Her eyes meet mine in the side mirror and she quickly turns around.
A grin curves on my mouth.
“Sorry…I…”
“I’d like it if you kiss me like that again.” It’s a terrible,terribleidea because now I’m hard.
“You liked it?”
I nod. “A whole fucking lot.”
“I learned that from you.”
I smirk. “I can teach you other things.”
She blushes. “Okay.”
Yeah. I won’t survive this girl.
I’m in a lot of trouble.
___________________
The momentwe get out of the car, everyone stares at us. We’ve been the breaking news since yesterday and I hoped that the attention would go low, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
I come around the front of my car and stand next to Hope who looks at every face that’s staring back at her with so many questions and much judgement. She looks like she wants to crumble to dust rather than enter the school and take classes The waves of anxiety radiate off her and infuse into me, making me feel every single thing that she’s feeling.
I send a glare to everyone. A few cower and avert their gazes, but some stare back at me with the same confusion and question: are you really dating her? I narrow my eyes, shooting a clear threat of declaration of war if any of them come near and talk to my girl.
I stand in front of Hope, blocking her line of vision like a shield.
The rays of sun hit my back and the thin black sweatshirt I’m wearing itches. But that thought fades away when I look at Hope who looks breathtaking under my shade. The sunlight doesn’t get to her and she stays tucked in the shadows, exactly where she likes to be.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
She nods. “I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?” I narrow my eyes purposefully.
She breaks. “Everyone is staring. They know about us and what happened on the weekend.”
I clench my teeth together. “You don’t need to worry about any of it. If someone says something, tell me and I’ll take care of them.”
“Take care of them as in beat them?”
I don’t utter a reply because we both know it would be a lie. I will use my fists to silence anyone who tries to hurt her by their words. It’s fucking enough that she endures abuse at home.
Instead, I grab her hand and lace our fingers together. Giving a squeeze, I say, “Let’s go inside.”
Our walk to her classroom looks like straight out of a movie. Everyone stops and watches us in bewilderment. I send a glare at them but it doesn’t work. The whispers and looks continue.
Rose has a different class which annoys me. I don’t want to let go of her so soon.
We stand near the assigned classroom and look at each other.
A minute passes and I make no move to leave.
Hope gives my hand a squeeze and slowly pulls away her fingers, one at a time. “I’ll be fine?—”
