Chapter Eighteen #2
I finish doing my tie, grab my Knox backpack, and Elsie and I leave my room. I hope Elsie is wrong and they’re not bugging my room, but she’s right, I won’t find out shit if I don’t forgive them or at least make them believe they are forgiven.
Two steps out the door, a young guy dressed in a suit steps out in front of me.
The suit isn’t expensive, but fits his huge frame to perfection.
My eyes roam his body and I lick my lips when I take in his face.
I’m graced with a smirk, beneath his aviators he obviously caught me checking him out.
His dirty blonde hair is styled nicely, and I wonder what his eyes look like beneath his sunglasses.
“Hello, Miss Rossi. I’m Jasper and I have been sent as your protection.”
“Hello to you too, Jasper. I really think this is going to be a lot of fun having you around.”
I glance at Elsie and her mouth is gaping like a fish. She’s speechless, but when I catch her eye she mouths “wow” at me. I stifle a giggle.
“Shall we get you to class? Master Branson has requested I stay with you until Frost takes over for the night shift.”
Master? I snort, nodding at Jasper. Damn Baxter must have money. I knew his family were well off, but he really hated following me around so much he paid two other people to do it for him? Jasper trails me.
When we get to class, I expect him to wait outside, but he doesn’t.
He stands inside the door like a robot and doesn’t talk or move.
The pattern continues all day, and stares and whispers follow me wherever I go.
I don’t see Baxter or any of the Knox brothers, which is a small mercy I guess.
I don’t know what they’ll think of my new chaperone.
Last class of the day is music. I’m expecting the teacher to start the class with us singing the duets she set as she plans to have us do this for the next few weeks. It still makes me nervous to have to sing in front of everyone, even more so with things so strained between Slate and I.
Walking into class, I see Slate tuning his guitar. His eyes find mine and he notices Jasper over my shoulder.
“Excuse me, sir, you can’t be in here.” Our music teacher Miss Alba is a tiny woman, yet she squares up to Jasper who is built like a wall. A damn sexy wall. If I hadn’t just gotten my itch scratched by Kalen, Jasper would be a wall I wouldn’t mind climbing.
“With all due respect, Ma’am, I have a shoot to kill order on anyone who tries to hurt my client. Since those she is most at risk from are the students here at Knox Academy, I will politely decline to leave. You’re welcome to take the matter up with her stepfather, Principal Knox.”
Her face goes red and she huffs and walks away.
“Nice job,” I tell him. He nods in response and takes up his position in the corner of the room.
“A bodyguard? That’s a bit excessive,” Slate says, coming to stand by my side.
“That’s what happens when Baxter gets left in charge of my safety. Meet Jasper. I also have a Frost coming whom I’ve yet to meet. Apparently, Baxter has better things to do than babysit me. He is Batman after all.”
“Whatever. Let’s run through the song one last time before we are called on to perform. And make sure you’re at the school gates at seven sharp tonight, we take this training seriously.”
“Why do you need me? You all know with me on your team you’ll lose. I’m not enthusiastic about exercise.”
“With Onyx training us, trust me, you’ll be fine. It’s easier to do what the moody asshole says than have him riding your ass harder than needed.”
Slate takes a seat on a stool, picking up his guitar once again. His longer hair now falls in his face when he looks down to strum a few chords. My fingers itch to brush it back out of his eyes, but I don’t know why.
We sing the way we practiced yesterday, and in those few minutes, everything fades away: everything he has done; everything I have done; the music is all that matters.
Overwhelmed by the lyrics, a tear rolls down my face.
Slate stands, removing his guitar as I sing, takes his hand and slides it down the side of my face, his thumb wiping away the tear.
As the song finishes he whispers, “I’m sorry,” placing his forehead against mine. A round of applause breaks out in the classroom and we break apart. Miss Alba is jumping up and down clapping. Other students join her.
“That is what happens when you nail the tasks I set,” she cries excitedly.
“No, that’s what happens when you’re fucking,” a girl I don’t know seethes. She takes a threatening step towards me. “You should never have come back, whore.”
“Jealous?” I scoff. “You’ve been here, what, three years? And I bet no Knox has even looked your way.” An idea pops into my head. “Slate and I may be in a fight right now, but he’s mine.” Slate smiles and I know my plan is working.
“That’s enough, girls!” Miss Alba suddenly steps in with a sharp clap of her hands. “Amelie, while everyone else performs, you can think of a theme for the next lesson.”
Slate pulls me away from everyone.
“Did you mean that?”
“I did,” I admit. “I don’t know how to forgive you, but that doesn’t mean I want other girls to have you.”
“I’m so sorr…”
“Don’t, excuses are weak, and that word means less than nothing to me. Actions speak louder than words. You all want forgiveness, maybe it’s time to consult with your brothers and see what truths you can tell. I know you’re hiding something.”
With that, I go and stand next to Jasper and mock his stance.
“Can I wear your sunglasses?”
“No.”
“Fine. I’ll get my own and we can be twinsies.” I laugh at the face he pulls. “Got you.”
After everyone finishes their duets, Miss Alba looks my way expectantly. Shit! I was supposed to be thinking of a theme and not teasing my new bodyguard.
“So what will next week's theme be, Amelie?” she asks. I stand and stare at her while someone coughs Aussie slag.
“Australian artists,” I say, giving the girl who called me a slag a pointed look that says ‘in your face’. I doubt any of these wannabes can wing the next lesson.
“Good choice. I want to mix it up, so each person in the duet will pick a song to sing to the other person. Something that relates to them, but it must be by an Australian artist. You have until Friday to have it ready, but I suggest you get to know your partners a little better first, so that you can choose an appropriate song.”
Most of the students groan, they probably don’t know a great deal about each other beyond their names.
I love Australian music. Smalls and Aadi may always listen to R&B and though I love it, my guilty pleasure is pumping some Guy Sebastian.
Which I blame Chelsea for. She has a sick obsession with singing shows, and although I didn’t watch the year he won because I was only about four years old, she loves him so much that I was sucked down a rabbit hole of Australian talent thanks to her.
I can’t wait to see what song Slate chooses, this will give me a good idea about how he feels.
All I need to do is find the perfect song to draw him back in and make him believe all is good.
Every single one of them is lying to me, I can feel it in my bones, and where I come from there is a saying: keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
That shouldn’t be hard, all I need to do is keep my feelings in check.
I liked them all a lot, and those feelings still linger deep down inside.
But I plan to shove them down even deeper and keep them hidden.
Kalen will be my Achilles’ heel. He was almost my undoing when I left, and I have a gut feeling he will be again.