Bodyguard: Ace Cain

|2| The Bodyguard

|The Bodyguard|

Tana and I would usually spend a few hours at the library after school. Although we would say it was for studying, the main purpose was gossip. Particularly following that lesson. Even just thinking about it bothered me. Call me crazy, but Mr. Cain had a personal grudge against me. He picked on me even though we did not know each other from a can of paint. There was more going on here. However, Tana did not seem to think so.

"This is the first time you have even met the man," she countered. "You want me to think he was out to get you?"

As we made our way to the front door, I rolled my eyes. "He was, I assure you. He didn't pick on anyone else."

Tana found the absurdity amusing. "Reign, come on." She was not buying it.

"Just wait, you're going to be proved wrong." I remain true to my narrative.

There was something he wanted to say, even if he was not aiming at me. I sensed something when our eyes met for the first time. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what it was, but I will find out eventually. Regardless of my location or travel distance, Mr. Cain will always surface in some way.

As we stepped outside, the rain was falling quite heavily. While Tana's parents waited for her to emerge, my dad was, of course, nowhere to be seen as usual. His tardiness was nothing out of the ordinary. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt today, but it was not looking good. I have never had the best relationship with my dad, especially in light of recent occurrences. But at the very least, he should have shown up.

I sighed as I looked through my phone and saw that he had not sent me a single text about canceling. I miss my mom even more because of things like that. She would not be running late, or even better, she would not abandon me. This was paradise.

Tana noticed that my dad was also absent when she turned to face me. "Do you need help getting home?" Her soft expression begged the question.

I smile impeccably at her. "No, it is not a problem. My dad is just a little bit behind schedule." I offer a justification.

Tana was more astute than that. "Reign, your dad frequently arrives late," she said. "My parents are happy to drop you off, and it is pouring rain."

"Seriously, I'm fine. I lied and said, "He will be here any minute now.

She did not want to ask me any more questions about it, even though she did not think I was telling the truth. "Okay, when you get home, call me, okay?"

I give her a quick hug and nod before she heads off with her parents. I am left here waiting for my father to arrive while the sound of thunder reverberates through my ears, should he ever do so. It was a good thing the entrance had a little roof over it to keep me dry. It was still very windy and quite cold, though. In five minutes, if he did not show up, I would have to get ready to walk. My dad's as trustworthy as a crook, so hopefully he will not leave me hanging here.

Fortunately, some faculty members were still present at the school. Even though it was not the person I wanted to see, it would do. Perhaps if I am lucky, he will explain his reasons for picking on me. When all was said and done, he was there to save my bacon for the evening. Had Mr. Cain not shown up, I would have been drenched.

Mr. Cain rolled down his window to meet my gaze as he pulled up in front of me. He looked over at me, this strange smile resting on his face. But there was nothing to be afraid of. He was just trying to be kind.

"Are you stuck?" His tone was slightly amused as he asked me.

I crossed my arms over my chest and rolled my eyes. "Yes," I firmly said.

Mr. Cain continued to smirk. "I can give you a ride, you know." He recommended.

That made me apprehensive, but I did not really have a choice. "Are you certain you have permission to do that?" I pondered.

I was a student, and he was a teacher. Should someone witness me entering his vehicle, they might interpret it incorrectly. Other than a straightforward ride, nothing was happening here. He cannot be implicated in that by anyone. Still, there was a risk. And anyway, how would my dad feel about me getting out of a teacher's car? He would probably be pretty angry. In this instance, he should've picked me up himself like he was supposed to.

He laughed and opened the door, not caring if it was appropriate or not. "Where are you located?" That was all he asked for.

Though it did not seem like my dad would be there, I bit my lip nervously to get in. "About ten minutes away." I hastily entered.

With a smile on his face, he slowly pulled the car out. "And you were whining about that?"

"I was whining because you work as a teacher," I shot back, smirking at him in the process. "Anyway, how old are you?"

I was unable to resist asking. He did not seem old enough to be a teacher. More so to a group of seniors in high school. Is he not supposed to be teaching first grade or something? Considering how young he was, that seemed more like his speed. At Arbor High, we were accustomed to more senior instructors, though. Among the faculty, Mr. Cain had to be the youngest. Why would he want to accept a job like this?

I had a ton of questions, and he did not seem to want to address any of them. He couldn't fault me for being curious. None of us expected him to come through that door. Perhaps I should not have been so critical, but my curiosity outweighed my judgment. You never know; he might have selected this position for a variety of reasons. All people must find a way to make money.

"Is my age significant?" He questioned. "That is a personal question, Ms. Helix."

I let out a groan. "Please stop with this, Ms. Stuff," I begged. "School is not in session. Reign is just fine."

Mr. Cain laughed once more. "It would be impolite of me to disregard protocol," he protested.

"In the same way that it is impolite of you to ignore inquiries," I chuckled.

