Breaking the Ice

Chapter Thirty-One: Avoiding the Inevitable

Anna's POV

Two weeks later.......

The bell signaling the end of the lecture draws me out of my reviere as everyone bustles out of the classroom to head for the cafeteria for lunch. I take my time to gather up my things and then slowly push to my feet, stopping short when Mrs Saltzman walks up to me at the door.

"How are you doing Anna?" she asked gently, her face a mask of worry as a small smile curved her lips.

"I'm fine. Just tired I guess," I responded almost automatically as I've been for the past few days since I was discharged from the hospital.

Mrs Saltzman patted my shoulder gently before motioning for me to go ahead and leave. I nod slightly and then exit the classroom, only to freeze just outside the door when a familiar pair of sneakers come into my line of vision. Refusing to lift my gaze, I turn quickly to head down the hall.

As I walk briskly towards the exit, I don't even bother turning to see if I'm being followed because I know I am. The sound of sneakers squeaking against the terrazzo floor has my heart almost hammering as I pick up the pace. I push through the double doors and shield my eyes with my palm as the blazing sun hits me. I stop just at the quad and try to figure out if I should take the risk of having lunch or if to hightail it straight to the library.

"You're not skipping lunch again," Marcus's low baritone voice whispered in my ear, causing me to jump.

Warm fingers clasp my upper arms to hold me steady as I hear whispered voices coming from the people walking by us. I literally yank myself out of his hold and turned to face him.

"Don't you have your own school to be at? I know the shared training sessions ended last week," I asked, allowing my eyes to take a fleeting look at his handsome face. Those blue eyes were so intense I almost drowned in them. My fingers itched for me to reach out and touch his forehead where his overgrown hair was dancing over his eyebrows.

"You're avoiding me," Marcus said solemnly.

"Yeah, well, that's no excuse to stalk somebody," I shot back, and regretted it instantly when I saw the hurt flash in his eyes.

Not waiting for him to respond, I turned on my heel again and made my way to the cafeteria as my stomach let out a loud noise of defiance. As the cool air from the AC hit my face, I took another deep breath before heading straight to a random line, not taking the time to figure out which line was for what. When I got to the counter, I cursed mentally when the array of salads and fruits welcomed me.

"I always thought you were a bacon cheeseburger type of girl, Anna," I heard behind me and I almost let out a sigh of relief when I turned to see Liam standing behind me. My eye automatically glanced behind him towards the door, and he let out a chuckle.

"Marcus got stopped by his fiancé and her sisters at the quad," Liam said, and then let out a laugh when my face contorted into one of disgust. "Seriously Anna, you need to cut the guy some slack. I know that you know that he doesn't care about beachtown Barbie."

I roll my eyes at Liam and then made a beeline for the pasta station. He follows me to a table and as I stab my fork into the creamy pasta, the chairs on either side of me pull out. I drop my fork onto my plate and turn to confront the person on my right when I'm suddenly engulfed in a hug.

"I miss you so much," Peter breathes out as he holds me tight.

"Liar," I joked as I hugged him back.

"I do too! I miss you like I would miss a chocolate milk shake at the café!" Peter declared loudly before holding me at arms length. "Damian misses you too," he nodded his head behind me and I turned just in time to see Damian shaking his head in denial.

"We both know who you really miss, right D?" I chided him and his cheeks blushed bright red before he roughly pulled his hoodie up over his head to block us out.

Pushing my point forward, Peter nudged me in the ribs and asked, "How is dear Courtney? We haven't seen her since you took a leave of absence from the figure skating gig."

"She's actually meeting me here later if you guys want to...."

"They don't have that much time to waste," a high-pitched voice answered behind Peter, and the change in his expression spoke volumes.

Bella and her sisters stood side by side decked out in their coach's outfits, rueful sneers pulling at the corners of their overly-botoxed lips. Peter spun around in his seat, ready to give them a fitting reply when he suddenly stopped short. The hushed whispers died down to reverent silence as Richard McKay made his presence known. Peter and Damian shot to their feet as Marcus walked up behind him, two very roguish looking bodyguards in black clothing standing too close for comfort.

"Dad, what are you..." Damian started asking but with the lift of a single finger, Damian and Peter were suddenly swarmed by two other pairs of guards dressed in black.

"Dad, what the hell are you doing now?" Peter asked as he attempted to shake off the withholding hands of the guards.

Mr McKay merely ignored his son and made a point of staring directly at me. "I'm doing what I should have done years ago. I'm being your parent and keeping you safe."

Marcus shoved at the men beside him just as Damian and Peter were doing the same, but their father ignored them, his eyes still on me. "I believe we have an understanding?"

"We do," I responded, not breaking eye contact.

Marcus and his brothers began to protest as a victorious smile pulled across Richard McKay's face. He turned to leave, followed by the Ramsey sisters, who looked nothing short of satisfied. As they walked away, I watched as Marcus, Damian and Peter looked back at me, their faces trying to tell me that they would fight this and then something inside me clicked.

Pushing my chair back, I shot to my feet as I splayed my hands on the table in front of me.

"I just hope you would be just as understanding of me!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

Mr McKay and his entourage stopped in their tracks, turning to look back at me. I walked around a shell-shocked Liam, who was standing and looking at me like I poked the freaking dragon.

I closed the distance between us and stopped a mere foot away. Marcus, Damian and Peter were watching me closely while still being restrained.

"Excuse me, young lady?" Mr McKay asked as he shot a hand to his side, stopping Bella from launching into a high-pitched tirade.

"You heard me. You asked me to understand what you're doing is because you want to keep your sons safe, correct?" I stood my ground as I watched Richard McKay take in a calming breath.

"Did you hear me stutter?" he shot back.

"Good. Then I hope you'll be just as accommodating to me," I said calmly, folding my hands across my chest.

Mr McKay let out a laugh that bordered on slightly manic. "And what would I need to accommodate?"

"The inevitable scenario that you're avoiding, of course," I breathed out, my eyes wandering to Marcus.

"Young lady, I don't know what nonsense you're talking about, but I can tell you that there is no scenario that will change..." Mr McKay began saying until I closed the distance between Marcus and me, cupping his face and pulling him down to me.

"I'm going to fight for us," I whispered before my lips touched his and the cafeteria erupted into a chaotic confusion.

Yup. I'm poking the damn dragon.