Page 2 of TAINTED by TWINS

I was a student once. Overgrown hair to hide small eyes, acne prone face, unattractively skinny. I was that kid in high school, only that I'm in college now preparing to be a teacher.

In my free time, I pick up the camera and take pictures of students in the sports field from a safe distance in the clinic, a perfect view.

The school paper, The Bloom Bulletin, pays me for pictures they can feature on their articles.

The soccer team is doing its practice, but my camera pans out to a pair of twins whose photos will sell for a lot more.

Their curly hair are wet, but still held up their shape with just a tiny bit of shrinkage. I just realized how pale Jade is in comparison to the sunkissed Jonah.

Jonah left Jade alone, and I was left to photograph the latter. Jade's eyeliner is a lot more smudged and his hair is pushed back with his fingers, while Jonah's longer blonde hair is up in a messy curly bun that's moist from their sweat.

Am I creepy?

Am I paparazzi?

Their fans literally pay me $5 a print, and the highest they've ever paid me was a shirtless photo of the twins, sweaty from practice and laughing together. Because Jade Deveroux laughing was a rare sight, it sold for $50 a print, and I used the money I saved up to buy a better camera.

Jonah was currently speaking to Jade. I can't hear from this far, but Jade looked annoyed at his happy-go-lucky twin. Jonah was showing Jade his hands before touching his own neck. Then the blonde grabbed his chest and sighed—

"Trouble taking the shot?" A deep and mature voice came from the doorway, scaring me.

"Oh god!" I put down the camera and turned around to see a very familiar school doctor with jet black hair and clear-rimmed glasses.

His smile was gentle, his downturned eyes soft, his nose sharp with a slight bump, while his thick eyebrows are slightly raised waiting for me to respond.

"Dr. Wayne. I thought you had class."

"I saw you in the window from my classroom. Seems like you only come here when I have class these days," he says as he fixes his papers on the table.

I shyly smile. "I'm not avoiding you. I just don't want to distract you from your work by being here. I felt guilty last time you were late because you answered a bunch of my questions."

Dr. Wayne walked towards me and placed a hand on my shoulders. "I'm a teacher. My job is to help you learn, and answering your questions is exactly that. Don't be shy."

I bit my lip as he proceeds to his table and does some paperwork. He then asks me, "Are you staying late? To print your photos?"

I've been using his printer in this room, and Dr. Wayne even goes as far as giving me free photo paper to use.

"Probably... you don't mind, right?"

He looks up at me through those glasses and smiled, before going back to his paperwork while mumbling, "Why would I ever, sweetheart?"

I laughed, because I've printed here weekly with no fail. Dr. Wayne has been taking care of me since the second year of college. David keeps getting me injured, and the doctor is the one that treats me until he had enough and got David in trouble. Now all they do is bark and never bite.

Still, he misses me coming in. I remember him pouting while telling me, "I get lonely in the clinic, you know? Why don't you stay late, and you can print your lovely photos in my office?"

So I hang out here in my free time, snapping photos at a really good view since the clinic is at the fourth floor. Don't worry about injured students needing to go up flights of stairs... this school has a certified Doctor in their clinic, so of course they'll have an elevator too.

Speaking of elevators, the next few days I was going down to the ground floor when it opened on the second, and the first person I see is Jonah Deveroux, tilting his head at the sight of me, to which I immediately press the 'close' button.

The man put his hand between the doors and kept it open! He was chewing gum while holding the two doors, unintentionally displaying his toned arms in front of me. "Lian..."

"H-Hello... goodbye!" I hurriedly pressed the close button to give him an idea, but he entered instead.

"You didn't accept any cash yesterday..." he pulled out his wallet in the elevator, "How much do you want?"

"N-nothing... I'm not a prostitute, thanks..." the elevator doors opened and other students wanted to enter, but the man slammed his two fingers on the 'close' and pressed the highest floor. Walking in front of the buttons, Jonah Deveroux stared at me with furrowed brows, determined to keep me alone.

"I said..." he faced me, "How much do you want? Tens, hundreds? I just can't stop thinking about you, I'll pay double to do it again."

He pushed hundreds of dollars into my chest, stunning me with the amount of money in my hands. I looked at him reluctantly, crumpling the paper. I need this, don't I? It's so much.... I need the money... am I really gonna let him...