He was somewhat perplexed by that before realizing what game I was playing. To my surprise, he answered without giving me a lecture. "I am 21, if you must know."

As soon as I hear him say that, my eyes pop out of my head. He began teaching at the age of 21. He ought to be attending college or something. This guy hardly knew any more than us, really. And here he was, imparting knowledge of art history. Perhaps even more, if we are fortunate. Given his age, how was it expected that we would take him seriously? Were they attempting to change things or make a point?

Either way, it was a significant achievement for him to be able to do what he did. It seemed inappropriate to refer to Mr. Cain as such because of his young age. Mr. Cain. He would probably allow us to address him by his first name if he were cooler. However, I do not think the school would accept that. I could not help but wonder why he decided to become a teacher. He could have done so much more, but he decided to become a teacher instead. Something that pays less than it ought to. He must've had a part-time job.

I laughed, shocked. "There is no way," I said, not willing to accept it.

He nods his head. "It's true. Would you like to see my ID? He inquired.

"No, it is just shocking," A giggle escaped my lips. "What brings you here to teach? At Arbor, that is."

Mr. Cain gave a small laugh and backed into my driveway. "Well, you will discover the truth in due course." He was really enigmatic.

I gave him a squinted look. What could he possibly mean? I'll find out. His pre-existing attractiveness did not help either. I don't want him to be attractive and mysterious. My curiosity about him will only grow as a result of that. I should exercise caution when making wishes, though. Regretfully, despite his air of mystery, his presence here would no longer be kept under wraps. There was only a single reason why Mr. Cain was here.

It felt strange that he would turn off his car. I approached my door and tried not to think twice about it. When I take out my key and open it, my father is waiting for me. He nodded at my entry, wearing his best suit, and his hair slicked back. My dad never waited for me to arrive at the door. I was astonished to discover that there appeared to be more going on.

"Well, you two made it," my dad boasted.

Mr. Cain is still trailing behind me as I stared at him, bewildered. "What do you mean both?" The strangeness of things only increased.

My father instantly sighed upon seeing my face. "Now, try not to get too worked up over it—it is just temporary." He warned me in advance.

That was ineffective, though. "What in the world is happening?" I inquired right away.

"Reign, meet Ace Cain, your new bodyguard." He gestured toward Mr. Cain.

I looked at him, perplexed by what was happening. Once, my teacher, Mr. Cain, expected me to think of him as a bodyguard. None of this was making sense, and I didn't understand why I needed a bodyguard for everything. Nevertheless, it did explain why he appeared to be rooting for me at school today. It is likely that he was already aware of his responsibilities. And yet, here I was, in complete darkness.

I laugh and shake my head, sick of surprises from my dad. At the very least, he could have alerted me to what was about to happen. Once more, I was caught off guard. This time, at least, it was for my safety rather than my mother vanishing completely. I assume that is the reason he initially got me a bodyguard. If he had not made so many enemies, we would not be in this situation.

I let out a sigh; I had to fight hard not to lose it. "Is that the reason you abandoned me here?" Afterward, I focused on Mr. Cain. "And you—you were aware of this!"

"Let us not rush things," my dad added. "Ace will be by your side every step of the way due to recent events."

My eyes rolled. "I have other classes where he's not welcomed," I mentioned.

That was irrelevant, though. "In the unlikely event of an emergency, he will be near enough to reach you." My dad replied.

"You had the opportunity to inquire if this was my desire," I retorted.

When my dad came to hug me, he laughed. "I am an adult here, and you would have just said no." He planted a kiss on my head. "It is only temporary, as I mentioned. Your disappearance is not something I need."

I was even more hurt by that because my mother was still missing. No sign of her could be found anywhere. How she could be here one day and gone the next baffles me. Other than saying he was working on it, my father would not give me any more details. It will soon be two months since she disappeared. I felt that he was not working quickly enough. By this point, anything could have happened to her.

Even so, I found it difficult to approach him with further questions. There would inevitably be repercussions for the life my father led. Regretfully, there would occasionally be fatal consequences of those actions. But my mother was a strong lady. If she could not take it, she never would have gotten married to my father. It is me who finds all of this nonsense questionable. Will a solution ever come along?

Introductions were void because my father needed me to be at an event in an hour. Naturally, Ace, also known as Mr. Cain, would be joining me. It did not feel good at all, like the freedom I used to have was being taken away from me. That said, how were we going to deal with him serving as both my bodyguard and my teacher? It must have taken some maneuvering on my father's part to get him hired by the school. There is no other rational explanation.

"Please put on your finest attire, and Ace will be joining you for the event." Saying that, my father left through the door.

I was not given the opportunity to object or ask questions. He departed with such abruptness because he knew that I would. I merely groaned and made my way to my room to get ready. Tana would be ecstatic to hear that our teacher doubled as my bodyguard in addition to being hot. My gorgeous bodyguard.