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?"

But it just stopped. They sent me out into the woods still, but I just gathered

heart sinks, worried now. Because...what the hell is going on in his world, that his girl was able to find him for a season and then disappear? Was she some kind of magical fae? Some figment of

carefully and we're both

I ask quietly, not knowing precisely how to feel myself and wanting his guidance. Because, on one hand, that sounds like....well, kind of like a perfectly lovely and acceptable way to lose your virginity. Two young people meeting in the woods, attracted to each other, not really knowing what they're doing and it just...happens. Update

somehow, I know that it's more complicated than

he murmurs, looking down at his hands. "I feel torn. Because, on one hand, she's a really nice girl and I'm grateful to her for being 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 taught me to

so many layers to this - a depth of complication

hand?" I murmur, continuing to run my fingers through

in anger. "Is that... didn't even....know what

moment, not getting, and he inhales

obviously," he murmurs, staring off into the distance. "But

and I smile a bit, continuing to stroke my fingers through his hair, because it is weird to talk about masturbation with people. Such a personal thing - something we're taught to keep hidden away, Jackson probably more