Chapter 13 #2
“That might be so, but you handed it in for once, and the topic you chose was interesting. What made you choose it?”
“It’s not a big deal. I just figured no one else would do it. I’ll see you in History, Rory,” he said before turning and leaving the room, making Mr. Franklin sigh.
“I won’t lie and say I liked the idea of you being here when Josie first enrolled you, Miss Donovan, but I can admit you’ve been good for those boys. I’ve never seen any of them be passionate about an assignment before, let alone complete it on time or finish it at all.”
“They help me with mine sometimes,” I muttered, feeling awkward. “What was Jensen’s assignment about?”
“At least I know you didn’t write it for him,” he chuckled, starting to tidy his desk. “He chose to write on the history of homosexuality. I was quite impressed that he took it seriously.”
“No offense, but don’t all you rich people kind of think it’s wrong to not find a wife by eighteen and make an heir instantly?” I deadpanned, and he stared at me for a moment before shrugging.
“That would be the case for many. Family legacy is everything.”
“Not to you?”
“I have a family legacy, but I was raised by two fathers. I still managed a successful career and a good life without a woman present in my childhood,” he said, his voice sounding tired. “If you’re quite done being nosey, you're late for Biology, if I’m not mistaken. Aurora? Keep up the good work.”
Being praised by a teacher felt weird. I caught myself smiling and quickly scowled, heading from the room without another word as I made my way to my next class, finding Lukas already waiting for me by the science lab.
He looked nervous, but his face relaxed when he saw me walking towards him.
“I was about to come looking for you,” he stated, sliding an arm around my waist to pull me into his side, dropping a kiss on my lips.
“I got talking to Mr. Franklin. How are you? Sorry I haven’t checked in. Ty—”
“I know how he gets, it’s fine,” he said with a wave of his hand, leading me into the room.
We’d barely sat down when Lukas’ name was called over the speakers, making him sigh.
“Josie’s not playing fair.”
“What did she do?” I asked with a frown as he collected his things.
“Booked an appointment with the counselor. I skipped it and thought I got away with it,” he grumbled, pressing a kiss to my head. “I’ll see you at lunch.”
“If you need me, call. I’ll come find you,” I promised, earning a small smile before he left the room, just as Mrs Stuart started talking.
“In your pairs, you’ll be dissecting frogs today!”
The girls all made disgusted sounds of protest, while some of the guys high-fived and got excited. Relief hit me when I noticed I was the only person without a partner. I was much happier working alone anyway.
I got set up and was just prepping my frog when the door opened and Gunther walked in, Mrs Stuart giving him a warning glance for being late. “Excellent timing. Please join Aurora. She can fill you in on what you’re doing.”
I bit back a groan, Gunther’s eyes landing on me with annoyance. “I’d rather work with someone else.”
“Take your seat, Gunther,” she clipped out, starting to make her way around the room to make sure everyone was doing as they were told.
Gunther stalked over and shoulder-checked me on the way past, and I bit back my snide comment. If I started on him, I’d be the one getting in trouble, not him.
I ignored him, starting to make a cut up the center of the frog with the scalpel, snickering as I heard people gagging.
Not many had started, still grossed out by the frog itself, and Gunther scoffed as he eyed me. “Of course you’re in your element. You probably ate these things for dinner.”
“Not without garlic,” I deadpanned, almost cutting my damn finger when he gave me a small shove.
“Don’t get cocky, Donovan. You really think you’re safe here?” he asked, my eyes flicking around the room to find the teacher gone.
“I’m starting to think you like me since you won’t leave me alone.
We don’t have to talk, you know? I’ll do this and even write up the report if you just—” I stumbled as he shoved me harder, my foot slipping and making me wince as I went down.
My head smacked against the table and I dropped the scalpel, people laughing as they noticed.
I kicked my foot out as Gunther leaned down to grab me, clipping his cheek with my shoe and making him snarl.
“You’ll pay for that.” My knife was in my hand in seconds as I got to my feet, surprise hitting me as he knocked it to the ground and restrained me with ease.
