Chương 5: Sweet Desires

Histoire stepped out of the kitchen and took a long sip of the coffee. It instantly warmed her throat and eventually her body. In no time, her heated emotions had subsided and she could now face Jotham with a small smile. The tension still lingered in the atmosphere but she wanted to avoid the subject that started many a argument that she ignored the awkwardness. She could tell what Jotham was thinking at that moment when he followed her out of the kitchen.

Jotham was not so much of a fool as to believe Histoire actually intended to fulfill the promise she made a minute ago. Her lies were as transparent as a sheer curtain. Neither of the two were sentimental, thus, despite how much Jotham respected Histoire's decisions, he knew she was as much of a threat to herself as the 'real' threat she tried to evade for as long as she could remember.

He was virtuous and cared for her, so much that he behaved as an overprotective and nagging older brother. For that reason, he was also not keen on keeping his promise. Íroas had to know about how her life developed, just as how it kept track of all éstranges enrolled in the school and ÍU. He was aware that she would lie during her half-yearly assessment.

It began only recently, but nails normally take six months to regrow if they are rooted from the base, which was more than enough time for her to be able to hide the fact that she removed them. She would then proceed to repeat the process when the assessment had ended.

After a very long week, this was her first day off. Before she could give in to the temptation to rest after this physically and emotionally taxing week, she had one final task to complete. And Jotham, her favourite person who knew his way around a camera, would be the one to help her. She took a final sip from the cup and put it down on the coffee table, then she walked to Jotham's bedroom.

The room was already set up prior to her arrival. On one wall she saw a large green screen, for chroma keying effects, that was set up opposite a plain white one. On the floor between the screens were some pillows and a cushion. In two corners of the room stood two softbox flashlights.

Jotham entered the room and stopped by his bed where he had put his new camera. Its fate was already determined the moment he bought it. He began to make final preparations and Histoire brought her hands down to hold the rim of her shirt. She pulled it over her head to expose her bare torso and the plenitude within her strapless bra.

She could feel a tint of the cold striking against her skin, but the atmosphere was warm enough that it did not bother her that much. She proceeded to take everything off

"Why are you so nervous?" Histoire asked Jotham after she noticed he was taking too much time and kept fiddling with his camera in his hands. She did not see him turn his head for a second when she was distracted a second ago. She could not see it but his face was a bright red and flushed. He was reluctant to turn around again.

"G-Give me a moment," he stuttered and she realised why, chuckling to herself. Her being naked was not something she thought of doing at that very moment. She already discussed it with him a week ago and he agreed to be her photographer. She supposed the reality of the situation had now just sunk in to him.

Histoire was not clad in a normal bra and panty set. It was a lingerie set needed for the photo shoot. She realised she could be blamed for his sudden nervous tension as she had failed to inform him that she would need those pictures taken with her in a set that was, by no doubt, provocative.

She sauntered to the cushions and pillows on the floor. Nothing could modify his uneasiness. This was a girl he wanted to spend his life with. But she saw him in the light of a brother and wanted to spend her life with his best friend. He inhaled deeply and exhaled to make himself recall the original purpose for this entire arrangement.

He slowly turned around to see her body laying comfortably on the cushions, her beautiful skin waiting for his eyes to take in the sight. He began to regret his decision. He had to force out any risqué thoughts from his head and feigned a cough.

"Right. Get into your best position and look towards the light next to the camera..." Many other complex instructions followed. Histoire had to maintain certain, nerve wrecking positions for minutes on end for Jotham to get the best shots. At some point during those thirty minutes, Jotham left the room to get himself a cold glass of water to clear his head. It worked, just barely.

When he was done with taking the photos, he painfully came to realise that seeing Histoire naked was only a small part of his problem. Next would be to help her take her measurements. He had a tape measure handy. Once it was in his hands, he stopped before her small figure. He was hesitant to move. She looked up at his face and into his eyes that were a were a shade of every possible hues of blue. She revered these pearls every time she saw them. It was as though they could pull her into them.

"Here," she said softly and took his hands. She guided them all over her body, starting from her waist, then vertically down her hips to her heel. When he returned up to measure her bust, his fingers brushed against the skin of her breast and his cheeks brightened once again.

She laughed heartily when he tried to redeem himself through apologies.

"Jotham, calm down. See? That was not so bad, was it?" She joked and walked back to her clothes folded neatly in a chair. She got dressed, offering him a moment of reprieve. He could finally look her in the eyes again.

"Don't make fun of me. I-"

"Have never seen a naked girl before? Jotham, there's no need to feel so nervous," she said then moved in to whisper into his ear while standing on the tips of her toes, "If you do this in front of any other girl, you'll scare her away." She loved his charming naïveté.

Jotham felt a tightening in his chest. Histoire did not consider the possibility of her being the only girl he wanted to see undressed. His relationship with her was unlikely to move past that perpetual standstill it was in.

"I'll get this developed and scanned," he said and picked up the camera on the bed. He faced her again and his eyes moved down her body from her long, dark hair to her arms, where lengthy scars could be seen on her forearms. Those, along with her fingertips, would have to be edited for perfect pictures.

Not that he thought they were ugly. He loved her and all her impurities.

"When I'm done, I'll e-mail them to you then you can submit them to the agency," he finished off to see her nod.

"Thank you, Jotham. I don't know anyone else who could have done this for me," she said.

She was done with the week's tasks and could now acquiesce. Jotham would have to prepare to clock in to work and Histoire did not want to get in his way. She took it as her queue to head for home. However, before she could tell Jotham she was ready to leave, he looked at her with uncertainty.

"Histoire, could you at least stay here for the rest of the day? Just so I know you are safe," he asked.

"But you have work to get-"

"I requested leave for the day earlier, so I'll be here all day," he stated, hoping she would accept his offer. Luckily for him, she did not take too long to consider his suggestion. The mansion lacked entertainment and she was overly bored and lonely when she was there. Besides, she had not seen Jotham in a week and wanted to discuss what had happened when she could not communicate with him. She had nothing better to do with her free time.

The Winters' affair would not exit her mouth, as she felt she did not want to cause further problems for herself or for the family. It would be inappropriate to voice other people's problems because she felt it convenient.

"Actually, how about I stay the night? I'm sure the mansion won't miss me," she suggested, an idea Jotham liked more than having her stay there only during the day. It was how it was meant to be, as Jotham saw it, because before she moved into the Jaegers' place he wanted her to live with him. He had an unused spare bedroom she could have taken.

However, Histoire rejected his offer for the same reason she moved out of the campus: to avoid having anyone risk their life by living with her. She anticipated more stalkings to come her way in the near future and did not want to endanger any lives. Jotham did not take a liking to her decision to live alone, but she had a valid point and could not change her mind. At least for the rest of the day, he could rest assured knowing that she was not alone and in any possible danger.

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