The harsh, buzzing bell cut through the air, signaling the end of the morning classes. The sound was loud and jarring, but to Alex, it was the most welcome sound of the day. He quickly gathered his notebooks and shoved them into his bag. He was one of the first students out of the classroom, eager to escape the stale air and the dull drone of the history lecture.
He moved quickly through the crowded hallway, keeping his head down. First stop: relieve himself.
He pushed into the washroom. The room smelled faintly of disinfectant and old plumbing. He used the facility and then splashed cool water onto his face, letting it rinse away the mental fatigue of the morning. He stared at his reflection for a moment. He was hungry. The empty hours had left an internal ache in his stomach. The first priority was food.
The walk to the cafeteria was short. As he neared the entrance, the volume of the school exploded. He pushed through the doors and was immediately hit by the loud noise and echoing chatter of hundreds of students. The air was thick with the strong, mixed smell of pizza, fryer grease, and cleaning products.
Alex quickly scanned the room. His eyes went immediately to a table in the central section. Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline were already seated in a booth.
He walked over to the food line, grabbed a plastic tray, and pushed it along the metal rail. He picked up a greasy, triangular slice of pizza, a small cup of pudding, and a can of orange juice. The cold feel of the juice can felt good in his hand.
He approached their table. Bonnie was sitting on the long bench, facing the aisle. Elena and Caroline were on the opposite bench, facing Bonnie and him.
Bonnie smiled briefly and nodded a greeting. Elena and Caroline, deep in an intense discussion about something involving a test and a party, glanced up at him for a second and then immediately returned to their conversation.
Alex slid into the booth next to Bonnie. The red vinyl seat creaked softly under his weight. He placed his tray down and unwrapped his pizza slice, focusing on the simple task of eating.
The warm, soft dough of the pizza was a welcome relief to his empty stomach. He took a long drink from the can, enjoying the sweet, cold rush of the juice. The cafeteria noise washed over him, and for a minute, he felt almost normal.
Then he felt it. A soft pressure on his foot.
Something was gently scratching his toe with her toe finger upon his toe.
He froze, stopping mid-chew. He glanced quickly at the girls. Bonnie was looking down at her tray, eating normally. Elena was mid-chew, distracted by something Caroline was saying.
Only Caroline was looking at him.
Her head was tilted down as she brought her glass to her lips, but her eyes were looking up over the rim of her juice glass directly at him. The sharp blue of Caroline's eyes locked onto his, a small, knowing smirk playing on her lips.
The body's super senses reacted strongly. I feel a heat rising, but my rationality is there. He saw the action as poorly timed.
At least don't do this while we are eating. We can do it in the room, not here. He moved his foot forward and pushed her leg away, a deliberate attempt to disengage.
Caroline did not back down.
She immediately pressed back, the immediate, stronger pressure from her side making it clear she was escalating the contact.
Her voice cut into the conversation she was having with Elena. She spoke with a fake sweetness that made Elena and Bonnie look up.
"Alex, are you feeling discomfort somewhere?" Caroline asked, her eyes still locked on him over the rim of her glass, maintaining the pretense of worry.
"What happened?" Bonnie asked, looking concerned and turning slightly to face him.
Alex maintained a calm, direct stare at Caroline. She is in hunger for romance, he thought, that's why she kept pressing her foot over mine.
"Nothing," he said, his voice flat and even, his gaze holding hers. "She is just having some illusion."
The corner of Caroline's mouth twitched, annoyed that he'd dismissed her action without exposing her. She pulled the glass away and let out a short and forced laugh.
Her toe, emboldened, now moved up Alex's leg, resting on his knee. He could feel the light, cold pressure of her cool toe through his jeans.
"If you said that then it's okay," she said, leaning slightly forward. "I am really worried about you."
Alex felt a slow burn of irritation mixed with the rising heat of the forced intimacy. This was too much. He let a small, hard smile appear on his lips. It felt tight and did not reach his eyes.
"Then, Thanks for your worry," he replied, his tone dry.
Caroline's smile remained fixed. She didn't say anything, but her foot pushed further up his knee.
Alex glanced at Bonnie. As he suspected, the wooden table and the high sides of the booth seats perfectly hid the aggressive game under the table. Elena and Bonnie would never see it. Caroline knew this.
Caroline, sensing her success, pushed her foot further, wedging it between his legs, maintaining contact but carefully avoiding his groin. She was clearly trying to provoke a reaction.
Alex's patience snapped. A wave of sharp, internal anger flooded him, fueled by the feeling of being actively manipulated and the physical desire she was stirring. He was done playing her game.
He reached his hand down under the table. He grabbed her feet, taking a firm hold of her ankle and shoe. He then lifted her foot slightly and moved it, placing it deliberately on his crotch. He began to rub her toe against his erection, his eyes locking onto hers as he watched her reaction.
Caroline's face, usually so composed, turned slightly red. Her blue eyes widened in a mixture of shock and arousal, a tiny gasp escaping her lips before she clamped them shut. She did not try to pull her foot away.
Alex maintained contact, the sound of the cafeteria chatter a distant hum. He exerted a firm pressure, using the hidden action to regain complete control of the power dynamic. He held her foot captive, rubbing it against his erection until he reached a release.
Just as he finished, the harsh, jarring bell rang again, signaling the end of the lunch period.
Alex immediately released her foot. He brought his hand back up, picked up his soda, and took a drink, his face carefully composed.
Caroline instantly pulled her foot back under her side of the booth. She was breathing rapidly, her eyes darting between him and her friends. The confident smirk was entirely gone, replaced by a look of stunned confusion and residual heat.
"Time for the class," Alex said with a slight smile on his lips, his voice completely calm as he stood up. He grabbed his tray.
Caroline remained seated, her face still flushed, not meeting his eyes. Elena and Bonnie, already standing up, looked at Caroline with mild confusion.
"You coming, Caroline?" Bonnie asked.
Caroline blinked, quickly smoothing her yellow t-shirt. "Yeah, yeah. Just... thought I forgot something."
Alex walked away, leaving the tense silence behind him. He felt good after the release and thought to himself, this is a really good way to wash away your mental and physical fatigue.
***