"Leigh!" I gasped.

He laid me down on the bed, gently parting my legs, revealing the heat between my thighs. I watched as he devoured my entire body with his once-green eyes. "You're beautiful," he groaned, overwhelmed with lust.

As he leaned his perfectly sculpted hard body over me, our eyes locked, our synchronized breathing growing harder and louder, my racing pulse alerting me. I briefly licked my lips, my hand moving up and down his chest, then lower to his chiselled abs.

With a smile on his beautifully red, swollen lips, he pressed them against mine. We were hungrier than ever, sucking, nibbling, and consuming each other with animalistic passion. The heat of his breath blew against my skin as I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck, holding him close.

I couldn't ignore the rush of heat and the steady, throbbing desire between my legs. I wanted him.

"Please..." I begged, kissing and biting every inch of his skin within reach—his neck, his earlobe, his face.

"What do you want?" he smirked, his eyes piercing into mine.

Everywhere under my skin burned from his electrifying touch. Wasn't it obvious what I wanted? "I want you... I want you inside me," I cried.

"Is that so?" His whisper tickled my ear, causing my body to tremble in response.

"Yes! Please..." My voice caught in my throat, and I couldn't help but gasp as he began entering me.

"Do you like that?" he hissed against my neck, kissing and biting roughly. His hand slid lower to my hips, cupping my bare ass, while the other palm gripped my breast, squeezing harder.

"Yes!" I panted.

He sank into me, deeper and harder, immersing himself in my clutching walls. "Fuck, Ava," he gasped with pleasure. I dug my fingers into his muscular back and slowly started rolling my hips, reciprocating the passion.

I held him tight, feeling him lose control. He groaned louder, his heavy, warm breaths heating my feverish skin as he shuddered against me.

His body stilled, and his eyes locked with mine, filled with lust. "Don't do that... you're going to make me cum," I smiled at his sweaty figure and grabbed his neck, pulling him back to me.

"But I want to make you cum," I pressed my lips against his soft, silky ones.

"I see," he smiled between our kisses and bit my neck simultaneously. His cock penetrated me deeply, and I closed my eyes instinctively, releasing a sharp cry.

His palm covered my mouth, muffling my screams. "Shhh, babe, your mum is just opposite the door," he chuckled. He lowered his head, and his warm, wet mouth found my bare nipples. I closed my eyes involuntarily, surrendering to the sensations as he possessed my body.

I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist, feeling him everywhere—his scent, his sweat, his skin. He possessed me, taking me at a slow, steady pace. With each thrust, we shared intense emotions through our locked gaze, driving me to the brink of madness.

"Oh, my God," I whimpered, clutching the sheet with my nails.

My back arched involuntarily as I reached climax, boiling over. His hand muffled my cries as my body convulsed. He buried his head in my neck while I clung to him, forcing his orgasm to follow mine. His chest heaved, and he shuddered along with me.

Weakness washed over me, but my insatiable desire yearned for him once more. I couldn't get enough of him. "Let's do it again," I suggested, and he lazily pulled away from my neck.

"Ava, we can't," he frowned, and I blinked at him.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Because we never did," he uttered in his rich, raspy voice.

And suddenly, like a dissipating fog, his figure began fading away. My eyes widened in disbelief, and my breathing became laboured.

"Why are you disappearing, Leigh?" I reached out to grab hold of him, but felt nothing. My head spun from side to side, and just like that, he vanished.

Fear consumed me, and I began to hyperventilate. I pushed myself up to a sitting position with my elbows. "Leigh!" I called out to him.

Blink.

Before me was my dark bedroom, filled with the sound of my heavy, fast breathing. I was fully clothed and completely alone. Shit! It wasn't real. It was just a dream, albeit a vivid one. The only true part about it was the fact that I had shot up from my bed, my messy bun falling loose.

Once again, it was another long night of frustration. These dreams had been occurring since the beginning of spring, becoming a regular part of my life. Almost every time I closed my eyes, whether day or night, I would have the same dream or nightmare, depending on one's perspective. And what made it worse was that I would talk in my sleep.

Fortunately, no one had witnessed my most embarrassing moments except Evie. Like me, she hadn't been able to figure out the cause of my indulgence in sexual fantasies.

Sometimes, I wondered if the answer lay somewhere between Leigh and me. If only he would take me and have me the way I've always desired.

Leigh was so damn attractive, and spending every day with him without having him completely was driving me crazy.

Yes, I meant having orgasmic delusions, which I was sure wasn't good for my mental well-being.

"Were you dreaming about me?"

No! Please, God, no!

My eyes shifted to the window, where the familiar figure sat on the windowsill.

"Leigh?"

