Chapter 23 - Lustful Dreams and Secret Pleasures

Lina's POV

My body trembled with a mix of frustration and desire as I watched him storm away from me. Leaning my head back against the rough bark of the tree, I tried to clear my mind from the events of the night. But no matter how hard I tried, my thoughts kept returning to what had transpired at the party and in this very spot just moments ago.

Lost in contemplation, I sat under the tree for what felt like hours before finally making my way back to the cabin. In an attempt to distract myself, I delved into my favorite guilty pleasure – reading romance novels on my phone. As I finished yet another love story about a hardworking woman finding happiness with her long-time crush, a pang of longing struck me. When would I have my chance at true love? 

Scrolling through recommended titles, one book caught my eye - "My Subordinate." The simple cover image of a pen and some papers on a dark wooden desk reminded me of Mr. Lowell's office. Curious, I added it to my library.

Suddenly, noise erupted from the kitchen, pulling me out of my reading daze. Hurrying over, I found Sara and Joy on opposite sides of the room, tension thick between them. Sara greeted me nervously while Joy simply smiled and started making coffee.

 The uneasy feeling in my stomach grew as I wondered what could have caused such animosity between my two closest friends. Unable to ignore it any longer, I asked them about the situation, "So, what was that all about?" I asked, leaning against the countertop. 

Joy handed me a mug of steaming coffee without meeting my gaze, while Sara stumbled over her words, "I-I was just not paying attention and made a mess." Though I knew she was lying, I decided not to push for more information.

Leaving them in the kitchen, I headed to Melissa's room to check on her whereabouts. And there she was - asleep in her bed. It was almost hard to believe that this wild child of our group, who usually stayed out all night with different guys, was now home and asleep. It seemed like everyone was keeping their promise to step outside of their comfort zones, including me - the shy wallflower who had not one but two steamy encounters with Mr. Lowell.

With my mind reeling from all these revelations, I knew I had to uncover the truth behind my friends' strange behaviors. There was something more going on here, and I was determined to find out what it was and soon.

I returned to the kitchen where Sara and Joy were now sitting, their plates filled with the remnants of a delayed breakfast. The warm, comforting scent of freshly made waffles filled the air as I joined them at the table. I eagerly took a serving of the delicious treat that Sara had prepared and scooped some scrambled eggs from Joy's plate.

As we ate in silence, I could feel Joy's gaze lingering on me. At first, I tried to ignore it and focus on my food, but her persistence eventually broke through my defenses.

"Please, just tell us what's going on," she signed to me and Sara. I knew there was no escaping this conversation.

"Is that a hickey on your neck?" Joy asked bluntly, not even disguising it as a question.

My appetite suddenly vanished as I reluctantly spilled my guts. "It was an accident, I swear. We were just..."

"What happened? Was it Mr. Lowell?" Joy prodded further, curiosity getting the best of her.

I looked between them, I had no idea how to react and what to say myself.

"Yeah, don't leave us out of all the fun. You know we always have your back," Sara chimed in, trying to persuade me to open up.

I couldn't handle their questions any longer. "Stop both of you," I said firmly, surprised by the authority in my own voice. "You tell me what's going on with the both of you first." They both fell silent at my words.

My heart was racing as the realization dawned on me. I couldn't bear to talk about Mr. Lowell - our relationship was still uncertain and confusing to me. All I knew was that he stirred up intense emotions within me and I couldn't resist his charm.

Feeling suffocated by their prying stares, I abruptly stood from the dinner table and grabbed my plate, retreating to the sanctuary of my room. The doorknob felt cool in my hand as I closed the door behind me, shutting out the unfamiliar noise of silence between my friends. Alone at last, I let out a deep breath and put my plate down and sank onto my bed. The soft comforter enveloped me like a warm hug, but my mind was still reeling from my encounter today.

I gazed up at the ceiling, trying to make sense of everything that had happened. Was it all just a joke to him? A cruel game at my expense? Or was there something more genuine behind his actions? My thoughts raced in circles as I tried to process my own feelings.

Eventually, I reached for my laptop, hoping to distract myself with work or studying. But even my usual coping mechanism failed me this time. Frustrated, I tossed it aside and instead picked up my phone, scrolling through the new story I had added to my library. Anything to take my mind off of the unpleasant situation that continued to weigh heavily on my heart.