Barriers

THREE

THREE

" I hope you will consider what is spoke

Comes from my love. But I do see y'are moved.

I am to pray thee not to strain my speech.

To grosser issues,nor to larger reach

Than to suspicion."

- Iago, Othello by William Shakespeare.

Devonte was utterly disgusted by the moans of the blonde beneath him. All he could think of was the soft skin of some caramel skinned intern. He'd driven to a club right after leaving Aaliyah's room, needing to drag himself to sanity. Kissing her was insane and he needed to be sane for his own good. He'd gotten himself a blonde just so her face could be erased from his memory. Even if not forever, for at least a few days yet the blonde only seemed to intensify the memory for him with her unnecessarily loud moans.

Unable to keep it up any further,he pushed himself off the blonde and asked her to leave.

"What?!" The blonde asked in disbelief.

"Get out. I can't do this now" Devonte told her. She grabbed her heels and shimmied into her skimpy clothes,all the while muttering curses at him for ruining her night.

Devonte collapsed on his bed once the blonde left. Now he felt very pathetic.

'Just a kiss, Devonte and she's all you can see. How pathetic' He scolded himself.

After hours of tossing and turning and thinking, sleep finally graced him with her calming presence.

****

Aaliyah stepped into Pierre S.A after a week, praying she'd not see Devonte.

Hopefully, Allah was kind to her and she didn't see him yet as soon as she sat in her office, she found herself wondering what he was doing and where he'd been after their kiss. She wasn't late today, thanks to the new Corvette she'd purchased the day before.

She knew Devonte was avoiding her since he never kept his promise of regularly checking up on her . It made her happy and sad at the same time. Happy that she wouldn't have to deal with their somewhat embarrassing blissful moment and sad that he'd left her confused.

Anne Marie entered Aaliyah's office with some files after she'd softly knocked a few times without getting any response.

"Oh thank God. I thought you were praying or something" Anne said dropping the files on the desk. Aaliyah felt silly for being so deep in thought about someone who probably couldn't give a f**k about her.

"I'm sorry, Anne. I may have zoned out a little"

"Don't worry. We all do once in a while but I hope all is well"

"Yes. Everything is fine. I'm guessing I have to get those files in proper shape,huhn?"

"Exactly, Aaliyah. Now do your magic"

" Magic? Really?'

"Oh. You didn't get to hear my compliment. You're already good at this. Even Mr. Michel agreed" Anne said and yet again, she could only make out 'Mr. Michel' out of the long sentence.

"Consider it done then" Aaliyah said, forcing a smile on her neutral face.

"Okay, have a great day, Aaliyah"

"You too, Anne"

When Aaliyah had finished with the promotional brochures, she moved out of her office to hand them over to Anne Marie in her office. Much to her disappointment, it was locked. Now she had to give them to Devonte herself. She had to give it to the ' Big bad boss' as she'd say.

She braced herself for the worst and knocked on his office door.

"Come in" The sultry voice said and she complied.

Their eyes met for a split second before he tore his gaze away from hers. Aaliyah had so many questions for him yet she quietly dropped them on his desk. Devonte kept cursing himself. He half expected her to at least bring it up but then he began to wonder how he'd react and what he'd say if she did. A part of him felt like a coward for not knowing how to address such an awkward situation.

"I'd be glad if they went through Anne Marie before they got to me" Devonte said, still not looking at her.

"Her office is locked Sir"

"Okay then, you may leave"

Devonte ordered icily and Aaliyah all but walked gently out of the office. She was practically stomping her feet like an annoyed child. Upon entering her own office, she slumped into the couch. She'd half expected him to say something more to her but then again she reminded herself the kiss definitely meant nothing to him otherwise he wouldn't have avoided her like the plague. Of course it wouldn't mean anything to him. First she'd just a silly eighteen year old girl and a black muslim. He'd just use her. He was probably too horny at that time so he'd gotten rid of some stress through her.

"Damn it". Aaliyah muttered to herself. She hated that her thoughts were fuzzy and hazy again. She concluded that her boss was poison. Yes poison. Ever since she'd started working in Pierre S.A and met him, she can barely focus on things for a long time; well except thinking of obsidian eyes and chiseled jaws.

Once Aaliyah got back to Room 165, she hurriedly packed her books for her lectures. She was grateful that Creative Writing was her first. She'd missed Professor Simone's crazy imagination. That's what she loved most about Creative Writing. She could write and write and write about anything she wanted without having to suppress her imagination. Finally she could escape even if it was only for some minutes.

***

Ines and Aaliyah met on their way to grab lunch after their last lectures and Aaliyah couldn't be more grateful that she'd have Ines to help her pass more snarky comments at any intruder or ' news vampire' . Yes that's how she termed college gossips who were always looking for new information to feed on.

