Bad Influence - Episode 5&6

 

 BAD INFLUENCE

Bad Influence - Episode 5&6

(•Tainting Her Innocence•)

GENRE: College romance 

By, Mide L.

    ✧༺✰༻✧    ✧༺✰༻✧    ✧༺✰༻✧

               ✮{...THE WARNING..}✮

Hailey rushed home immediately, her breath coming in sharp gasps. Her grip tightened around the plastic bag in her hand, the carton of milk and eggs shifting with each hurried step.

She was late. Terribly late.

Cecilia was going to lose it.

She panicked at the thought of what awaited her. She had left something on the fire, and Cecilia had zero patience. If dinner was ruined, if she had kept her waiting—God help her.

The moment she reached the house, she barely took a second to catch her breath before pushing the door open.

And then, she froze.

Cecilia was in the living room, pressed against the couch, her body entangled with someone else's. A guy.

Hailey stared in disgust as she recognized him. He was young, maybe her age, maybe even younger. His hands roamed over Cecilia’s waist as she kissed him deeply, not a single ounce of shame in her actions.

It wasn’t the first time she had seen this, but it never stopped making her sick. Cecilia slept around and she never cared who saw it.

Hailey had hoped, prayed, that she wouldn’t walk in on another one of her...umm activities tonight.

No such luck.

Cecilia must have sensed her presence because she suddenly broke the kiss, turning her head with an irritated glare.

“Look who finally decided to come home” she sneered, wiping her smudged lipstick with the back of her hand.

Hailey swallowed hard, gripping the bag tighter.

“I—I got the milk and eggs” she muttered, avoiding the way the guy was watching her lustfully.

Cecilia scoffed, standing up. 

“And you think that makes up for you being this late?!" 

“I...I’m sorry, I got—”

"Excuses! I gave you one simple task, and you can’t even do that right?”

Cecilia sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes before turning to the boy. She placed a hand on his chest, her nails grazing over his skin.

“Wait here, babe. I need to deal with this little nuisance first”

The boy just chuckled, not bothering to hide the way his gaze lingered on Hailey before he plopped down on the couch, making himself comfortable.

Hailey’s stomach churned. She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to remain still as Cecilia stalked toward her.

She knew what was coming.

And no matter how many times it happened...It never hurt any less.

Cecilia landed a stinging slap across her cheek.

The impact sent her staggering back, the bag of groceries slipping from her grasp and hitting the floor with a dull thud.

"You useless little brat!" 

Hailey pressed a hand to her burning cheek, blinking rapidly to stop the tears from forming. She wouldn’t cry. Not in front of her.

Never.

"I'm sorry. I...I got held up—"

"Excuses! The stew is ruined because of you! Even the plantains are burnt"

The boy sitting on the couch didn’t seem the least bit bothered by the scene in front of him. If anything, he looked amused.

Cecilia sighed dramatically, running a hand through her hair. 

"Honestly, you’re good for nothing. You can’t even do a simple errand right"

"Relax, babe" the guy murmured, wrapping an arm around Cecilia’s waist and pulling her close.

"She’s just a kid" he added while gazing at Hailey.

Cecilia scoffed, turning in his arms and pressing her lips to his in a slow, shameless kiss, as if Hailey wasn’t even standing there.

When she finally pulled away, she glanced back at Hailey, her lips curling in disgust. 

"Pick that up and get out of my sight. And if dinner isn't ready in thirty minutes, don’t bother eating"

Hailey nodded quickly, her head still throbbing from the slap. She bent down, gathering the fallen groceries with shaking hands. As she did, she felt the guy's eyes on her, lingering, watching and it's making her uncomfortable. 

When she finally straightened up, he smirked at her.

Hailey swallowed hard and rushed toward the kitchen without another word.

This was her life. And there was no escaping it. Atleast for now.

•••

NEXT MORNING*

Hailey woke up very early the next day, her cheek still ached from last night’s slap, but she ignored it.

