Hidden underneath the covers, our breathing pattern fell perfectly in sync. A silent heaving for air as we heard the stealthy footsteps gliding across the corridor.

“Is he gone?” I mouthed. Elio silently signalled for me to be quiet and began the treacherous journey towards the mouth of the room. Dropping to the floor a la James Bond, Elio sprawled out and began to, for lack of a better word, wriggle to ensure we weren’t being observed. I couldn’t help but stifle a laugh, his tall, skeleton like body looked almost comical against the mahogany hard wood flooring.

Swallowing the giggle, I motioned wildly towards the window. Elio seemed bewildered at my panic, his curly hair rustled as his head whipped round. I had seen a matron patrolling outside the camp. Admittedly, the rules were slightly childish but had been reinforced with the utmost care. There were to be no boys in the girls dormitory after eight in the evening, not even family. Full stop. Regrettably, Elio and I had been studying for Chemistry and ‘lost track of time.’ God I’m such an idiot, that’s the best excuse I could come up with? Either way, there he was, slumped behind my desk, attempting to conceal himself from any authority walking nearby. I had folded up my abnormally long limbs in order to fit inside a cupboard. Clearly I wasn’t thinking rationally, there was no need for me to hide, this was my dormitory. Time leisurely ticked by as an intense pins and needles took over my entire body. Finally, the hard faced matrons and ruthless dormitory guards receded and Elio gingerly emerged from the desk. I unfolded my body and collapsed onto the bed. Elio lay beside me, our fingers briefly making contact. At this point, I had the urge to burst into laughter, the situation seemed so absurd! Me, the most rule centred girl having a boy over after hours, not even for an interesting reason either! I erupted into silent guffaws as Elio sat up and gave me a quizzical look.

“Sorry—It’s just that,” I managed in between snickers.

“Maryam shut up! They’ll hear you…” Elio whisper shouted.

“It’s just I never anticipated I’d be breaking this rule out of all people! With you no less,” I explained quietly. Elio looked slightly taken aback but sheepishly brushed aside a loose hair.

“Well I’m sort of glad this is happening,” Elio mentioned under his breath.

“Wait what? Elio— what’s that supposed to mean? You’re happy to be revising chemistry with me?” I laughed at this unimaginable prospect.

“I’m not unhappy about it. I’m just sort of happy that we’re… here now,” Elio moved closer to me as he began to formulate his next words. On one hand I had absolutely no clue what he was getting at. Yet, on the other I knew exactly what I hoped he was getting at. That may sound slightly nonsensical and before I had a chance to process Elio continued.

“I get to stay here the night… with you, together and that’s something I’ve wanted to do— well one of the things,” Elio’s sentences seemed stumbled as he tripped over his words. Taking a chance, I began to move closer towards him. We were now a few centimetres apart. Moving towards his ear, I whispered

“What other things do you want to do with me,”

Looking back now, this sounds like an innocent middle school love, yet it felt… different.

Elio travelled the last few centimetres towards me as our faces collided in an act of love and sin.

Guilt washed across his face. I grimaced as he retreated to the other side of the bed. Clearly I was a horrendous kisser. Moving slowly towards him, I asked quietly.

“Was that ok? I mean I haven’t had practice and I’m sorry that’s probably the worst—“

Blubbering like a madman, Elio held my face in his hands and once again, we connected. Yet it didn’t feel complete. A feeling of wrong doing lingered in the air.

As the full moon shined bright, two long bodies can be seen from the window, colliding against each other, salvaging every ounce of love. Sinful skeleton sex.