"So how was work?" Ines asked when they started eating

"Work was okay" Aaliyah replied shrugging. Ines knew something wasn't right but she decided to be quiet. She'd learnt that her roommate was closed off and if their friendship would bloom, she need time to adjust to the intrusion of her personal space. It was obvious Aaliyah had deep issues from the way she curled up into a ball in her sleep, hugging herself like she was shielding herself from something or someone, Ines had realized and she was ready to help her even if Aaliyah didn't consider her a friend.

"Ines. Did you even hear me?"

"Oh sorry what?"

"I asked how your day was"

"Oh,it was just fine apart from my philosophy class almost turning into World War III." Ines said making Aaliyah smile

"I guess your day was interesting" Aaliyah said

"Yeah I guess."

***

Aaliyah felt annoyed sitting through the meeting. A meeting that she had near to zero role to play in. It was a meeting with share holders of Pierre S.A . Devonte was presenting to them a new manual on how to improve their building products and services.

Aaliyah was quite proud of herself that she was a part of the success of that manual.

After an hour of what Aaliyah called excruciatingly annoying wait, Devonte ended the meeting and everyone present began to file out. Her arm was harshly grabbed from behind when she'd almost steeped out of the conference room and was pushed against the door. If her brown orbs hadn't found obsidian orbs, she would've screamed red.

It irritated her that a stranger's eyes could give her some sort of comfort. The sassy, devilish subconscious mind of hers was already planning how to make that arm he'd used to grab her useless. Aaliyah was surely innocent in every sense but her defense instincts were always on.

Devonte saw confusion and annoyance swirling in her eyes. He knew she was probably seething with anger too and he could perfectly understand that.

"Leave me alone, please" Aaliyah said struggling to be free of his firm grip. She didn't get why he was doing that now.

"Aaliyah stop struggling. I won't hurt you..."

"You already did. Now leave me. If you don't want my presence in your workplace, I'll quit but please, leave..."

"No no no, God. It's not that Aaliyah. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you at all"

"So why did..." She began to say but he placed a finger on her lips, cutting her off.

"Listen to what I have to say first" He said in a tone that made it obvious he was both pleading and ordering

"I'm really sorry for leaving abruptly. I just lost control. Perdonami."(Forgive me)

" So the kiss meant nothing then. Did it?" Aaliyah asked, sounding a bit down. Devonte cradled her face gently in both hands.

"It meant a lot, piccola.(baby) You're making me feel strange things again, Aaliyah" He said barely above a whisper.

Aaliyah listened to his little confession as a million doubts ran through her mind. She didn't want to believe him even though deep down, she knew she believed him and it scared the hell out of her. That she believed a stranger so easily.

What could he probably see in a plain black girl like her?

She had thought if they spoke about the kiss, things would be classified yet she felt more confused than before. She was so deep in thought that she didn't see Devonte lean in to seal their lips. She gasped and he slipped his tongue into her mouth. Like the last time, she felt sparks as she savoured his cinnamon taste. She shouldn't have felt those sparks. They only happened in the books she read. They weren't supposed to be real. She liked how soft and warm his lips felt on hers as she kissed him back with the same need he kissed her with. His hands rested on her slim waist as hers rested on his rock hard chest and she mentally added how nice his chest felt in her palms to her list of favorite things about Devonte. The kiss deepened as his hands roamed her body, loving her curves. They pulled apart for air and he leaned his head against hers. Devonte connected their lips again as she felt her core getting moist when he lightly kneaded her butt cheeks. He slipped a hand under her knee length dress. A voice in her head was screaming at Aaliyah to stop him but she was far too gone to heed to it. Devonte smiled as he felt her wetness. He drew circles on her core through the flimsy lace material that covered it making her moan lowly; something that was new to her. Never had any man touched her in such a manner.

"You're already getting wet for me" Devonte whispered as his lips hovered on hers . She barely had time to register his words before he pushed her panties aside to rub her clit.

"Oh" She moaned

" Ti piace quello?"(you like that) Devonte teased and his thick accent and skillful fingers made her wet the more. Do you like that?" He pressed when she said nothing. He rubbed his thumb over her clit a few times as she kept moaning.

"Yeah" She answered, causing him to smirk before capturing her lips another time.

She moaned loudly when he slipped a finger into her. She whimpered a little due to the slight pain from the intrusion but soon it turned to pleasure.

"f**k, you're so tight" He said, pumping his fingers in and out of her as she gripped his broad shoulders. The pleasure she felt was almost painful. Devonte liked the sight before him. Aaliyah's lips parted and her eyes shut in pleasure. After a series of rubbing and pumping,he stopped his movements as her juices coated his fingers as he watched her with a smirk.

When Aaliyah opened her eyes she almost shut them again from embarrassment but Devonte's shocking action made her keep them open. He put fingers in his mouth, sucking her juices off them while staring intensely at her. That sight alone made her panties soaked again.