“You might fight dirty, but you can’t assume us rich folk didn’t grow up learning self-defense and styles of martial arts. ”
“What the fuck is your problem?” I bit out, kicking him hard in the shin and using my whole body to try and escape. Between his size, his football training, and his apparent knowledge on self-defense, I was fucking stuck again though.
“Keep her still,” Gunther ordered as a handful of students took over holding me, my chest and face slammed down on the table a second later. Someone guarded the door, making it obvious this was a class activity now, and I glared at Gunther as he appeared on the other side of the table.
“What’s your plan, big guy? Want to kick me again?” I asked, my limbs relaxing so I could try and catch them off guard.
“I’d love to,” he chuckled, running his fingers through my hair and pulling slightly. “But it’s obvious you didn’t learn your place by that.”
Someone pressed against my ass and I tried hard not to think about it. It was a scare tactic, there was no way any of these guys would assault me in the middle of a crowded classroom.
It was really hard not to react when I noticed someone bring one of the gas burners over.
“Set her hair on fire,” one of the girls said with a giggle, but Gunther snorted.
“You think little miss Heights trash cares about her hair? She’s not you, idiot.”
“Shove the frog in her mouth,” someone else offered brightly.
“She’s used to eating those. With garlic, right, Donovan?” Gunther drawled, grabbing a pair of scissors and holding them over the flame.
I couldn't react. They could hurt me, but they’d only be satisfied if I reacted to it and showed fear or pain.
I blocked it all out, trying not to laugh at these assholes. The things I’d gone through were way worse than this. I could survive a rich kid's twisted playtime.
“Beg me not to,” he said in a low voice, glaring at me. “Beg and I’ll stop.”
“Fuck you,” I grinned, fury filling his face.
“Hold her tight.”
It was hard, but I didn’t flinch as the burning metal pressed against the back of my hand, keeping my breathing steady and my thoughts elsewhere. It had only been on there for a few seconds before someone said the teacher was coming, and everyone scattered like mice.
Gunther was the picture of innocence when she arrived, pausing when she looked at me.
I kept my hand hidden, acting like I was making notes about the frog, and she finally started moving around the room to check on others.
My hand was burning, I needed to put cold water on it, so I made an excuse about needing to go to the bathroom and left, starting to jog when I got into the hallway.
I hissed as I pushed open the bathroom door and the tender skin pulled, gritting my teeth as I shoved it under the tap and turned on the cold water.
It stung, and I glared at myself in the mirror, pissed off that I’d managed to let them get their hands on me again.
The door banged open and I jerked, having no time to hide it before Caden saw it.
“Show me.” His voice was calm but firm, giving me a second to process his words before he sighed. “Baby, show me. I saw a video, so don’t even try lying to me.”
I hesitated before holding my hand out to him, his fingers gentle as they took my hand in both his to inspect the burn.
“You saw a video?” I asked, his eyes flicking up to mine before dropping back to my hand.
“Yeah. One of the girls posted it in a group chat that most of the students are in. How long have they been doing shit like this for?”
“Usually, they just say dumb shit.”
“That fight you got in that bruised your ribs last week?” he asked bluntly, already knowing and just daring me to lie.
A sigh left me as I nodded. “Yeah. I don’t want you guys stepping in. It proves—”
“It proves you can’t take on a grown fucking quarterback by yourself when there’s a bunch of people holding you down,” he cut in, disapproval in his green eyes as he moved my hand back under the water. “Hell, you think any of us could take that on ourselves? You’re not weak for asking for backup.”
“You going to beat up the girls?” I asked dryly, making him smirk.
“I have zero issue with traumatizing the female population. If they want to fight dirty, then we will too.”
“I forget you’re a bully sometimes.”
“I’ll be whatever you need me to be.”
“Aw, you’ll be my personal monster?” I teased, and he leaned closer to slide an arm around me, his hand still holding mine under the water.
“Pretty sure that title is taken, but I don’t mind being his sidekick.”