Silently, she went about her morning routine. sweeping the living room, scrubbing the kitchen counter, and making breakfast. Cecilia wouldn’t be awake yet, probably tangled in sheets with last night’s boy.

"Good" Hailey muttered. 

That meant she could leave without another confrontation.

By the time she was done, the sun had fully risen. Hailey grabbed her worn-out backpack, slinging it over her shoulder as she stepped out of the house. 

She walked briskly down the street. The bus station wasn’t far, just a few blocks away, and soon, she spotted the old, rattling bus pulling up to the curb.

Climbing in, she made her way toward the back, settling by the window. The seat felt cold against her skin as she hugged her bag to her chest. This was her favorite spot, away from the noise, with a clear view of the city waking up.

She exhaled, resting her head against the window, letting herself relax for the first time that morning.

Phew.

A guy suddenly slid into the seat next to her.

Hailey stiffened slightly, instinctively shifting closer to the window. She didn't turn to look at him, but she could feel his presence and his eyes on her.

"You look familiar,  do you attend Hillsworth College?" He asked and that made Hailey to finally look his way. 

The guy beside her had a calm, easygoing aura. He was clean-cut and well-dressed.

"Yes" she answered quietly.

"Thought so. We attended the same class yesterday"

"You’re a freshman, right?" he continued and Hailey nodded 

"Same here. I’m Asher and you are?" he introduced himself, extending a hand.

She hesitated, glancing at his outstretched hand before shaking it lightly. 

"Hailey"

"Nice to officially meet you, Hailey" he said warmly and she smiled. 

He looks cool.

When the bus finally pulled to a stop near Hillsworth College, Hailey stood up, gripping the straps of her worn-out backpack. Asher stepped aside, allowing her to pass first before following her out.

They walked side by side toward the school gate, neither speaking. It wasn’t awkward, just quiet.

Snap!

The strap of Hailey’s backpack suddenly gave way, the worn fabric tearing completely. Before she could react, her books and stationery fell to the ground. 

She froze, her heart sinking.

"Great. Just great" she muttered frustratingly. 

As she bent down to gather her things, Asher was already ahead of her, crouching to help.

"Here" he said, handing her a notebook with a small smile.

"Thanks" Hailey mumbled, feeling a little embarrassed.

"You might want to get a new bag soon" he pointed out lightly.

She sighed. 

"Yeah… I know"

Asher didn’t press further, just handed her the last of her belongings before standing up.

"Come on, we’re going to be late" he said, waiting for her.

Hailey adjusted what was left of her bag and nodded, walking beside him.

They walked through the main gate and the colorful posters on the wall caught their attention. 

Asher and Hailey stood in front of the poster, reading the details in silence.

"Looks like a big event" Asher remarked.

Hailey shrugged. She wasn’t exactly thrilled about it. Before she could respond, a familiar voice called out.

"Hailey!"

She turned to see Jessa approaching them. She barely spared Asher a glance before her eyes landed on Hailey’s bag.

"What happened to your backpack?" Jessa asked, frowning.

"It finally gave out"

Jessa clicked her tongue. "Should’ve known that thing wouldn’t last"

Only then did she acknowledge Asher’s presence with a brief glance. 

"Hey… You’re in our department, right?"

Asher nodded. "Yeah, I think I’ve seen you around"

"Mm" Jessa hummed before turning back to Hailey. Her gaze flickered to the poster. 

"You coming to this, tonight?"

"I don’t know—"

"You should, freshers’ Night is a big deal. It’s how you get to know people"

Hailey glanced at Asher, who gave a small shrug. 

"I might check it out" he said.

Jessa smirked, turning back to Hailey. 

"Then that settles it. You’re coming"

Hailey opened her mouth to argue, but Jessa was already pulling her along. 

"No excuses. You need to have some fun"

Hailey sighed. She wasn’t sure this was a good idea, Cecilia won't even allow her. 

As Jessa continued pulling her, talking excitedly about the fresher's night, Hailey felt a strange sensation prickling at the back of her neck...like someone was watching her.

