Free Forbidden Love: Fate (Zac and Ivy Trilogy Book 1) by Wanitta Praks Page A

bells of our school not too far in
the distance. The bell dings and dings, like a melody of a wedding
song. The cool spring breeze blows softly against my skin. A soft
petal-like object gently brushes against my cheek.
    I open my eyes and see Zac holding a red
rose, smiling radiantly at me. The afternoon light creates a
majestic halo around his head. At that moment, he looks like an
angel descended from heaven. He gazes down at me from above, his
emerald-green eyes so soft and intense that it tugs at my
heartstrings. He leans in towards me and kisses me gently on my
lips, slowly at first, taking his time to meld the soft texture of
our lips together before sealing them completely.
    Our lips are still sealed when the dream
becomes fuzzy and I find myself on the balcony, kissing him. This
is a forbidden kiss, I know, just like the story of Romeo and
Juliet, because I can sense the pain and sorrow in that second
kiss, a type of urgency and fiery passion, like that of dynamite
firing off into the sky.
     
    ***
     
    When the bell rings the next morning while
I’m sitting in class, I realize I’m still thinking about that
dream. Mandy has to shout in my ears to wake me up. I jolt awake
and stare at her blankly.
    “Are you back yet?” Mandy yells at me
again.
    “Mmmm? Yeah.” I nod, then stare blankly
again.
    “It’s lunchtime. What are you doing still
sitting here? Let’s go eat.” She drags me to the cafeteria where
many students are lined up to buy lunch.
    “I packed my lunch. I’ll go wait at our
usual seat,” I tell her and make my way to our table in the
corner.
    “Sure.”
    A little while later, Mandy comes back with
a package of rice rolls and an orange juice. “Want some?” she
asks.
    “No thanks,” I respond.
    Mandy seems to take no offense by my refusal
since she doesn’t press on the subject any further, but starts to
munch on her rice roll instead. Usually, she would nag me until I
gave in and had a taste of whatever it is she bought.
    Mandy seems to enjoy her lunch as she
munches on and on, while I am in deep thought. I don’t get to touch
any of my food in my lunchbox.
    I’m supposed to meet Zac tomorrow for
another of our tutoring lessons. I want to see him again, but I
don’t want to associate with anyone who’s related to that man. If
Gigi and Clare find out, everything will turn to chaos. Clare’s
vengeance would come back, and Gigi would fall back into despair.
There’s only one thing I can do. I must stop tutoring Zac. With
that thought in my mind, I turn to Mandy.
    “Mandy?”
    “Mmmm?” she answers with a mouth full of
rice roll.
    “Can you do me a huge favor?”
    After swallowing the lump, she smiles and
says, “Anything for you, Ivy.”

 
    CHAPTER SEVEN
     
    ZAC
     
    My Right as a Student
     
    What is taking her so long? I glance
at the clock once, then twice. My hand constantly touches the tea I
brewed, just in case it gets cold. Well, it’s lukewarm now. I guess
I have to make a new pot when she arrives.
    I read somewhere once that chamomile tea
helps calm you down. I take a sip. It doesn’t calm me. Instead, it
makes me more anxious.
    Maybe she’s had an accident?
    That thought scares me, and now I’m even
more nervous. I’m deeply concerned, mainly for her safety and for
the fact I might not see her again until my leg is healed enough to
attend school.
    I fidget in my chair, a hundred scenarios
running through my head, mainly of Ivy’s body lying in the gutter
somewhere.
    Well, I can’t really think of any good
scenario when she’s this late. Plus, I’ve been influenced by all
those horror movies I’ve watched with Kai.
    Suddenly, the doorbell rings.
    Must be Ivy.
    I flounder out of the chair in my hurried
state only to clumsily fall to the floor.
    Damn! I need my crutches.
    I get back up and hobble to the door. Once
there, I double-check myself in the mirror.
    Damn, I look like a horrible drunk-ass
kid.
    I comb my hair as neat as possible, tuck my
shirt in to