I groaned, giving him a pleading look. “You can’t tell Skeet. He’ll show up and shoot people.”
“How do you know I won’t?” he huffed, burying his face in my neck to kiss me.
“You’ve probably never even held a gun, let alone learned to fire one, rich boy.”
He laughed, the sound vibrating through me. “You’re right, but one day I’ll learn. I’ll have to if I’m going to keep you fucking safe. You’re like a beacon for trouble.”
“Unlike you, I know how to use a gun,” I smiled, pulling my hand out from the water and turning the tap off. “Well, sort of. I can’t aim for shit. I should put something on this.”
“I’ll take you to the nurse.”
“Won’t they ask what happened?”
He eyed me, grabbing some paper towel and carefully patting my hand dry. “Just say you got burned in the lab.”
“Won’t I have to make an accident report?” I sighed, letting him lead me from the bathroom towards the office.
“Nah. They’d rather cover shit up here, not draw attention to it. Especially with you. Mom’s been down here raging enough lately,” he smirked, slinging his arm around my shoulders as we walked.
“Do the guys know? Luke—”
Gunther stormed past us holding a cloth to his nose, giving me a dirty look on his way past, and Jensen appeared from around the corner as he swaggered towards us, oozing his typical arrogant rich boy bullshit.
He stepped next to my other side and took my wrist to look at the burn, tsking. “Should’ve punched the prick harder.”
“You punched him?” I asked with amusement, and he rolled his eyes.
“Of course I did. Can’t wait to explain the whole situation to the headmaster.”
“Jense—”
“You’re not being a rat. Gunther will tell on himself. He promised me,” he grinned, keeping pace with us as he reached the main office.
Gunther was sitting in the nurse’s station already, Headmaster Ernest standing in the doorway as the nurse assessed him. The headmaster glanced at us, and I swore he muttered under his breath before turning to face us properly.
“Mr. Gilbert. My office.”
“Yes, Mr. Ernest,” Jensen said without hesitation, kissing my cheek and wandering into the headmaster's office.
Caden was glaring daggers at Gunther, who let out a growl before speaking. “It was my fault.”
“How was it your fault that someone punched you in the face?” the headmaster asked, sounding irritated by the conversation already.
“I attacked Rory, sir,” he mumbled, his eyes cast down.
“She looks fine to me,” he replied, and Caden scowled, grabbing my wrist to hold my hand up.
“He fucking burned her.”
“And almost cracked my head open on the table,” I muttered to myself, but Caden heard me and instantly started feeling my head for bumps.
“You hit your head?”
“I hit it all the time. I’m fine,” I said dryly, but he kept searching until he found the bump, parting my hair to look at it. “Not bleeding, right?”
“You could have—”
“If a concussion was going to take me out, it would have by now. Those are becoming a daily occurrence,” I joked, pulling back from him. “I’m fine, seriously.”
The headmaster asked to see my hand properly, so I reluctantly held it out for him to inspect, and I could see the panic turning in his head. If he made a report and police got involved, Gunther’s family would come after him for ruining his reputation. If he didn’t, Josie would.
“I don’t want him charged,” I said, ignoring Caden’s curse. “I want him out of Biology so I don’t have to see him.”
“You’re sure?” the headmaster asked slowly, glancing at Caden.
“I know, big surprise. The Heights girl hates cops,” I whisper-yelled, making Gunther scoff.
“You know—”
“Shut it or I’ll shatter your hand before your big shot football career has even started,” Caden bit out, and I chuckled.
“C’mon, Holloway. You’re getting me all excited.”
The headmaster cleared his throat, motioning to the seats outside his office. “You can wait there for Jensen once your hand is bandaged. He’ll be out in a minute. Might I suggest you have an early lunch to compose yourselves for the afternoon classes?”
“Permission to skip History? Sold,” I grinned. “I’ll be needing to skip PE and go to study hall instead too. Can’t do much with this hand.”
“I’ll let your teachers know,” he grumbled, heading into his office to handle Jensen and leaving us to our own devices.