Chapter 36 #2
Agreeing to be with Noah again felt like agreeing to jump off a cliff without checking my parachute first. I cared too deeply for him. He meant too much. And if we didn’t work out again, I wasn’t sure I’d survive the fall.
I’d also spent a lot of my trip home thinking about William Hastings.
After the fire, I was scared about what he was capable of and what he might do next.
I found myself worrying about my mom, about Noah and my dad, about everyone who was close to me.
William was still searching for a way to force my father and Noah to give him the company back, or punish them for taking it, and I was terrified of finding out how far he might go to achieve either outcome.
It was dinnertime when we returned, and I went to the dining hall to meet up with my friends. When Anna and Cress saw me across the room, the two girls launched from their seats and rushed over to hug me.
The three of us stayed bundled in that hug for nearly a minute, and when they finally let go of me, I was surprised to find their eyes were glistening with tears.
“I can’t believe we nearly lost you, Isobel,” Cress said.
“It’s so good to have you back,” Anna agreed before they hugged me close again.
I smiled at their enthusiasm. “A fire didn’t kill me, but a hug from the two of you just might. I can’t breathe, you guys.”
They laughed and let go of me but seemed reluctant to stray too far. They kept close to my side as we walked over to our usual table. We’d talked a lot over the break, so we’d already covered what had happened back in Rapid Bay. But, even so, they still seemed to be reeling from it.
They had lots of questions for me, and we talked quietly about them as we ate our dinner. When they suddenly fell silent, I looked up to find Wes and Sawyer taking their seats at our table.
I’d had so much on my mind today I’d hardly considered what it would be like to see Wes again for the first time. He gave me a gentle smile, and though he didn’t take his usual seat next to me, he didn’t seem apprehensive about talking to me.
“I’m really happy you’re okay, Isobel,” he said.
“Yeah, Grace, you gave us all a scare,” Sawyer agreed. “We’re so glad you weren’t hurt.”
“Thanks, you guys.” I gave them both a smile. “How was your break?”
Luckily, the twins took the hint I didn’t want to talk about what I’d been through, and Sawyer launched into a play-by-play of the Montfort family Christmas.
I looked down at my plate of food as he talked, but I wasn’t that hungry.
I was exhausted and stressed, and food just didn’t hold any appeal to me right now.
I sat back and listened as my friends chatted away, trying to relax as they smiled and laughed about their holidays.
I didn’t really feel up to much conversation, so after a few minutes, I excused myself from the table and told them I was heading back to my room.
I started toward the exit and was surprised when Wes jogged after me.
“Hey, can I walk you back?” he asked.
“Sure.”
Wes was silent as he wandered by my side. He didn’t speak until we got outside. “I just wanted to check on you. Make sure you’re okay.”
I smiled up at him. “I’m okay.” Wes was always so thoughtful—even now when we weren’t together anymore. “And thank you for the flowers you sent. They were beautiful.”
“That was the least I could do,” he said. “I feel like an idiot. I broke up with you because I couldn’t handle my jealousy, and then the next day, you nearly died in a fire.”
There were other students passing us on the main path we walked down, so I took him by the elbow and guided him to the edge of the courtyard and past the hedges to one of the small gardens that lay beyond.
It was dark here, but at least there weren’t other students about.
It felt like we needed a little more privacy for this conversation.
“Wes, you don’t need to feel like an idiot. You didn’t cause the fire, and you were right about ending our relationship. We weren’t working.”
“Yeah, I know.” He sighed. “I just don’t want things to be weird between us. You’re one of my closest friends.”
“They might be weird for a little while,” I admitted. “I’m not sure how they can’t be. But maybe if we can both accept the weirdness and agree to work on our friendship, we’ll get there in the end.”
He slowly started to smile. “With talk like that, you’re going to make me fall for you all over again.”
I laughed and shoved my shoulder into his.
My phone started to ring, and when I saw an incoming call from Matthew, I glanced up at Wes. “I should probably take this; it’s my dad. He might be calling about my mom.”
“Of course,” he said. “I’ll leave you to it.”
We smiled at each other as I lifted the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“There’s footage of William,” Matthew said, a grave tone to his voice.
“What?”
Wes hadn’t gone far, and he stopped and turned back when he heard the alarm in my voice.
“The police have contacted us,” Matthew said. “A store across the road from the café has CCTV footage of William on the street just before the fire started. He’s wanted for questioning.”
“Oh my God.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m at school.”
“But where?”
The increasing panic in Matthew’s voice was worrying. “I just left the dining hall, and I’m walking to the girls’ dorm with Wes.”
Wes started back to me. “What’s going on?” he said, but I just shook my head. I barely knew myself.
“I want you to go back to the dining hall,” Matthew ordered. “Stay with Wes.”
I shot Wes a worried look. “Matthew, you’re really freaking me out here.”
“I had eyes on William, but he’s disappeared,” he replied. “I’m sure it’s nothing, but I don’t want to take the risk.”
I suddenly regretted pulling Wes away from the brightly lit courtyard.
No one could see us because we were behind one of the hedges, and it was much darker here.
The chances of William coming into the school weren’t high, but I suddenly started looking at the bushes surrounding us like he might jump out of them.
“Go back to where it’s crowded and there are teachers,” Matthew said. “Stay there until I call you back. I’m going to call Noah to come find you, and I’ve got security outside the school. They’re coming in now.”
“Okay, I…” My voice trailed off, and I lowered the phone from my ear as I looked behind Wes. My father’s men were going to be too late because William Hastings was already on the school grounds, and he was standing right across from me.