intoxicating, and his breath was warm. He hesitated a little, which made me relax.
He reached out for me, drawing me into his embrace. He placed his hand around my delicate curves.
Before I could fully fathom my thought process, his warm breath tickled my neck, and damn, I was enjoying it.
His warm embrace made me feel like heaven, and I was not about to let it go.
The more I stayed, the more the temptation grew.
I wanted to leave, and I still wanted to stay.