Stuck With The Bikers

“Twentieth….” Amanda mumbled, with her breath stalled in her chest. Carl's gaze intensified, and she could feel her palms become sweaty as she stared at him, with goosebumps appearing on her skin.

“Yes, Barbie doll. Have you been able to come up with anything?” He inquired with raised eyebrows, and she understood from his look that he was indirectly mocking her because he was fully aware of her predicament.

He heard the news about her being dismissed from her job, and he realized she wouldn't be able to cover the expense of his phone repair.

“No. I haven't and….” She said and breathed heavily, pausing mid sentence.

“And, what?” Carl asked, placing his hand on the locker..

“I’ll try to get the money before this month ends, trust me.” Amanda said while Carl heaved a deep sigh, his face was coated with disappointment.

He was expecting her to accept defeat or admit that she would not be able to acquire the money, but here she was, determined to pay up even though time was against her.

This is the f**g twentieth of the month. She just has ten days to obtain the money, and everything seems impossible, but she's trying to pretend, claiming everything is fine, but he knew she was more than troubled on the inside.

"So which day specifically are you going to make the payment?" Carl inquired, tousling his hair, which dangled in front of his forehead, making him appear even more attractive.

Amanda bit her lip and responded, "On the 26th of this month."

Carl smirked, his lips forming a narrow line.

“You sure?”

“Yes.” She answered, the words heavy as it rolled off her tongue.

Carl leaned off the wall before crossing his arms, his eyes searching her face as he weighed the truth in her eyes.

He was aware she had been sacked from her job since he had been keeping an eye on her, but he chose not to discuss it at the moment.

"Agreed. I'll be expecting it then." He concluded with a small smile on his lips and dimples on either side of his cheek.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Amanda felt a flush rise across her cheeks as his hot gaze made her uneasy.

"I'll be leaving now." She mumbled, grabbed a book, and turned around to leave.

Biting the sides of her cheeks, she felt even more unease because she could still feel Carl's heated gaze on her back as she left.

When she got to the lecture hall, she smacked her palm softly on her forehead, lines of worry forming on her forehead.

"How can I get the money when I've been fired from practically all of my workplaces? How and where do I even start?” She asked herself, a gloomy countenance on her face. Her thoughts were trapped in an endless loop of anger, rage, guilt and sadness.

Different emotions swirled within her and she had no clue when lectures began.

"Hey! Aren't you writing?" Jerry, her best friend and fellow nerd, murmured to her, hoping to catch her attention.

When she saw that she was lost in her thought zone, he nudged her a bit, snatching her out of her thoughts.

With wide eyes, she faced him and asked, “Wh- what is it?”

“Lectures have just begun. We have classes on Anatomy and don't forget, we have to submit our science projects today.” Jerry reminded her and her eyes sprang wide like saucers with shock etching her features.

She looked forward and was shocked to see their professor, old Mr Gilbert, dressed in a laboratory coat and boots…

With a crackly voice, he announced, "For today's lesson, we'll be using the New Laboratory Class at Texas Lutheran Hospital. Following the class, you will submit your projects and deliver a presentation on prior sessions. I would like to see how far we have come."

Amanda's lips parted slightly, as she struggled to process everything. She's quite intelligent when it comes to presentation so she has no reason to bother about that but what made her bothered was the fact that she forgot to work on the project they were asked to work on.

Her busy schedules at the restaurants made her forget all about it.

Clenching her fists, she heaved a deep sigh before tousling her hair in rage.

“All thanks to you, Carl!” She mumbled sarcastically, her brows furrowing with her face coated with rage and disappointment. She pouted her lips, blowing away the strand of hair that dangled in front of her forehead.

“Are you sure you're alright?” Jerry asked, noticing her discomfort.

“Yeah, just that I ….”

“You what?” He asked, adjusting his glasses.

“I forgot about the project. Damn! I didn't know it was gonna be today.” She expressed, smacking her forehead with her palm.

Jerry's eyes went wide; He was quite surprised because she wasn't a type to forget things like this.

“How did you forget something as important as that?” Jerry asked with wide eyes and all Amanda could do was sigh.

*****

Carl returned to his motorcycle club following the day's activities. His mind raced, stitching together snippets of discussions and half-formed ideas that had been lingering since he spoke with Amanda.

