NOVEL NEXT Chapter 33: Panic
“…I will,” Virgo said. “But on three conditions.”
“Ooh, demanding,” Gemini said, and blushed. “I like that in a man.”
Virgo coughed. “First, our fake dating only goes as far as that. That means no kissing and absolutely no sex. Holding hands is fine.”
Gemini pursed her lips. “I’m fine with no sex, but what about kissing briefly in public? Y’know, to convince others?”
Virgo thought for a second and then nodded. “Fine, but no tongue.”
Gemini laughed. “You want to stay loyal to Taurus?”
“That’s not it!” Virgo said, blushing and immediately regretting losing his composure. He cleared his throat and continued. “Second, I don’t want to be wrapped up in your mission, so anything you need to do relating to politics, you can do on your own. Don’t use my brains for that.”
“Fair enough,” Gemini agreed.
“Third,” Virgo said. “We keep this on school grounds only. You must know from my background check that I don’t live on campus. I go home to live with my mother, and nobody except you knows where that is. So don’t tell anyone, especially not Taurus.”
“I’m good at keeping secrets,” Gemini affirmed. Virgo raised an eyebrow.
“Really?”
“I am!” the blonde huffed. “I only let the information about my dad slip because I was excited to see you! But it won’t happen again!”
Virgo laughed. “I’m teasing you. Okay, then.” He hopped down from the desk and walked over to Gemini, extending a hand.
“Our fake relationship starts…now.”
Gemini grinned and reached out, grasping his hand and shaking it.
“I’m looking forward to this.”
*
Taurus yawned and stretched as he made his way into the main building for classes on campus. He’d spent all weekend thinking about Virgo.
I want to have more sex, Taurus found himself thinking. He’d been pleasuring himself at least once every couple of hours ever since Friday night, picturing Virgo’s scrunched-up, pleasure-ridden expression as he came and sprayed his seed all over Taurus’s bed. He thought about Virgo’s trembling body, his muscular chest heaving as sweat coated it in a thin sheen on his beautiful skin. Merida had thoroughly cleaned the room after Virgo had left, but traces of the raven-haired man still remained. Taurus occasionally saw a black strand of hair left in the shower and often felt a phantom presence of Virgo’s body, pressed against his in the sheets.
Yes, Virgo was his now. That was the conclusion Taurus had arrived at. He was in love with him, after all, and though he’d previously laughed at the idea, there was a high probability that Virgo felt the same way.
Taurus shoved his hands into his pockets and thought back to Virgo questioning his unusual behavior after their intimacy. Virgo had said they weren’t dating, and Taurus was completely fine with keeping it like that. He didn’t care much for labels, anyway. They didn’t have to ‘date’, but he did want Virgo to recognize that he belonged to him. It might've been his twisted sense of entitlement, but it was a core part of his personality, and Taurus felt as if he’d changed enough. He’d be lying if he said the feelings of romance that had emerged didn’t leave him uncomfortable.
Taurus quickly dismissed the thoughts as he entered the building and started down a hallway, which was rowdier than usual. Students were bunching up in groups, blocking the path and clamoring excitedly to themselves. They didn’t even notice as Taurus approached.
Taurus didn’t like this.
“Hey,” he said, slamming a fist against a wall by two guys who were craning their necks to see over the crowd. They flinched and stared at Taurus nervously. Taurus smirked. This was more like it.
“What’s going on?”
Neither of the men spoke, instead exchanging worried looks at one another. Taurus gritted his teeth. Everyone was just so irritating.
Everyone except Virgo.
The student in his grasp squeezed his eyes shut and squirmed. “W-we were just trying to see the new girl! G-Gemini!”
Taurus’s expression softened. “Is that so?”
“Y-yeah,” the other student said, his voice trembling. “She went into an empty classroom with Virgo, so—”
“WHAT?!”
Taurus released his grip on the scared student, causing him to crash down on the tile floor and let out a pained yelp. Other students turned and gasped when they saw Taurus, immediately trying to leave the scene. But Taurus didn’t even care. He was clenching and unclenching his fists without even realizing he was doing so.
What the hell is the Origard-Diamond brat doing with Virgo?! he thought, hating himself for how riled up he was getting. He knew the answer. After all, news about him and Virgo wasn’t just isolated to Admirant. His mind was racing as he shoved through the dispersing crowd. Gemini’s cronies know about Virgo’s connections to me, Taurus thought angrily. They probably even know we’ve done stuff. Sick bastards. It would make sense that they’d tell Gemini to get involved with Virgo.
It was political. It was all political…but for some reason, Taurus couldn’t shake the tight feeling in his chest. It wasn’t like him to be this upset, and he couldn’t stop his mind from thinking of all the things that could be occurring in the classroom with just the two of them. Was Gemini telling Virgo everything?
What if she tells Virgo about the branches and our family feud?? Taurus thought. What if she gets Virgo wrapped up in it, on her side? What if…what if she makes Virgo hate me?
Taurus paused.
Why was he concerned if Virgo hated him? He knew Virgo hated him, ever since they’d met—so why, now, was he so fixed on Virgo’s opinion of him?
Plus, there were worse things Gemini could be doing. Upon coming to this realization, Taurus started moving again, speed walking…then jogging…then full-on sprinting down the halls of Admirant. Students tried moving out of the way as he went, but they weren’t moving fast enough for Taurus and he had to push and kick some of them, ignoring their screams as they fell to the floor. His mind was only focused on Virgo and Gemini.
