The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0370

He shrugs, stopping there, perhaps sensing that I don't want all the details. Or wanting to keep them for himself. But I don't begrudge him that.

I frown a little, though, at this phrasing. "So..." I say carefully, softly. "Did you not..."

*If you're asking if I wanted to," he murmurs, lifting his eyes to mine. "I did. That wasn't...the problem."

"Was there a problem?"

"No," he replies, earnest. "I mean, I liked it. I liked it a lot. We did it again, a couple more times after that day. They sent us out into the woods more often, and we'd collect wood, and sometimes she'd be there and sometimes she wouldn't. But when she was there, I was thrilled - and she was happy too, I could tell. We got closer, enjoyed each other's company, liked..." he sighs, and shakes his head a little like he doesn't know how to explain it. "We liked the physical stuff too I know we did."

"That's good, though," I murmur, reaching out a hand and lightly tracing my fingers through his hair. "Isn't it?"

just stopped. They sent me out into the woods still, but I just gathered wood, and brought it back, and she wasn't there anymore. I never heard from her again, never...I

girl was able to find him for a season and then disappear? Was she some kind of magical fae? Some figment of

both quiet for a long

like a perfectly lovely and acceptable way to lose your

somehow, I know that it's

so kind to me. Like, you can't understand what it was like - we didn't even know we were unhappy in the barracks, not really, because...we didn't have anything to compare it to. But those handful of hours, stolen with Tasha in the woods..." he looks up at me now, and the sheer emotion on his face almost bowls me over. "She made me to want more, Ariel. She

letting him know that I understand - or that I'm starting to. I sense, though, that there are so many layers to this - a depth of complication and emotion that I can't even get to, because not even Jackson has gotten

hand?" I murmur, continuing

his voice dropping a little in anger. "Is that... didn't even....know what was happening. I was so embarrassed when I

not getting, and he inhales deeply,

he murmurs, staring off into the distance. "But I had done...stuff. To myself... you know. When I

onto his cheeks, and I smile a bit, continuing to stroke my fingers through his hair, because it is weird to talk about masturbation with people. Such