I nodded and sat up.
He looked around the room and then sat at the foot of the bed. “Jordan said you showered.”
“Yeah.”
He cleared his throat and looked at me with regret. “I was thinking we could consider a different dog.”
I shook my head.
“I know someone who has some cute German shepherd puppies that are nine weeks old and ready to go to a new home. There is a boy puppy and a girl puppy available, and they’re really cute. We could get both.”
I loved dogs, and I was so tempted to bring a new little puppy into my life, but then I thought of Bandit out there somewhere, alone and feeling betrayed. I couldn’t stand the thought of actively replacing him.
“I want Bandit, or no dog.”
He looked nonplussed. “I don’t know how to fix this.”
“Thank you.” I held back my tears. “But you can’t, and that’s okay.”
He looked frustrated. “What can I do?”
“Is Anton okay?”
“He’s worried about you. So is Oleg.”
“I’ll be okay.”
But I didn’t know if I was saying that to make him feel better or if I really meant it.
On day four,I needed to get up and get back to school or I wouldn’t be able to pass the semester.
Tanya and Selena met with me at study hall with concerned looks on their faces.
“Sorry, but you look like shit,” Selena told me bluntly.
I wanted to tell them everything, but I would have to skip over so many details that I wasn’t sure my story would make sense. “I had a bad migraine.”
“Girl,” Tanya peered at me, “my dad used to get those. They are the worst.”
“I’m okay now.”
They caught me up on my notes and helped me with an assignment, and then I insisted on buying us all lunch while Oleg trailed closely behind, not even trying to blend in with the environment.
While we sat waiting for our food, Selena motioned to him. “You cool with the fact that some massive dude is following you around like a shadow?”
I grimaced. “He works for Axel. He’s my security.”
Both of them looked stunned. “Security? As in you have your own James Bond working for you?”
I shrugged, not wanting to get into it. I had fought over it with Axel this morning when he informed me that Oleg would sit outside all of my classrooms. “It was Axel’s idea.”
They both exchanged looks.
Selena looked amused. “We figured your situationship was loaded after the birthday event. But security? That’s next level.”
“Yeah. What are you doing here with us poor kids when you could have your own tutor?”
I looked around. This place was one of the only normal things in my life. “I love it here because you guys are here.”