What if he opened the door and they had their clothes off?
The thought was only present in Taurus’s brain for a split second, but it stirred Taurus’s frustration even more.
What if they’re making out?! he thought. What if that bitch seduced him?!
Gemini was incredibly attractive. She was the type of woman every straight male student fantasized about, and Virgo had to be crazy to think otherwise. It also didn’t help that Virgo was the kind of guy to befriend such women. After all, he was friends with Cancer and those other girls Leo had beaten up.
Finally, Taurus approached the classroom and bent over, panting heavily. He was suddenly very nervous. What would he see on the other side of the door? Would it be normal? Or would it be something sexual?
He stood up and reached for the door handle. Students lingering in the halls around him began whispering curiously.
“What’s Taurus doing?”
“That’s the room Gemini and Virgo were in, right?”
“Is he going to get Virgo back?”
“Don’t be silly, Gemini asked Virgo to be her boyfriend. The Taurus-Virgo ship is long gone.”
Taurus spun around, shooting an icy glare at the gossipers and they immediately fell silent. He turned back to the door, trying not to show that he was shaking.
Gemini had asked Virgo to be her boyfriend?!
That bitch isn’t wasting any time, Taurus thought, and gripped the door handle. He inhaled sharply and then gave it a yank.
Nothing happened.
The door didn’t open, and Taurus quickly realized it was locked. This only made him angrier. Why did they lock the door?!
Now I know something weird is happening, Taurus thought, the tightening in his chest growing stronger. Why would they lock the door? To keep these idiots out?
He glanced back at the students who were still watching him.
Damn it all.
Taurus jiggled the doorknob a few more times, feeling panic rising in him as it continued not to budge.
“Fuck…fuck!!”
The surrounding students had formed a crowd, their eyes fixated on Taurus. It was like their curiosity overpowered their fear because none of them were recoiling with nervousness. To Taurus, this just made everything worse. Surely the classmates that had once feared him were mentally laughing at how he was shaking and sweating.
Fuck them, Taurus thought, desperately twisting and moving the handle in every possible direction. Fuck Gemini. And fuck Virgo, too.
His pulls continued growing more frantic, and eventually, the whole door was quivering because of the force. Taurus couldn’t take it anymore and completely lost his cool.
“OPEN UP!” he screamed, pounding on the door and starting a chain of whispers from the audience. “I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE, YOU BITCH!! OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!!”
He was hysterical. So hysterical, that he completely forgot about his father’s warning to not get involved with Gemini. Taurus had fallen victim to his emotions and was now waltzing directly into her trap. He’d surely curse himself for it later.
“OPEN THE DOOR!!” he continued to yell. “OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!!”
He stepped back and lifted his leg, getting ready to kick it. “I’M GONNA FUCKING BREAK IT DOWN!”
There was still no noise on the other side and Taurus felt his entire body heating up.
“YOU THINK I WON’T DO IT?!” he hollered. “I’M KICKING IT DOWN RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!”
“What is going on here?!” A teacher walked out of the adjacent classroom and cautiously made her way over to Taurus. Taurus glared at her and bared his teeth, just like a wild animal, and the frightened teacher flinched and raised her hands defensively.
“T-Taurus, please settle down, you’re going to break the—”
“THAT’S WHAT I’M TRYING TO DO, BITCH!!” Without further warning, Taurus slammed his leg forward, causing the door to shudder and creak. The teacher cringed but didn’t say anything else. The students surrounding Taurus backed up as he lifted his leg again, and—
SLAM!
Taurus kicked the door again, hard. This time, the sound of wood cracking could be heard and Taurus couldn’t help but smirk, knowing he was close to entering the room.
SLAM! SLAM!
He repeatedly barraged the door with as much force as he could muster, the sound of cracks and creaks echoing through the hallway. Other teachers rounded the corner to see what was happening and immediately froze at the sight. The whispers among the students grew louder.
“What is he doing?”
“Does he want to see Virgo that badly?”
“Maybe he wants to see the new girl?”
“Or maybe…he’s jealous?”
“SHUT THE FUCK UP!!” Taurus spun around and lunged towards the crowd threateningly. Students screamed and moved back. Taurus knew he must’ve looked like a crazy bastard, with sweat trickling down his face, his hair ruffled, and his eyes wide. But he didn’t care. He was going to drag Virgo out of that room, along with his new girlfriend, and demand an explanation.
I’m not fucking jealous, Taurus thought, turning to continue his attack on the door. This isn’t what that fucking is. I just don’t want that Origard-bitch to mess up everything I’ve built. That’s all it fucking is.
The door’s hinges had started to pull away from the wall, and drywall dust began sprinkling onto the floor.
SLAM! SLAM!
Taurus gave the door a few more hard kicks. And then, right when he was about to draw back and catch his breath, there was a final CREAK and the door pulled away from the wall, falling forward into the classroom.
Drywall dust swarmed in a cloud and Taurus quickly waved it away, striding into the room.
“Where the fuck are you, Gemi—” he started, and then stopped when he realized Virgo and Gemini were staring at him with their hands interlocked.
What. The. Fuck. Were they holding hands? And why hadn’t they opened the door?
Taurus stared back at them, practically seething. Gemini had this smug look on her face, her bright blue eyes narrowed…and Virgo was just looking at Taurus with confusion and…concern?
He was concerned? For some reason, this made Taurus even angrier.