beyond the Bar

chapter 5

Rose (POB)

I exclaimed, jumping off the bed, "Oh no, I have to go!" I was running late for a lecture, and my school was quite far. I glanced at Irish, who was stretching his arms and gazing at me with sleepy eyes. I hastily grabbed something to cover myself, well aware of the look in his eyes.

The sun was already high, and I knew my friends were waiting for me at the hotel. We had booked a room for 3 days, as our school was located far from Altlas, requiring a 5-hour train journey. However, as teenagers, we were eager to explore and didn't mind the distance.

Irish looked at me with a confused expression and asked, "What do you think you're doing?" I responded a bit curtly, wondering if he didn't realize I was a student. But then, I remembered I had misrepresented my age and used a fake ID, so perhaps it was understandable.

I smiled awkwardly and said, "I need to go to work, I'm running late." Irish simply smiled and checked his watch, showing me the time.

I exclaimed, "Oh no!" again, frantically searching for my phone. I checked the couch, but it was nowhere to be found. I returned to Irish, my voice laced with panic, "Did you see my phone?" He raised an eyebrow, and I suddenly remembered leaving it with Ivy, one of my friends. I was now cut off from the world.

Frustration boiled over, and I growled, running my hand through my hair. My aunt's strict rules loomed over me – books came before boys and pleasure. If she discovered I'd skipped a lecture, I'd face serious consequences.

I turned to Irish, forcing a smile, "Can I borrow your phone? I need to call my boss." Amusement danced on his face, and he replied with a fake smile, "I don't have a phone, Miss Rosa. Tell me, where do you work? Is your boss that strict?"

I stammered, hesitant to reveal my true identity as a student. He'd likely judge me, not wanting to get entangled with a young girl like me. "Yes, he's strict," I said, trying to convince him. "He'll fire me. Please, can you get me a phone?"

Irish looked at me, a sly smile spreading, "It's 3:30 PM, Miss Rosa. What excuse will you give? That you skipped work for me? Don't worry; if he fires you, I'll employ you. Go back to sleep; we'll eat later. I'm tired, so I'm sleeping. Don't disturb me."

His husky voice sent a shiver down my spine. Panic set in – my friends would worry, and if they didn't hear from me, they'd contact my aunt or cause a scene at the bar, knowing I'd spent the night with him.

Overwhelmed, I blurted out, "I'm a student! I need to go to university!"