“Hi there,” Banks said slowly, his deep voice hinting at a playful, lighthearted tone.
Then a fleeting memory surfaced; a time before Rowan McRae, when Banks caused my anxiety, like other boys who I’d had a crush on in the past. But the emergence of Rowan relegated Banks to the background, regardless of his efforts to stay in my sight.
Now he was here again. Like he always was.
Adjusting the books in my arms, I tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “Hey.”
“So…is it finally my turn to have some of your time, or am I out of luck?” he asked, his dark eyes almost hopeful.
Perhaps a relationship with Banks could last until college, or even beyond. Maybe he would marry me. From a home bound slave to achieving royal status. What could possibly be better? Well, Banks did say he wouldn’t end up as the king, though. There were a string of others before him. But I would be a princess, at minimum, I believed.
“Not today, Banks.” I shook my head, exhaling a soft laugh. “Not today.”
Not today. Maybe tomorrow. Because it usually took nothing for me to fall into a deep sea of infatuation again.
My rejection, though, caused a tiny flash of disappointment in his eyes. And I could I swear I saw a small clench in his sharp jaw. But it almost went unnoticed. He hummed in response, studying me for a few seconds, searching for a crack in my armour.
“Well,” he sighed, leaning off the locker and running a hand through his buzz cut. “Can’t say I wouldn’t try again, though.” Then he flashed me a charming smile and a wink.
I shook my head, unable to fight off the small, but genuine smile creeping up my lips. Then I watched him stride down the hallway until he disappeared behind a curve.
I fixed my headphones back on, music on this time, and began to walk to my class.
Fortunately, I was able to avoid further encounters. The hallway was nearly deserted. Though the atmosphere when I finally stood in front of my classroom was one I didn’t prepare for.
First, I was hit by the cruel sense of déjà vu as my eyes fell on Rowan’s desk. My breath stilled immediately. And no matter how hard I fought it, my gaze remained pinned on it, the image burning into my mind.
For a split second, I saw a piece of gum stuck under his desk, the memory fresh as though it happened a second ago–when I took out my gum to kiss him before any student could walk in.
I no longer had control over my mind as more memories kept slamming into me like flash photography.
I felt it, the brush of his fingers tracing circles. And he whispered, so low I barely heard it, ‘You’ll be okay. I promise.’
“Out of the way, man!” A hard bump against my shoulder jolted me back to reality. The boy that shoved past me barely spared me a glance, a wave of sandy blond hair disappearing into the crowd.
My blood turned to ice when I finally realised that the entire class was now looking at me.
Whispers.
Snickers.
Their eyes were like knives.
“Ignore,”the familiar voice in my head murmured,“this isn’t your first rodeo, anyway.”
“You guys are so mean,” someone said as I stood, looking at the mess on my table.
Crumpled sheets littered the top like discarded trash, while slur and derogatory words were scrawled across the surface in bold, ugly black marker.
Slut.
Whore.
Bitch.
How much to suck my dick, too?
My throat tightened at the familiar words I was seeing, the corners of my eyes itching, albeit my struggle to stay…okay.
