22.
1612 Words
CHAPTER 22
RINI POV
Oh Suzie, I didn’t know what a friend I had in her until now. The texts started casual but increasingly got more worried, more frantic.
The last one read.
Please tell me you’re ok. You’re bodyguards aren’t giving me much to go on and I feel sick about leaving you. I know you prefer to keep things pretty surface level but I love you. You’re my best friend, please just tell me they haven’t eaten you.
Another one pinged before I could even consider a response.
Unless you want them to eat you? ;) seriously, text me back, Lyall might actually follow through on his threats and lock me in a cage if I send him one more message.
It was so embarrassing to admit but I had never used a phone before, was pretty inexperienced with most technology so I was really clumsy and stilted, trying to write back.
“Just say you’re fine,” Lyall snapped when he noticed me struggling. “It’s not rocket science.”
Rafe growled softly but if was Ralph who spoke up.
“Chill out, yeah? She’s never used a phone before, she’s not going to get it right away.”
A swear the scent I caught from Lyall was somehow shame but that was crazy right? That he would actually feel shame was crazy enough but for me to smell it? Yeah, maybe I did hit my head super hard.
I clumsily typed out a message telling Suzie that I was ok and I loved her too and then turned my phone over so no one could see her replies if they started to get saucy.
A rough hand taking mine surprised me so much I actually jumped.
“Shh little Rabbit,” Rafe murmured, his thumb stroking my skin soothingly. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
I felt awkward as all hell holding Rafe’s hand, not only because Ralph and Lyall were in the front but because I had never held anyone’s hand before and I was keenly aware that my palms were clammy.
“How’s your arm?” Rafe asked softly. “We’ve spent so much time focusing on your cut feet and bumped head i feel bad I haven’t been checking your burnt hand.”
I smiled at him tentatively. “It’s actually feeling fine, so there’s nothing for you to feel bad about.”
“Oh I can think of a few things,” he muttered, causing Ralph to scoff.
It was crazy how much faster it was to school when I wasn’t walking. It felt like I had only just sat in the car and yet now we were pulling in to the street that the school was on.
I didn’t need everyone’s eyes on me again like yesterday and I was almost certain one of the mean girls were going to take my crutches from me today, but one problem at a time.
“Just drop me here,” I said, trying to lean over Rafe to grab the crutches.
He wasn’t letting me though, using his thighs to push me and the crutches away from each other.
Ralph glanced over his shoulder, raising a single eyebrow at me. “Must we do this again?”
“Look, don’t you just want to go back to normal?” I asked, pulling my hand away from Rafe’s. “Well, that can start right now. You can absolve yourselves of any guilt, you got me to school safely and without any injury. Let me out and you can go back to pretending I don’t exist, I won’t tell anyone you were nice to me and I definitely won’t speak to you outside of asking if your food needs more seasoning.”
Lyall smacked the dash board. “Stop speaking.”
“If you let me out I will!” I argued.
The car suddenly veered to the side and stopped suddenly, knocking me right into Rafe who covered me protectively with his body.
“She’s got a f*****g head injury!” Rafe yelled at his twin. “What the f**k!”
I glanced past Rafe’s body to see we were parked on the side of the road, right near the school’s entrance but not quite on school grounds.
“Ok,” Ralph said. “Get out then.”
Rafe let out a snarl but I ignored that and scrambled to open the door. If Rafe wouldn’t give me my crutches I would limp around all day just fine, anything would be better than their overwhelming presence.
I pushed down the pain and ensured none of it showed on my face as I limped around the car, by the time I got to the other door to grab my crutches, Ralph was already there holding them out to me.
“Thank you,” I said with a small smile, taking them from him.
“No problems,” he replied and gestured for me to go on.
I arranged the crutches as comfortably as I could and then began my trek to the entrance, the best thing about being driven is that even if I was moving at a glacial pace, I was already so ahead of time that I knew I wouldn’t be late.
Avoiding Melinda today was going to be the real challenge. She had never liked me, had always gone out of her way to make sure I knew that I was lesser, that I was ugly, that no one would ever choose me. I don’t even know what I’d done do earn that hatred, the terror trio never advocated for kindness towards me but they lower themselves to having females do their tormenting for them.
No, Melinda’s hatred was all her own and after yesterday? I knew it was about to level up.
I was so caught up in my own thoughts I hadn’t realised that I wasn’t alone. No, Ralph was walking beside me, Rafe behind me (no doubt to catch me if I fell) and Lyall was now driving the car but following at a snail’s pace.
You have got to be kidding me.
I stopped suddenly and glared at Ralph.
“What are you doing?”
He shrugged. “You said you wanted to get out, you never said you had to do it alone.”
Arrogant, pushy, annoying male!
“You knew I meant alone,” I said coldly.
He smirked. “Oh? I’m a mind reader now?”
“I don’t need a goddamn security detail! Get back in the car with Lyall and leave me alone.”
“Nope.” He popped the P and smirked at me again. “Shall we go and get your books? Or were you planning on showing up unprepared?”
Goddamn it. He had me there.
“Once I get my books will you leave me alone?” I asked through clenched teeth.
A smile tugged at the side of his mouth. “Until your next class.”
Oh for f***s sake.
“Rini!” Suzie’s relieved squeak saved Ralph from my acidic reply.
A moment later a warm, small body slammed into me. If Rafe hadn’t been behind me to absorb the impact I would have for sure fallen over.
I would not thank him.
“Sorry, sorry!” Suzie helped steady me once more and gave me a once over. “Wow, look at you! Fits even better than I thought.”
I blushed and offered a shy smile. “Thanks for this.”
Suzie waved my thanks away. “Don’t even, if I thought you would have accepted, I would have done it ages ago.”
I sighed. “I wasn’t really given a choice.”
Suzie nodded. “Yeah I got that loud and clear. And your little escort?”
I glared at Ralph and then Rafe. “Also not my choice.”
She sighed and allowed a minuscule nod behind her. “Tell me about it.”
I looked behind her to see Silas leaning against his car, eyes trained solely on Suzie.
Huh. What an interesting development. We would have to discuss this later.
When Silas noticed my attention he gave an exaggerated wave and grinned.
Honestly, of the four of them, he seemed the best of the bunch.
“You could do worse little mouse,” Ralph sneered.
“Hard to imagine you could ever do better,” she fired back indicating me before moving to my side and effectively dismissing him.
I gave him a sharp look that clearly told him he was not to hurt my only friend. His lips curled up in distaste but I thought I saw a hint of a nod.
“So, how are you really?” She asked, eyes filled with concern. “You looked, like, half dead yesterday.”
I winced. “Yeah, sorry. One of those ‘looks worse than it is’ kinda situations.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Rini, you could be a breath away from meeting the Goddess herself and still insist you were as fit as a fiddle, excuse me if I don’t find your answer reassuring.”
I heard both Ralph and Rafe snigger but I ignored them.
“I’m feeling much better, I promise. Just want to meet back to normal.”
Suzie laughed without humour. “Fat chance of that happening my friend, when has male attention ever been our normal?”
“What’s with Silas anyway?” I asked.
Suzie refused to glance his way. “Who?”
Silas’s eyes flashed in challenge but he smiled as he pushed off from his car, trailing behind us.
- Writer