"You've been calling me in your dreams," he cockily stated, a hint of a smile visible on his face, thanks to the moonlight streaming through the open window, accompanied by a gentle breeze.

I twirled towards the nightstand and switched on the bedside lamp, casting a soft glow in the small bedroom. The clock read two in the morning.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in?" If I recall correctly, we didn't keep spare keys under our doormat like in typical American movies, and since we lived on the third floor, climbing up here was practically impossible.

"What were you dreaming about?" He ignored my questions and stood up, moving closer to my bed.

"Nothing," I croaked, swallowing the lump in my throat. My cheeks flushed an obvious rosy pink.

He grabbed the hem of his shirt and slowly lifted it over his head, revealing his muscular body. My eyes traced his skin in the dim light. My attention was drawn to his lower torso until my gaze settled on the deep V-shaped cut that disappeared into his trousers. I gasped for air, and he began to slip out of his dark boots.

The sight of his body left me breathless, feeling trapped as his eyes held mine captive. It was hard to resist temptation—to wake up from a dream and find that the person you had imagined was standing before you, completely naked, their sweaty skin moulding against yours.

Lord of fire, have mercy on me!

His knee landed on the bed. I shifted to the headboard and crossed my legs as the mattress sank beneath me, causing the sheets to rustle.

"You've never been a good liar, Ava Lancelot," he nudged my chin with a finger, whispering before claiming my lips.

Fuck, if he isn't exactly what I need.

I still can't believe he's here at this time of day, hearing all my sleep talk.

"I could have your lips twenty-four hours a day and still crave you," he paused briefly, deepening his raspy tone. "I couldn't sleep. I had to see you." He rolled over, and I lay on his bare chest.

I inhaled his familiar enticing scent, relief spreading across my lips in a smile. "I'm glad you came. I've missed you."

"I've missed you more." He buried his face in my hair, and I wrapped my hand around his waist, listening to the soothing sound of his heartbeat.

"What did you do after I drove you back?"

"I had cereal and watched a film with Xavier. Oh, and I finished an interesting book," I happily informed him.

"That's interesting." Leigh had known about Xavier for a while now, though they weren't close buddies. Leigh had developed a habit of teasing the poor boy, who was missing his girlfriend. Leigh claimed Xavier was a coward.

"It is," I agreed. "What about you? What did you do?" I returned his question.

"I spent most of the time at the golf center with Dad, and then the boys came over, and I tormented them with my Oculus," humour thickened his tone.

A soft giggle escaped me, and when I lifted my head, I found him smiling. "Captain!" I playfully praised, and he nodded. "Have you heard anything from the universities yet? With your great GPA and eight touchdowns, I'm sure no Ivy League school could refuse such talent."

Leigh had applied to two Ivy League schools last year, and we were eagerly awaiting an acceptance letter from either one. Yesterday at the finals, representatives from Princeton University had attended, and Leigh had not disappointed them. If anything, he had been unbelievably impressive, achieving an astounding eight touchdowns in a single game. He was still trending all over the internet.

"Not yet."

Propping my head on my elbow, I rested it in my hand. "Soon, I'm sure," I reassured him, and he playfully tapped the tip of my nose with his finger.

Leigh had worked hard for his future. He maintained excellent grades, impeccable manners, and led his team with precision. He had volunteered in numerous activities, ticking off everything any Ivy League school would desire.

"You know, I could just stay here for a year or two and spend it with you," he murmured, his face buried in my hair.

Here we go again.

"Leigh, let's not go through this again. You need to go to university," I huffed.

"It's not like I won't go to college. I'm just considering taking a year off until you graduate."

"You're one of the greatest high school quarterbacks in the state. You don't want to waste that. Time doesn't wait for anyone," I reminded him.

"I don't care. That's all the more reason not to waste a second without you." He pouted like a little kid, and I couldn't help but want to nibble on his lip.

"I feel the same way, but you can't waste such an opportunity if it presents itself at a particular moment. Everyone expects to see who you'll become. Your father has so much hope for you. Leigh, this is what you want." As much as I wanted Leigh here with me, I knew it would be selfish to hold him back when he had such incredible talent and a bright future ahead. I didn't want to live my days feeling guilty for hindering him from pursuing his dreams.

His hand covered his face, and he sighed deeply. "I don't care about what others want from me. Ava, I can't miss this. I can't leave you."

"Who said anything about leaving?"

"Those schools aren't located in this state or even close. Leaving means we'll be apart. It means I can't hug you, smell you, or kiss you. I can't bear that. I can't leave," his chest rose and fell with emotion.

Something tightened inside my chest, his words piercing deep into my bones. I couldn't bear the thought of him being far away from me.

I lowered my eyes and mumbled, "We can talk on video calls regularly."