He smirked and caressed his jaw with his fingertips.

"Amanda," he muttered, her face flashing in his mind. He was impressed by her commitment to repay him without having to work at his motorcycle club.

He was perplexed as to why she continued to reject working at his clubhouse despite receiving a generous offer.

He wondered if she detest the place or perhaps, she hated the lousy environment where bad boys like him reside.

"What's up, dude!" Mason, Carl's best friend in the club, said as he approached him.

"I'm good and you?" Carl responded as he received his handshake.

“I'm rocking as always. You look like you're thinking, man. Hope you're alright?” Mason said, his curious eyes hovering over Carl's features..

“Yah. I'm good.” Carl replied as he watched him puff out the smoke from his tobacco.

A cloud of smoke lingered in the air and it dissipated after a few seconds.

“Here. Any news about your phone?.” Mason asked, sitting beside him and grabbing a bottle of alcohol.

The rest of the club members were grooving to a rock song as usual.

Jade was dressed in a crop top that displayed her flat stomach and baggy jeans, with hoop earrings in her ears. She danced with Taylor, and they watched Kate give Roger a lap dance.

When she saw Carl, she left her spot and approached him with a smile.

"Hey! Carl!" She called, her teeth visible in her smile.

Carl nodded curtly, acknowledging her presence, before returning his attention to Mason. When she realized she wasn't getting the attention she craved from Carl, she pouted angrily before putting her arms around him.

“Didn't you miss me today?” She asked, nuzzling him and basking in the warmth of his scent.

“I did.” Carl answered, his eyes still on Mason.

“If you do, you'd have made a move to hug me but you didn't.” She said with puckered lips.

“Come on. I'm in the middle of a conversation with Mason. Was hoping to see you afterwards.”

“Okay,” She said, running her fingers down his broad chest.

She pestered his forehead with kisses and for some reason, Carl didn't feel quite comfortable around her.

“Kiss me, baby.” She mumbled in his ears before grasping his jaw so he could turn to face her.

Her gaze settled on Carl's lips and without wasting much time, she captured his lips in a fiery and intense embrace. Carl also reciprocated, indulging in a passionate kiss, a torrid one with her, imagining that she was Amanda in front of him.

Mason watches them with a smirk on his face

He knew full well that Carl was only using her to satisfy his sexual urges and nothing more.

But to Jade, she wanted him all to herself.

Carl grasped her neck and deepened the kiss, as Amanda's face continued flashing in his mind.

Before Jade could slid her tongue in, he broke the kiss, his eyes growing wide.

“Carl—” Jade called, getting confused.

“I want to have a word with Mason.” Carl said.

“But we - we were still kissing.” She countered.

“Leave, Jade!” He growled, and she rolled her eyes before spinning around to leave.

When he locked eyes with her, she winked at him and licked her lips, a telltale sign that she enjoyed every bit of his kisses.

Carl smacked his head, while Mason took his hands away from his forehead.

“Is there something you want to tell me?” He asked.

“It's - it's Amanda. I can't stop thinking about her.. while I was kissing Jade, I actually imagined that it was Amanda. F**k!”

Carl spat, opening the bottle of whiskey and pouring himself some drink.

“Are you having feelings for her?” Mason asked with raised brows.

Before Carl could reply, Henry, their other friend, hurried towards them with his phone in his hands.

“Come look at this.” He said to Mason and Carl and they all directed their gazes at the phone's screen, their eyes flashing with curiosity.

Carl's eyes sprang wide when he watched the video that was played on the phone

It was a video of Adrian carrying Amanda in a bridal style at the hostel. So many ladies were around, drooling over him while Amanda had her arms wrapped around his neck.

Carl clenched his fist, his eyes glinting with jealousy.

“There are rumors that these two are dating. Woah! I'm surprised because I find it unbelievable! Adrian and the nerd?” Henry exclaimed, a smile plastered on his face.

Carl wasn't smiling, his mind was filled with various thoughts.

He wouldn't deny that he felt jealous seeing Amanda in Adrian's arms.

What if she develops feelings for Adrian who was his rival?

Mason looked up at Carl's Stony face and he could tell that he was jealous.

“Do you have feelings for Amanda?” Mason asked, his voice barely above a whisper.