She glanced up, her eyes meeting with his.

Xavier.

He was leaning against a nearby tree, one foot propped up behind him, a cigarette dangling loosely between his lips. 

His expression was unreadable, blank.

Hailey stiffened. She hadn’t expected to see him this early in the morning, why can't he just leave her the hell alone?

Jessa followed her gaze and scoffed. 

"Ugh, him? Ignore it"

His gaze lingered on Hailey, darkly.

Then, as if losing interest, he exhaled a slow stream of smoke, flicked the cigarette to the ground, and pushed off the tree. Without a word, he turned and walked off, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Hailey let out a breath.

Jessa rolled her eyes. 

"Creepy as always"

Asher turned back to look at Xavier but he was gone already,  he smirked following the girls from behind. 

•••

BOYS RESTROOM*

Brielle back was pressed against the cold tiled wall, her skirt hitched up, her breath coming in short gasps as a guy f+cked the living life out of her.

The guy with her...some random rich guy she barely knew gripped her hips tightly, his face buried in her neck. His movements were rough, impatient, like he wasn’t paying for the time, just the release.

Brielle didn’t care.

This wasn’t about pleasure. It never was.

His heavy breaths filled her ear as he finally stilled, his grip loosening. He pulled back, adjusting his jeans with a satisfied smirk.

"That was worth every damn cent" he muttered, pulling out his wallet and tossing a few folded bills on the sink.

Brielle exhaled sharply. She smoothed down her skirt, plucked the money from the counter, and tucked it into her bra without a word.

The guy chuckled. 

"Cold as ever, huh? No goodbye kiss?"

"You paid for the service, not the sentiment"

He shook his head and strolled out of the restroom.

Brielle stood there for a moment, listening to the fading sound of his footsteps.

Then, pulling out her phone, she opened her banking app and transferred some money to her mother.

She stared at the confirmation screen for a few seconds before locking her phone.

Business as usual.

Without another thought, she turned on the faucet, washed her hands, adjusted her appearance in the mirror, and walked out like nothing had happened.

This is what she does to earn money, Cecilia doesn't know about it.

•••

LIBRARY*

Hailey and her new friends entered the library, carrying their books.

"This is my favorite place in the entire school" Jessa announced.

"You don’t strike me as the library type" Asher teased, arching an eyebrow.

Jessa smirked. "I like books. I just don’t like studying them""

Hailey chuckled softly, shaking her head as she adjusted the straps of her broken backpack. She needed a new one, but that wasn’t an option right now.

"I’ll be right back, I want to find a novel to read" Hailey said.

"Alright" Jessa said already flipping through the pages of a textbook, while Asher gave her a brief nod before focusing on his notes.

Hailey wandered deeper into the shelves, running her fingers along the spines of books, searching for something to escape into. 

A hand suddenly wrapped around her wrist.

She gasped.

Before she could react, she was pulled back effortlessly, her body pressed against the wooden bookshelf. A firm hand rested beside her head, caging her in.

Her heart pounded. She looked up straight into the dark, smoldering gaze of Xavier. 

His scent is a mix of cigarette smoke and something dangerously intoxicating.

"Xavier" she called.

He didn’t respond. He just stared at her, his piercing eyes locked on hers. His gaze flickered down to her cheek, where Cecilia’s slap had left a faint mark.

Slowly, he lifted his other hand, his fingers brushing against the sore skin.

Hailey flinched at the unexpected gentleness.

Xavier tilted his head slightly, his thumb grazing over the tender spot. 

"Who did this to you?" he asked and she swallowed hard. 

"It’s...It’s nothing""

His jaw tightened, his eyes darkening. He clearly didn’t believe her.

She tried to move, but he didn’t let her. Instead, he leaned in, his breath ghosting over her ear.

"Don’t lie to me, princess"

Her heart raced, her hands gripping the shelf behind her for support.

How did he know?

She hadn’t told anyone. Even Jessa hadn’t noticed. She had been careful not to react, to act normal.

"How do you…" she trailed off, eyes searching his for an answer.