"I want to be able to touch you, feel you... like this," he sadly expressed, his voice filled with pain. I lowered my head, my heart aching, and rested it against his racing chest, closing my eyes. "Have I ever told you how much I hate this world?"

My breathing caught in my throat.

"It always manages to steal the special things in my life and replace them with pain. I never thought I'd be happy again, but then you came, and now you're mine. I thought for once I was lucky... for once I would have my happiness forever. But I should've known the school year is coming to an end, and this is coming to an end," he paused, drawing air into his lungs.

"We're not coming to an end, Leigh," I quietly opposed his statement.

"I don't want to live far away from you. I need you, Ava."

A throbbing sensation began behind my eyes, and tears welled up. "I need you too. All we need is courage and faith, and it's going to be alright."

"I don't have faith. The world is a merciless place. Look how ready it is to ruin us," I was taken aback by his words, unable to comprehend them.

"You wear a faith bracelet. I believe you have faith... Leigh, I know it's not easy, but everything will be fine. We all face ups and downs in life," I whispered, refusing to let him give up. I knew this was a difficult decision to make, but I couldn't be selfish and hold him back from a future.

"I don't rely on it. It's just a band hanging around my wrist. The word has never worked for me," his heart rate increased, and a deeper frown etched his features as I raised my eyes to meet his.

"No, Leigh, the reason you wear it is because you believe in it, you trust in it... and you know that hopefully, one day it will work for you," I whispered, mustering a slight smile on my lips.

For a while, he said nothing, and I gave up expecting a response. Then he simply uttered, "It's getting late. Let's get some rest."

***

The room was dark. The sun had barely risen. I struggled with blurry vision, blinking rapidly to gain a clear view of the almost pitch-black environment. Birds chirped outside the balcony, creating a sweet melody.

I yawned and turned my head to check my bedside clock—it was six in the morning. The scent of his disheveled hair filled my senses, and it immediately brought up memories from the previous day—Leigh cooking me an unimpressive meal as an apology for attracting attention from other girls at the cinema and the weekend funfair, where we left without winning a teddy bear but watched the fireworks from his car. Despite the meal not being great, I had stubbornly resisted until he threatened to post a picture of us on his Instagram account, and then I found myself giving in and forgiving him. The memory brought sudden relief and happiness, enveloping me and making butterflies dance in my mind.

I truly felt blessed to have Leigh in my life, existing in the same period and universe. I looked down at him, lying on my stomach, his hands wrapped around my waist as if he were afraid that loosening his grip would make me disappear. He needed to know that I wasn't going anywhere. This was my heaven, and I would give anything to be able to feel this—to be in bed and bask in the warmth of his body against mine, listening to his gentle snoring and steady breaths.

Throughout spring break and the days that followed, Leigh and I had been inseparable. We had wonderful days, and there wasn't a single one where I wished it would end sooner. Though Mom and Christian were no longer together, somehow Boyce's kids and I had managed to keep our relationship strong and unwavering.

Intentionally, I drew circles with my fingers on his bare shoulder, relishing the sensation of his soft skin against my fingertips as our legs tangled together. This was my paradise... and it was priceless.

If only our parents could see things from a different perspective. If only my life after meeting Leigh hadn't been a series of lies and excuses. But then again, if my life weren't entwined with Leigh's, things would have been easier. Yet, I loved him, and he loved me, and now we couldn't be as free and carefree as other couples because our situation restricted us. We always had to live with the fear of people finding out.

After a while of stroking his soft chestnut hair with my fingers, he took a deep breath, and his palms rubbed my bare arms.

"Sunshine, did you sleep well?" he questioned, settling his head on my pillow.

"Yes... did you?" I asked, looking into his beautiful morning eyes, seeing right through them like a glass.

"More than I have in a while," he smiled heavenly, leaving me speechless.

"Okay!" I nodded, pressing my lips into a straight line.

"What are you doing today?" he curiously inquired, using his fingers to push a lock of my hair behind my ear.

"I'm thinking of going to the mall for a few dresses, and I'd love to get a magic keyboard. Then I'll come back home and make something to eat since Mom will be working late today," I informed him of my plans. Well, I still had some money left from Valentine's Day at the casinos, and I occasionally used it to get groceries when Mom forgot or there were a few things we needed around the house.

"Cereal?" he scrunched his nose, and I rolled my eyes.

"No! Something proper," I lied, knowing that he knew I was lying. Leigh always teased me about cooking, and I didn't want to prolong that discussion this morning.

"How about when we come back from the mall, we order a proper meal and watch Lucifer on Netflix?" he suggested.

"That sounds great; let's do it," I bit my lip and shook my head.

"That's it. I'm going to kiss you," he rolled over me and attacked my lips.

I hoped my mum remained oblivious to whatever was happening between Leigh and me.