Feeling a need to be grateful, she tiptoed to kiss him lightly since her shyness was getting in the way but he deepened the kiss ,caging her waist in his arms. He smiled at her innocence and he guessed it was her first time and boy did he like it!

"Aaliyah" Devonte called when they broke away for yet another time

"Mr. Michel?" She replied shyly, avoiding his intense gaze

"Tell me, was it your first time?" He asked and Aaliyah thought she'd die from embarrassment.

"Y-yes" She replied, looking anywhere else but him. He should felt a tad bit ashamed for being the one to stain her innocence but no. What he felt was far from that even though his mind argued with him. He was happy, maybe a little proud to be the one to stain the girl's innocence and his heart agreed with him. He knew soon, his mind would agree with him too.

Devonte gripped her chin with two fingers, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"I like that" He said and linked their fingers opened the door and she wondered if people seeing to theme together wouldn't bother him.

"Sir?"

"I'm I have to go back to school. I..."

"I'm driving you there. I know your shift is over"

" But Sir..."

"No buts, Aaliyah"

The drive back to University of Lyon was silent; not the bad silent but the warm, pleasant one. Aaliyah would steal to glances at Devonte as he drove and their gazes locked, he'd smile and grip her hand tighter. She still was in doubt why and how he seemed to like her. She was a plain black muslim girl wasn't she?

"What's running through that pretty little head of yours?" Devonte's voice pulled her out her analytical state. The question was at the tip of her tongue but she shook her head

"You're a terrible liar. Your whole face showed you were in deep thought" He told her

"It's nothing, really"

"I won't force it out of you. You can tell me if you ever want to"

" I'll have someone take your car to your school if that's what bothers you"

"Thank you Sir"

"Now Aaliyah,as much as I love hearing you call me ' sir' , I'd prefer you call me that only when we're at work with other employees" Devonte told her and she nodded.

Devonte pulled up in the school's parking lot. Aaliyah was about to step out when he locked the doors and leaned over to kiss her before she could protest.

"Stay in the car" Devonte ordered after unlocking them and hurried out to open the passenger side for her. She mentally rolled her eyes. So he just wanted to open the door for her. How nice

"Thank you" She said after stepping out

"I'll see you soon. Hurry before you run late"

As Aaliyah left, he kept his eyes on her figure till he couldn't see her. He

barely knew the girl but the few moments with her made him exhilarated. He wanted to protect her and gain the right to know what rans through her mind, especially when her eyes have that far away look. Aaliyah headed straight to her favorite lecture; Creative Writing and was glad to find that she was even early as the hall was empty. She took her usual seat at a corner at the back. To pass time, she took one of her favorite books, 'Othello' by William Shakespeare. Many people her age would call her lame for reading such books just because they didn't appreciate the power of words and literature but she didn't care whatever they'd think. Many a time, she'd ponder over Desdemona's death and how stupid Othello had been to concede Iago's lies. Even if he lost his trust for Desdemona, Aaliyah thought murdering her was downright stupid of him. But Aaliyah admired Iago for his role in the play. It was one thing about her; she always admired villains because she believed without villains there'd be no heroes at the end of the day and also because as a villain, people hardly appreciate your importance in a story. In her opinion however, there's only a heroine in the story; Desdemona. She'd held on to her faith in Othello till she breathed her last and Aaliyah tagged Emilia as the true villain in the play. According to Aaliyah, Emilia had foolishly kept quiet about Iago's mischievous ways and watched her mistress die.

Immediately other students began to file in, she slammed the book shut, putting it back into her bag and readying herself for Professor Simone's wild imagination.

Ines was lying on her bed with eyes closed and headphones on when Aaliyah entered Room 165.

" How was work?" Ines turned to face her roommate and she swore she saw colour stain Aaliyah's caramel cheeks.

"Work was alright"

"No, tell me more. I know black girls don't blush but I swear, I saw colour in your cheeks right now" Ines said making her roommate look away from her.

"It's just um, just Mr. Michel..."

"Ohhh I get it. You freaking dirty girl!" Ines all but whispered, almost jumping out of her bed. " Seriously, what happened?" Ines probed

" We just shared a moment. A kiss"

"Oh how sweet" Ines said laughing. She knew there was probably more to say but her shy roommate wouldn't tell her. Not that she cared. She was inwardly happy for her. She liked this side of Aaliyah.

"Allah Ines you're so dramatic"

"No I'm not. He's Devonte Michel for Chrissake and he seems to like you because I saw how he looked at you when he came here"

"I don't think so. I'm just a plain girl in a hijab. What could he possibly like about me?"

Ines rolled her eyes at her roommate's words

"Seriously, Aaliyah. Your skin is beautiful, you have the curves I don't have, your face is be - you-ti-ful. Should I go on?" Aaliyah smiled but said," Thanks Ines but that's quite hard to believe.