Chapter 4
Walking through the halls on Monday morning was the nightmare I expected, I feel like fresh meat waiting on a pack of lions to devour me, between avoiding Silas because the last thing I wanted to deal with is my over-obnoxious stepbrother, the obvious sneers and whispers from the other students, are nothing when I compare the humiliation of Cranford taken it upon himself to be my tour guide this morning.
Any chance I had of blending in was gone. Insisting on giving me the grand tour Cranford is unaware of the turmoil I’ll be facing later.
Being the headmaster he says it’s his duty to welcome new students. Somehow I think I'm the exception. He’s oblivious to the current stares shadowing us. I doubt I’m going to last a month here let alone an entire school year.
I feel like prey being hunted as everyone stops and stares .
I’m sure the rumor mill is in full swing right now, I never wanted this, I was happy with my old life, but right now the whispers are too much. I’m not like these trust fund babies the way they look down at me with their elite snobbish expressions they judge me, yet they have no clue who I am.
Nervous energy skitters down my spine as I take in the interior of the school. Something about it seems oddly familiar but I’ve never been inside these walls so I know it’s just my nerves playing with my mind.
After Silas’ warning alarms bells ring in my ears knowing I might be in danger here. At least from him.
I try to ignore the stares of my fellow students as titters of laughter float through the halls behind us. They’re curious, it’s understandable. Do they know who I am?
I can practically feel the cocky airness that alludes from the other students screaming at me.
You don’t belong here.
“I want to remind you of our mantra here at Monarch Prep Tenley.” Cranford states pulling me from my inner turmoil as we continue to walk.
Huh?
“At Monarch prep we thrive for greatness, we achieve what we are born to and without greatness we fail. To be a true Monarch is a reward.” he finishes.
I can't help but stare at him, wondering if the words that just came from him are actually real.
“Don’t worry if you forget, it’s on repeat throughout the day.” Cranford responds.
Okay then. I almost want to roll my eyes. Is he serious? No wonder everyone here seems like they have a stick up their ass.
Cranford leads me to a locker, stopping before he turns.
“These lockers can be tricky sometimes but here's your code.” he smiles, placing a piece of my paper in my hand. “Your class schedule is inside and I expect you to behave in the manner in which our students excel. Make your Mom proud”
Holding back a scoff because I want to tell Cranford to ‘look around’ because I highly doubt any of these spoiled brats excel at anything, except wasting Mom and Dads money and being judgy assholes, but I bite my tongue and nod at Cranford.
I should totally concern myself with the situation I'd found myself in but here I was being a good girl and following orders.
“I know it’s difficult starting mid year but I know you’ll excel here and make me proud.”
He nods giving me a gentle pat on the shoulder before he turns walking away leaving me completely alone in the midst of the stares.
I focus on the paper Cranford gave me and try my best to unlock my locker, Cranford is right this thing is tricky. I'm fiddling with the lock when someone rams into me, catching me off guard. I stumble forward, hitting my side before catching myself on the bank of lockers. “Ow.” I murmurs softly.
I turn to see who ran into me, it’s a girl. Her ice-blue eyes glare in my direction as she eyes me with disgust.
“Oh, sorry.” she says her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Bitch. My inner voice screams.
“Can you move?” she snaps as her friends join her, each eyeing me with a look of disgust.
Before I get a word out she snips. “You don’t belong here.”
I try to get a witty rebuttal out or at worst a ‘fuck you’ but before I can she turns on her heels and walks away.
Her friend's laughter follows behind them as they saunter off.
Wow, what a bitch.
Getting my locker undone I grab what I need and then
I swiftly turn and walk as fast as I can to class, hating that I've already been here five minutes and I hate this place.
Great start to the day Tenley.
I feel like I’ve been thrown into a scene of The Mean Girls .
I shouldn’t care what these people think, they’re just spoiled rich kids thriving off Daddy’s money.
This place is massive, I feel like I’ve gone past the same classroom three times. Am I lost? How do I find my way around?
I spin in a circle and turn my head looking around at the extravagant decor.
Well damn this place is fancy.
Is this actually a school?
I try my best to read the class schedule, and map and not trip over my own two feet but I lose my balance and collapse in a heap on the floor, my books and papers flying out in front of me.
Laughter echoes around me as I pray for the floor to swallow whole, god I’m so clumsy.
Holding back tears, I blink a few times. Just breathe, just breathe.
My skin crawls as my humiliation takes over, please let this day be over already.
“Are you on your knees for me, Trouble?” I gulp as the deep husky voice fills my ears.
Lifting my head, my gaze collides with stormy dark gray eyes that I almost get lost in. For a moment I’m taken aback by the stranger as he drops his hand asking for mine.
After the way I’ve been treated this morning I’m cautious of giving him my hand.
Slowly I lift it placing it in his, he wraps his fingers around my palm helping me to my feet.
His hand is warm, inviting even. It’s not lost on me how perfectly our hands fit together.
He doesn’t let go of my hand just holds it in place between us.
My body starts to tingle the feel of his hand relaxing me.
I catch sight of a ring in the shape of a skull on his thumb.
His eyes alight with amusement when I stare up at him. He’s tall, taller than me, standing at least six-four towering over my five feet two frame.
His uniform is disheveled like he just rolled out of bed, his blondish-brown hair is a mess like he hadn’t bothered to brush it before leaving the house this morning.
His jaw is carved from stone with an edge that is far too perfect for him.
His tongue darts out playing with a lip ring that for some reason suits him.