"I’ve studied your face" he murmured, sending chills through her.

"I know every little detail of it. Every expression. Every shift" His fingers brushed lower, near the corner of her lips. 

"And I know when something is…off""

Hailey swallowed hard, trapped between his body and the bookshelf.

"What the hell do you want from me?" she breathed.

Xavier didn’t answer. He just looked at her. Then, without a word, he grimaced, as if her question irritated him.

Without warning, his hands moved...sliding beneath her top.

Hailey gasped when she felt it.

"No" she snapped, shoving at his chest.

He exhaled, his lips twitching into something between amusement and frustration.

"You don’t get it, do you? I want you, Hailey. And I always get what I want" he grinned like a devil.

But before she could push him away, his mouth was on hers.

Hot. 

Fierce. 

Overwhelming.

Her lips parted in shock, and instantly, she tasted it...the faint bitterness of smoke, the cool sensation of metal. His tongue ring.

Her fingers curled into fists, torn between resisting and melting into the heat of the moment.

Infact she's confused on what to do right now. 

A book fell from the shelf beside them with a loud thud and she jolted.

Xavier pulled back slightly, his breath heavy against her lips. 

"You taste even better than I imagined, princess" he claimed her lips again, Then...his hand moved higher.

She gasped against his lips as he squeezed her b👀bs lightly through the fabric.

Her mind screamed at her to stop this, to push him away, but her body betrayed her, heat pooling beneath his touch.

Xavier smirked against her lips.

"You don’t want me to stop" he murmured. 

"Do you, princess?" he asked again and a sharp gasp left her lips.

"Answer me"

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. No words. No sound.

Her mind was in chaos...this was too much, too fast. She had never been kissed before, never been touched like this.

"Speechless?" he taunted.

"That’s cute"

Hailey squeezed her eyes shut, trying to calm the overwhelming sensation burning through her. She should push him away, should tell him off but her body refused to listen.

Xavier tilted his head, watching her closely.

"Your first, i guess. You’re making this too easy for me, princess"

"Let me go please" she finally found her voice.

"Not without telling me who did this to your face"

"…My aunt" she whispered.

Xavier’s expression darkened instantly, his jaw tightening. He stared at her for a long moment, his thumb still brushing against her cheek, as if trying to memorize the mark she bore.

"Your aunt did this to you?" 

Hailey nodded hesitantly, and Xavier exhaled sharply through his nose. His fingers flexed against her side before he abruptly released her, taking a small step back.

Hailey sucked in a shaky breath, her body still pressed against the bookshelf. 

"She’s lucky she’s a woman" he muttered and Hailey blinked, confused.

"What?"

"Never mind, princess. But if she ever lays a hand on you again, I swear…" He trailed off, his fingers twitching like he was itching to hit something.

Hailey shivered, not from fear. No one had ever cared enough to defend her before.

"One more thing, princess"

Hailey swallowed. "What?"

Xavier’s eyes darkened, his gaze pinning her in place. 

"I don’t want Asher of a guy touching you"

Her brows furrowed. "W-what?"

He let out a dark chuckle, but there was nothing playful about it. 

"You heard me" His fingers reached out, barely grazing her chin, tilting it up so she had no choice but to look at him. 

"I don’t want him laying a single finger on you"

"You...you don’t get to tell me who I can talk to"

Xavier smirked. 

"Oh, I’m not telling you not to talk to him" He tilted his head slightly, eyes flicking to her lips for a brief second before locking back on her gaze. 

"I’m telling you he better keep his hands off you. Or you won’t like what I’ll do to him"

A shiver ran down Hailey’s spine at his words. There was no doubt in her mind that Xavier meant it.

"You can’t just—"

“I can”  

“And I will” he added. 

"So, be a good girl and make sure he gets the message, yeah?"

She should push back, tell him off, remind him that he had no right to control who she spoke to, who she spent time with. But the words lodged in her throat, stuck somewhere between fear and something else she didn’t want to name.

___

💕TBC💕

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