⫣11⫦ Teach Me

"I guess the fun has to end now, princess," Taehyung announces just as I'm getting up to dance again.

"What? Why?", I ask, wondering what he's got planned next.But all he does, is hold out his wrist and point down.

I follow his gaze- and turn still.

"Shit!", I exclaim as I take a look at the wrist watch- and the time it's displaying.

"I have to be home in an hour!"

Even though so much happened in just one day, it felt like the day passed in the blink of an eye- and the truth is, I'm not ready to go yet. But the thought of my father coming home and looking for me, only to find me missing lets that thought pass very quickly.

He would be worried sick. And then get so mad, I might be grounded for the rest of my life.

I'm no longer the old Lian, but I won't do that to my parents. Whatever is going on inside me, I can't let them know. Not yet. Perhaps not ever.

But I cannot keep living as I did. Not when I now know what fun and freedom feels like.

"I guess we should leave then," I simply say and to my surprise, Taehyung doesn't try to convince me to stay. He just nods and turns to the boys.

"I'll get her home and come back- shouldn't take more than an hour."

He already went to retrieve his things, but I stand frozen as the others stop their dancing and turn to me.

"Shame you have to leave so soon," J-Hope says with honest regret.

"But you'll come with us again, won't you, Lian? You just had to much fun, right?" Jimin asks with that sexy, seductive smile of his.

I want to say yes, but some of the reality has settled back, now that I'm reminded of what I'm doing, no longer drunk on the feeling of pure joy.

"Now, now, boys. Just let her sleep over it. There is no rush for her to make a decision right now," RM throws in, and I shoot him a thankful smile.

My gaze flies to Suga, who only smiles at me like he knows exactly what I'm going to choose.

"As if she could resist such handsome boys like us," Jin just adds, taking a sip from his cup while winking at me.

"Guess I'll see you at school tomorrow then?" Jungkook throws in with a grin, as if he can't wait for it.

There're a lot of things I want to say, but all that I can get out is:"Yeah, see you."

Then Taehyung grabs my hand and pulls me away. Away from the warmth of the fire and the laughter and smiles of the boys. I would have felt empty if not for Taehyung's hand in mine.

We walk in silence, my feet sometimes stumbling over things in the dark. But Taehyung seems to know the way perfectly as he leads me back to the car. Only when we already stand in front of the pick-up truck does a thought occur to me.

"Wait- Taehyung do you even have a drivers license?"

Even in the dark I can see that wicked, little smirk.

"Do I look like someone who would have enough money to make one? Or bother with the time?"

I want to smack myself- I should have known.

"But you do know how to drive, right?"He just smiles again and throws his things into the back of the trunk.

"Of course I do. You think not having a drivers license would stop me?"

I can't help but nod. Of course it wouldn't, but-

"Taehyung, you've been drinking though, right?"

He freezes for a second, then slowly turns to me with a surprisingly serious face.

"I wouldn't get into the driver's seat if I thought I was too drunk. I risk my own life, not that of others."

My breath gets stuck in my throat as I strain my eyes to make out his features in the dark. My voice is quiet- almost like I'm too afraid to speak.

"You could have died, jumping like that today."

I hear his sigh, and then his hand came up to my face, hesitating for a second, and then gently, just like a soft breeze, he strokes my cheeks. The sweetness of the touch is so unlike him that I can do nothing but stand there frozen.

Then he draws away like nothing happened and simply says: "I had the boys."

Like his life could never be in real danger when they are around.

I wonder, not for the first time, about the bond they share.They're all different in their own way and yet they depend on each other. Almost as if BTS is their safe haven where they can be who they are and never worry about being judged for it. A family of choice.

I admire that, even as I feel a pang of jealously.

I never laughed with my parents like that. Never felt so light and unburdened.

As I get in the car and Taehyung starts driving, I remind myself that I have no reason to feel that way. I have a family: parents who love me and raised me well, which is more than the boys of BTS can say.

I should pity them. And yet I feel envy. They don't have to live up to anyone's expectations. They're simply themselves and don't apologize for it. They do what they want, when they want it.

"What are you thinking about?" Taehyung suddenly asks, shooting me a studying look. I shake my head in confusion.

"Nothing."

He focuses back on the street but lets out a little huff.

"You know what the good thing is about us being fucked up?", he then says and my head whips back to him in surprise.

"No matter what you're thinking or how crazy it sounds in your own head, we wont judge you. You shouldn't hide who you are and what matters to you. So stop thinking about what other people might think of you and just say what you want to say. Don't ever apologize for who you are."

I stare at his side profile and he lets me, keeping his eyes on the road. Even in the semi-darkness he's stunningly beautiful, his jawline reflected by the occasional street lamps, his straight nose and full lips. His hair, a black mass of soft, ruffled hair always falls onto his forehead and into his eyes a little. I have to force myself no to stoke it back. To find out how it feels in my fingers.

But all that beauty is still overshadowed by the things he says and does. He holds a power over me I don't understand. He makes me want to do reckless and dangerous things and at the same time also makes me wonder if it wasn't really me who wanted to do them. It both confuses and thrills me.

"It's not that simple," I finally whisper and see his lips curve up.

"And why not? Just say what you think."

"If I do that, I will make those thoughts reality, and there is no coming back from it. Words have power. Not just over others, but over yourself too.I guess I feel like if I don't say things out loud, they don't really exist."