I wouldn’t think a school like Monarch Prep would allow piercings but that almost seems tame when I catch sight of the ink that hides behind his collar.
The kind stranger towers over me, making me once again feel small.
Broad shoulders and ripples of muscles fit snugly into his shirt. Which clings to his body.
My eyes wander his frame, when I suck in a breath, tobacco and coconut engulf me.
It’s comforting. His smell seems familiar but I can’t place where it’s from.
His lips part before he smiles down at me. “Do you always stare, Trouble?” he asks, lifting the corner of his mouth with a slight smirk.
“I-I’m sorry.” I murmur feeling ashamed he caught me staring.
Suddenly his gaze darkens and he takes a step toward me.
“If I were you, trouble, I'd keep your head down.” he says before he brushes past me and as fast as he came in, he’s gone.
The first nice person to me and he is gone before I even got his name. I have a very strange feeling that I know him or at least his voice is familiar. I brush off that feeling and head to my first class.
Finally finding my room, I enter my first class of the day.
All eyes are on me as I make my way to find a seat, whispers begin the moment I begin to move toward the back where I can see the only empty seat.
My eyes meet the guy sitting next to the vacant seat, I startle for a moment at his striking appearance.
Jesus, are all the guys at Monarch gorgeous?
There must be something in the water here.
His God-like chiseled face is devilishly handsome, he stares at me while his thin lips smile arrogantly like he knows my thoughts and exactly how handsome he is.
His blonde hair hangs down over his piercing blue eyes, his tie hangs loosely around his neck, and his lips turn up grinning at me like he’s amused by me.
Those eyes seem so familiar? Where have I seen them?
That’s not what has me in enthral, the tattoo that spreads across his skin and runs down his neck is, wow. I can’t focus on anything but the way it covers his skin. I can’t tell what is from here but it’s oddly beautiful.
He’s playing with a knife in his lap. Why does he have that?
My gaze wanders to the sharp object in his hand wondering why he has that in class.
A sudden tremor leaves my body and I take him in again. I notice
he has a slight scar along the edge of his chin, it looks old, and suddenly I want to escape the room and him.
He smiles, the crooked grin affecting me more than it should.
As if reading my mind he slips his fingers through his hair, making sure to flex his bicep as he does, winking at me with a little more show than necessary.
His jacket hangs loosely over the back of his chair; the deep green style jacket we’re forced to wear doesn’t seem to be on his radar at all.
The bad boy persona he reflexes is firing from him in waves, the effect having more control over me than it should.
What is it about pretty boys that has girls like me spinning?
Gesturing for me to take the seat beside him, he nods to the empty seat, before pushing it out with his foot, letting it slide across the hardwood floor making enough noise to gain the attention of everyone in the classroom.
Whispers start at the front of the room and I'm almost certain I hear the words. ‘She can’t sit next to him.’
Somewhere within these walls I’m positive secrets are being kept hidden, who is this guy and why does he seem so important?
Knowing I can’t back out and definitely can’t walk back down the front I slide into the empty seat, placing my books on the table in front of us.
“There, there, I'm not so scary.” The guy bites, letting out a dark chuckle as I sink into the seat. Butterflies fill my stomach, sending waves of nausea rippling through me.
I’m not so sure about that.
I gulp, beginning to sweat knowing that maybe, just maybe this guy is scary after all.
I can see him studying me out of the corner of my eye, tilting his head one way then the other, like he’s trying to figure me out or simply he’s enthralled by me.
I almost let out a huff, as if a guy like him would be into a girl like me.
His gaze focuses on me, drifting across my body before he pulls his lip between his teeth. My body flushes with heat, his stare is boring through me making my body heat with a tingling sensation of desire.
Suddenly I feel like I'm completely exposed to him, until the teacher at the front speaks, pulling my focus from the guy.
“Alright, we will continue from yesterday but before we do I’d like to welcome our new student Tenley.” he gestures for me to stand and now I have every set of eyes on me not just one.
I swallow down the rogue emotions currently bubbling to the surface as I follow his direction feeling awkward as I stand.
Internally groaning, I give a little awkward wave to everyone and take my seat again not waiting for any further instructions.
“Right. Pull out your books.” The teacher continues turning to write something on the board while I open my book.
The handsome seat partner leans toward me.
I’m hit with a mixture of oak and ciderwood as he does.
“I see it now.” he says beside me, twirling his knife as he does.
Snapping my head in his direction and my forehead crickles. “Excuse me?”
“Why you have him so worked up?” He teases me.
“Who?” I reply with confusion .
“Silas,” he replies.
My expression twists, my eyebrows draw together as I think, why did he just say Silas? Why did he say I have him worked up? How much does he know?
“Don’t believe everything he tells you.” I say, trying to play him off.
“He told me you taste good but if I shouldn’t believe him, I’ll have to find out for myself,” he replies back, his eyes twinkling with amusement while he chuckles to himself. His tongue darts out wetting his lips, and for some reason I find myself following it as it does.
What has Silas told him? He must know about Silas and my bathroom incident. Which means Silas and this guy are close. Way to go Tenley . I bury myself deeper into my seat and wish this day would come to an end.
I try my best to ignore my seat partner but I can feel him staring at me. I glance in his direction and I see those eyes, they burn with an intensity of heat I could feel without a single touch from him, it’s as if I can tell what he is thinking. All of his depriving thoughts.
Thoughts of things he would do to my body, if only given the chance. But he doesn’t seem like the type that waits for his chance, he seems like he takes what he wants and right now that is me.
What have I got myself into?