Jonah reached for my head, and I closed my eyes nervously.

The elevator was slow, and this building has eight floors.

Jonah lands his hand on my head and caressed my scalp, before going down to my ears then tracing the muscle connected to my skull and neck.

His other hand was on my waist, only the fingers moving in motions to squeeze me there.

"Your skin's so soft. Almost transparent... I can see your veins. I just... love watching them pulse..." he mumbles as his hands trace my collarbone where I heard him breathe out.

Was he really attracted to me? Impossible... I'm nowhere near good looking with all my flaws—pimples, redness, my shy eyes... why is Jonah Deveroux touching me like they don't exist?

Opening my eyes to watch his reaction, he looks at me with bedroom eyes, the blue irises half-lidded and daydreaming.

I only just now realized he has stepped forward to the point where his body is trapping me between the elevator walls.

I became claustrophobic, and his wandering hands going all over my waist and hips aren't helping against the walls closing in.

"Jonah... please stop..." I breathe out.

"I just need to know..." he whispered, so close that I can smell the strawberry scent in his soft blonde hair. He was staring only at my lips. "... just one kiss? I need to know..."

"No..." I placed my hands against his chest to push him away. "Please, enough..."

"I'll pay double. Triple—just one kiss, Lian..." He proposed, holding me tight by the waist.

But I feel horrible. We're approaching the 8th floor and I'm getting really anxious about people seeing us. "I don't need the money anymore, Jonah! Get off of me!"

"Lian—" he held my jaw and forced our foreheads together, really reaching for what he asked for. I panicked especially when my bottom lip touched something softer than my own.

"NO! I have to go!" I cried, pushing him away just as the elevator doors opened.

I managed to throw myself out, only to land in the chest of a leather-clad biker who just came from the 8th floor lab class.

I looked up at him to see Jade Deveroux glaring at me with a raised brow.

There were students behind him, instantly whispering among themselves.

"What were they doing in there?"

"Who is that thing?"

"Ew, it's that Chinese guy..."

"He's with Prince Charming? No way, him...? Hahahahah!" I don't know where to go, what to do, but their words made my knee buckle and my breathing heavy.

"What's this now, Jonah?" Jade asked his brother behind me, before rolling his eyes and pushing me back inside the elevator. Jade faced everyone who wanted to get in, but one glare from him made them back away.

"W-we'll wait for the next one..."

"Yeah... let's take the stairs..."

Jade pressed the 'close' button and the ground floor, before facing both me and Jonah. I was looking down on the floor, my mind still racing because... because...

"Did you assault him in here, Jonah? Being gay is already bad, but being a r*pist too?"

Jonah argued, "I did not do any of that! I wanted to pay him for yesterday."

"Damn, can't get *ss for free? What's your face even for?"

I sank down the elevator floor, trying to calm my rapidly beating heart. Jade rolled his eyes at his twin before kneeling to my level. He placed his hand on my forehead and neck. I must've looked so sick. His voice was lower, a bit more gentle but still harsh. "Are you okay, nerd?"

"He's having a panic attack..." Jonah sighed, worried. Jade kept looking at me, even going as far as pushing my hair away to look at my tear-filled eyes.

Jade glares at him, "Are you sure you didn't do nothin', Jonathan? The guy looks traumatized."

"Jay, I did not—" the elevator stopped at the fourth floor and in my position, I can only see the white coat of a very pissed Dr. Wayne.

"Lian!" When he came for me, Jade stepped aside almost immediately. Dr. Wayne helped me up even though I can stand easily now. "Mr and Mr Deveroux, you should know better than to torment an innocent student!"

He glared at Jonah. Only then did I realize the hallways have CCTV cameras watching the elevator and stairs; and Dr. Wayne must've seen the twins enter while I never exited. This man has watched out for me ever since I started getting bullied; I'm very grateful for him right now.

Is he gonna get them in trouble? Call them to the office? Can he even—

"I won't report you to protect your academic records. But if you mess with Mr. Miller again, I'll have no choice but to tell your mother." Jonah visibly looks upset while Jade just looks pissed. "Stop harassing this one. Do you understand?"

"Yes uncle," Jonah answered, which made my eyes widen. I had no clue them and Dr. Wayne were related. Their heights may be genetic, but they look completely different!

