My Step Guardian

Dominion

After first period, Mina guided me down the hallway.

And then I saw them. Near the back — those same three boys from the shoreline. The ones who had bullied Uncle Phil. My stomach sank. What were they doing here?

And there he was. Uncle Phil. Calm, unshaken, standing like nothing could touch him. The bullies moved closer, their usual swagger on display — but something in their eyes said they remembered me too.

I stepped forward, voice low but firm. “Back off.”

They froze, exchanging glances before stepping aside. I turned to Uncle Phil, my tone softening. “We’ll talk later,” I said before heading out to find my ride.

The rest of the day passed in a haze. Vivian’s every move seemed brighter, sharper — the way she explained answers to questions, the way her laughter rippled through the class, even the casual tilt of her head when she smiled. It hit me then — she wasn’t just popular. She was magnetic.

And I was already caught in her pull.

By the time the final bell rang, I felt like I’d just walked through a storm I didn’t know I was in. I left Forest High with my backpack slung carelessly over one shoulder, the late-afternoon sun casting long shadows on the estate streets. Vivian had ditched me again, so I made my own way home.

As I walked, my mind drifted. Mina had been the perfect guide — showing me the registrar’s office, introducing me to the principal, even sharing bits about Vivian’s parents. Her late mother had owned multiple companies. Her father had founded the school itself. Suddenly, Vivian’s quiet confidence made so much sense.

I was still turning that over when I almost collided with a group of older boys loitering near the estate fountain. The same ones from the shoreline. From school. Did these guys ever rest?

And there was another boy standing with them — younger, neatly dressed, looking as polished as Uncle Phil, only shorter.

The boys noticed me, grins spreading across their faces.

“Well, well,” one of them drawled. “What do we have here?”

Before I could second-guess myself, I stepped forward. “Back off. Not again.”

For a beat, no one moved. Then recognition flickered in one of their eyes. “Wait… you’re Benjamin, right?”

Just like that, the tension broke. Their bravado dissolved into awkward silence, then they melted away, leaving the younger boy behind. He gave me a small nod — silent gratitude — and I felt a quiet flicker of pride.

By the time I reached home, the sun had dipped low, bathing the estate gates in gold. The fountain shimmered as I slipped inside, letting my backpack drop to the floor.

Silence.

“Hello?” I called.

No answer. Then — footsteps. Rapid, light. Vivian.

She appeared in the doorway, hair still damp, tied up in a messy bun. A white bathrobe clung to her casually, like she’d just stepped out of a commercial. My pulse jumped.

“Benjamin,” she said, scrolling through her phone like nothing was out of place.

I cleared my throat. “I… didn’t expect you—”

Vivian smirked. “Relax. You look like you just saw a ghost.”

Only then did I notice how quiet the house was. Dad had traveled again. Aunty Funke was gone too. For the first time, the house felt truly empty — too big, too quiet, every sound amplified.

Vivian strolled past me and flopped onto the sofa, stretching like she owned the place. I stood there, frozen, caught between leaving and… staying.

Her presence filled the space. The way she sat there, completely unbothered, made the air hum with tension.

I let out a slow breath and sat across from her, pretending to be calm. But the truth? She was all I could think about. Not Mina. Not school. Just Vivian.

Later, after dinner, I found myself on the balcony. The estate was quiet, crickets buzzing somewhere in the dark. I thought about Forest High, the swirl of new faces, Mina’s sly smile… and Vivian.

I liked her. Not just the way she looked — though, God, she was beautiful — but the way she carried herself. The way she laughed. The way she made every space hers without even trying.

Mina might still be a mystery, but Vivian was my gravity.

I leaned against the railing, the night air cooled against my face. Tomorrow would mean another day at Forest High, another day watching Vivian glide through the halls like she owned them.

And deep down, I knew I wouldn’t mind making a fool of myself — as long as I got to watch her do it.

The next morning, the first bell had barely rung when I found myself in the school’s massive sports hall with the other boys, waiting for P.E. The coach’s whistle shrieked like glass splitting, pulling me back to reality. The teacher, a tall, imposing man with a whistle that could probably shatter glass, cleared his throat.