For a moment, Malio seemed completely taken aback by my kiss. He broke away immediately, leaning back a few millimeters to look directly at me with his icy blue eyes. A few seconds passed in which the air crackled between us, then he suddenly pressed his lips back to mine. Unlike the previous two kisses, this one was more passionate, full of fire. I felt his hands slide down my side with a tenderness I didn't expect from him until they finally settled under the blazer on my back. He pulled me closer, making me groan in excitement and immediately buried my hands in his thick, dark hair again. That kiss was amazing! My senses were foggy and I wanted more. More of that feeling. More from Malio. When we broke apart after what felt like an eternity, he looked deep into my eyes. "To be honest, I didn't expect that!" He said, visibly surprised. I noticed the dark haze of excitement in his eyes, which made them look even more dangerous, and the hoarse tone in his voice, which immediately made my body go haywire. "Sorry, I don't know what... I didn't mean to... I..." I stammered, completely without a plan of what I actually wanted to say. Now that my brain was slowly coming back, I realized the magnitude of my actions. I was incredibly embarrassed about the situation. How could I just kiss him like that? Him - Malio! I must have completely lost my mind! "Ey," he placed his hand on my chin. The touch immediately sent a hot wave, starting from where his fingers gently touched my skin, through the entire rest of my body. "Never apologize for that, you hear you." he whispered in a voice that made me forget almost everything he had ever done or said. He got up and held out his hand to me. I hesitated for a few seconds, but then took it and let Malio pull me to my feet with ease. I carefully brushed dust, dirt, and broken glass off my school uniform. For a moment I had completely forgotten why I had been sitting on the cold tarmac, but when my eyes fell on the broken rear window of my car, events caught up with me again. My father would kill me! He was mad at me anyway because of the party and now I had to tell him about the broken window. He would certainly not only punish that with house arrest and Amelie driving service. "Don't worry, I'll have the damage repaired." I heard Malio say, again as if he could read my mind. He was really good at interpreting people, you had to give him that. And maybe he was a good kisser too. Again my thoughts wandered to the last few minutes in which we had kissed. But they also wandered on, to the other moments that hadn't been so tingling. “How so? Why are you helping me all of a sudden?" I asked him when I had the necessary distrust towards him again. He was now standing right next to me and was examining the broken rear window of the car. "Because it's a family matter," he said casually. "And that's why you're helping me? Malio, I don't believe that." I eyed him skeptically. Was he hoping for anything from this? Was that his plan? Did I owe him anything then? And the most important question of all, did you owe Malio anything? What was the price of his help? I hadn't even noticed how he had pulled the mobile phone out of his pocket and was already on the phone. "Can you pick up the car, Bill?" I heard him ask. Malio nodded a few times, unnecessarily, since the person he was talking to couldn't see it, and then said: "A white Range Rover, you recognize it immediately. The rear window is destroyed. Yes, it's right here in the Academy parking lot." He gave me a quick look and added, "Can we work this out between ourselves? In other words, the bill runs through me. Not a word to my father! Is this okay?" Again his gaze darted to me and when I realized that I had been looking at him the whole time, which he had also noticed with a mocking grin, I quickly looked away. "Well, I'm counting on you, Bill. Bring the car, then just back into the Academy parking lot when you're done." I didn't dare look up, but I thought he'd ended his conversation—at least the Academy parking lot was quiet again. "Hey, do you want to stand around there for a long time or are you finally coming?" I heard Malio's voice. I looked up but he was gone. I slowly turned around and spotted him at his car. The black Lamborghini. "What?" I asked confused, which made him roll his eyes annoyed. "I'll drive you home, get in!" Oh no. I'd rather walk the whole way than get in his goddamn car right now after our kiss. "I'll walk!" I said quickly. "Jolien, come over here. I'll drive you!" There he was again. The tone of command that allowed no argument. I thought of a plausible excuse, but before I could say anything, he said, "Don't do it. Nothing you could come up with is meaningful enough to stop me from driving you home. So save you and me from wasting any more time and get in the car!" "Or do I have to get you?" he added in an almost flirty tone. Now it was my turn to roll my eyes in annoyance. Nevertheless, I slowly started to move. The prospect of being picked up by him was tempting in a way, but I didn't want to take the chance. For today, I had already proved enough. "Is that a little faster?" He asked annoyed while lighting a cigarette. "Do you want one too?" He misinterpreted my gaze. I wrinkled my nose in disgust and shook my head violently. " No thank you!" I reluctantly dropped into the passenger seat and waited for Malio to do the same and let us get this ride over with as quickly as possible. He seemed to be fully enjoying this situation, in which he clearly had the upper hand again, because he took a long drag on his cigarettes before he, too, sat in the car. Malio rolled down the window, put his arm down casually and let the car purr softly beneath us before screeching tires and slamming out of the parking lot at a speed that was definitely no longer allowed.