The elevator closed with Jonah looking down with furrowed brows and Jade staring straight at me while leaning against the elevator walls, legs crossed.

Dr.

Wayne took me back to the infirmary where he treated my panic attack with a stuffed toy and fresh air to breathe in.

Everyone was going home already, but I don't want to go out if the twins are still outside.

"I'm sorry for their behavior..." Dr. Wayne says while clearing his table. "They're spoiled. Never felt the leather of a belt. Jonah feels like he owns everybody just because he can buy them."

"I'm fine," I said, hugging the stuffed bear. Dr. Wayne took off his coat and joined me by the window. I still have crumpled money notes in my bag, and I feel so dirty owning them now. "I just... feel horrible. The things they say... it hurts. I'm so sick of pretending it doesn't."

"Lian..." he was behind me, his hands placed on my shoulders as they squeeze comfortably. "Don't let people step all over you. You deserve the best... you deserve everything. Kids who came from wealth here, they're superficial."

I faced the doctor with furrowed eyebrows. "If you're their uncle, don't you come from wealth, too?"

"My sister married a Deveroux, sweetheart. Even though their family is the reason I work here, I still worked hard to get my credentials."

I gave him a guilty smile. "I'm sorry for assuming... I was just surprised. You never told me."

"It was never relevant. When I'm here with you, I'm just working and hanging out with you. I don't think of anyone else, much less the twins," he chuckled. I giggled and blushed hard, finding him a rare kind soul in a school full of snotty rich kids.

"Tell you what, Lian? I'll buy you dinner, and you get to keep that bear. I'll buy a new one for the anxious students." My eyes lit up in excitement as I happily hug the doctor.

Everyone was busy with graduation being a month away.

I was carrying my teaching demo supplies into the bus since this is our final project.

When I entered the school, I was almost hit by a car that blocked my way, and some of my stuff fell onto the ground.

Pissed, I kicked the door of the McLaren.

"HEY! Watch where you're going!"

I immediately went down to return my stuff back to the box, not realizing who the owner of the McLaren is until I felt another pair of hands putting stuff back into my box. I gasp, looking up at a handsome young model whose hair is half-up and curled messily.

"Lian..."

"Jonah," I bitterly greeted, taking my flashcards from his hands to push into my box. "Trying to kill me with your car too?"

"No, I wanted to apologize," he softly says, eyes desperate and genuine. I was rushing, so I really tried to walk around him, but he keeps blocking me. "Please, just... a moment of your time."

"What?" I spit out.

"I'm sorry I tried to force you in the elevator. It'll never happen again."

"Good, because—"

"I want you to be my boyfriend!" Jonah says out loud with a firm tone and not in his conversation voice.

He was yelling it out.

And in doing so, caught the attention of everyone in the pathway.

"I've never craved for anyone like I felt towards you. Your body, your kindness—god, your reactions when I touch you—you made me stop my curiosity. I just wanted to keep going, I felt like my life wasn't complete without your kiss. Lian Miller, I need you to complete my life."

"Did he just—?"

"Is he practicing for a play?"

"Oh my god, he can't be gay!"

"But isn't Miller gay?"

"Oh my god, hahahahaha! It must be a prank..."

They even stopped to listen to us. I was frozen... I wanted to cry, I was tearing up both in the eyes and tearing through my heart. I held the box tight as if it was my teddy bear. My breaths were getting too heavy.

But I managed to pull up one hand and slapped him in front of the people watching.

"Y-you..." my words were trembling, my knees shaking. His gaze was stuck to the side, surprised. How dare someone like me slap the great Jonah Deveroux, right? But how dare Jonah Deveroux step on me and expect me to lay there taking it?

"You can't just ask me to be your boyfriend after using me and forcing me to do things I'm not comfortable with. You think you have the right to do that because you're dangling money in front of someone who needs it. How dare I for slapping you? How dare you treat me like that. I hate you, Jonah Deveroux. And no amount of money or good looks will make me want to ever see you again."

I ran away from him, into the parking lot where Dr.

Wayne pulled up to his spot.

He was confused why I came to him crying, but he offered to hold my box of stuff while his other hand is comfortably holding my lower back.

As always, I feel much better with him, even though I know there's a pair of eyes watching me like a hawk and a tiger.