He is quiet for a moment and then lets out a little laugh as if my words surprised him.

"You're smarter than I thought. Not school smart- You understand how the world works even when you try not to. And you're right- words have power. But not using them isn't the right way. Knowing how and when to use them- that's the hard part. And that's what can give you power."

I suddenly remember the things he told me on that cliff and realize he's right. He used nothing more than a little whisper to make me jump.

"Teach me."

His head snaps back so fast I'm worried he broke something.

"What?" For the first time, Taehyung seems utterly shocked by something I said. Like he really didn't see this coming. It makes me feel more than a little smug and I lean over the gear knob, angling my body closer and letting him see the glee in my eyes. I'm not afraid to show it.

"I said: teach me."

I barley recognize my own voice, low and seductive. I never knew I could sound like that. Taehyung stares at me like he's seeing me for the first time.

In the back of my mind I know this is dangerous- he's driving and I'm distracting him, but for the first time, I don't care about that voice of reason.

Fuck reason. All my focus is on the space separating me from that wicked mouth of his.

He seems to finally get over the shock of my words and lets out a deep, sensual chuckle."You do surprise me, Lian. And don't worry. There are a lot of things I'm planning to teach you."

He breaks the moment and goes back to minding the road. I sit back too.But instead of feeling like I was dismissed by him, I feel like I've just won.

Which reveals one vital factor. He has power over me, but I also hold something over him. I'm not sure what it is yet, but I'm sure going to find out.

I finally recognize some of the neighbourhood again and too soon we arrive at my front porch. I look at the time: 9:55.

"Just like promised, right?" Taehyung says with a smirk.

I step out of the van into the cooling night and Taehyung gets out too. He doesn't say anything, as if he's waiting for me to speak. I glance at the fancy house that's supposed to be my new home.

It doesn't feel like it.

It feels cold and foreign. Too big and yet confining.

I look back at the boy in front of me.

"What happens at school tomorrow?" I ask, not wanting to say goodbye just yet.

He replies with a twitch of his mouth.

"Your third condition, don't you remember? No one gets to know about this. We keep our promises."

I frown up at him. He's standing close again, like he can't help but seek my warmth- not that I mind.

"Well, isn't that just noble for a bad guy like you." My voice is quiet, almost a whisper.

He isn't touching me, and yet it feels like he's pulling me towards him. I can see his white teeth as he grins down at me.

"I am a bad guy. And you better not forget that. And the moment you want to hang with us at school too, I'll be happy to welcome you. But you should know that people talk. And I do wonder how willing you are to let your parents know about her daughter hanging out with BTS."

I take half a step back, like his words have physically pushed me away. He's right. My parents can never know about this. They would absolutely freak and I would be in a shit tone of problems.

Taehyung only shoots me a knowing look. He understood.

"So you'll pretend nothing happened today?"

That thought doesn't sit well with me either, but Taehyung just smiles and closes the space I opened between us.

My skin begins to prickle again, like I'm electrically charged and I stare up into his dark, big eyes, having to crane my neck to be able to do so.

"You wanted me to teach you, didn't you?"

There's a dangerous glitter to his eyes that should freak me out but instead makes me lean in even closer.

"Then lets see how well you can use that mouth of yours. We'll make it a little game. Instead of just ignoring us, you will have to make everyone think you hate us. Maybe not as soon as tomorrow, but you'll know when the game starts."

"Hate you?"

"Yes. You'll be playing the sweet, innocent Lian who hates the BTS members, because they are nothing but trouble. The game won't be about winning or loosing but about how well you deceive the others. Make them believe that there is no way in hell you would ever hang with the bunch of us."

"You want me to lie to my friends?"

He snickers and lifts his hands.In a soft caress, he strokes over my lower lip and I shudder. The feeling is unexpected but intoxicating and I want more. "Yes. That's exactly what I want. I want you to lie and cheat and deceive- everyone but us. Because we are the only ones who will ever accept who you really are."

His words hit something low in my stomach, sending tickles down to the place between my legs."And who am I, Taehyung?"

He leans down and I hold my breath as his mouth stops only a millimetre before mine.

"You are a bad, bad girl," he whispers darkly.

Heat rushes through my body. My skin is on fire. I never felt this kind of need before. I want him to kiss me- it feels reckless and dangerous and I want all of that.

But instead he takes a step back and it feels like being thrown into cold water instead. I stare up at him with big eyes but he only shoots me a lopsided grin.

"Let's see how well you do at the game and then I decide if you deserve a reward for it."

He turns and leaves me in front of the gates of my house. I'm still too stunned to do anything but stare after him as he opened the door to the truck and lets down the window.

"See you at school, Lian," he shouts out and drives away.

I stare another second- And just before he is out of sight, I release a sting of curse words I never said aloud, then showed the disappearing car the finger.

Asshole.Stupid, smug, arrogant asshole!

Slowly I try to piece myself back together and finally manage to enter my house. It's empty and feels cold as I make my way to my room.

I drop on my bed, not even able to change out of my clothes or wash up. Too much happened today and I'm not only physically drained, but also emotionally, with all the ups and downs this day held.

And for the first time in weeks I sleep, deep and long, dreaming of flying and falling.

_________________________________

My only thought during this chapter: TEACH ME TOOOOO!!!