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“Gas,” I blurt, not wanting him to know I was jealous over something that didn’t happen. Wait. Did I just…? His snicker tells me I did. Play it cool. You can save this. “Did you understand what Mr. Horner was saying in class today about it?” That was close, but I did it. Yay me!
“I did,” he confirms, which has me calling him a nerd for getting it.
Austin laughs, a sound I’ve come to love, then tells me to grab my text and he’ll help me. It’s unnecessary as I’ve already completed the assignment, and I believe nailed it, but I’m not admitting that. This is part of my cover story and I need to follow through with it. Plus, more time with Austin isn’t exactly a hardship.
I like him as a friend, but there’s more, too. At least on my part. He hasn’t done anything aside from the wall-capade, as I refer to it. For all I know, that was a one-off or he regrets it. Which would be worse? Both equally suck. So, I’ll accept what I can have and hope he doesn’t give the other pieces to somebody else.
That just might break me.
**Austin**
She’s adorable. I mean, I know I look at her through Willa-colored glasses, it’s a thing, but she is. She’s so…real. Willa is who she is and makes no excuses about it. She might wish some things were different, especially in regards to her situation at school, but she isn’t willing to compromise to get them.
I’ve learned that Willa values two things, family and honesty. I don’t have the first, though my co-workers have become one, and I’d love to make my own with her at some point. The last, however, I grimace at the realization I just might lose her when she discovers I’m lying about who I am. Not at my core, she’s getting to know the true me, but thereasonI’m here.
I doubt anything I say will be able to make up for that. Even the fact that after I’d seen her picture, if Anders would’ve assigned this to any of the other guys, I would’ve beat their ass, rendering them unable to do their job.
Anders saved us all the trouble by handpicking me for it. Of course, I might be facing a different, more dangerous, kind because I’m deceiving her.
I can only hope she’ll forgive me.
Chapter Three
Willa
April 30th…
I stifle a yawn as Austin stands near my locker while I put away the books I don’t need and shove those I do in my backpack. The texts are increasing, the pictures becoming more disturbing, as are the messages accompanying them. I hated showing them to my dad – there are just some things you don’t want to read in regards to your daughter, but I did. What followed was an awkward conversation because of their content, as well as a phone call to Torren and Clover’s boss, Mr. McKay, to update him on the new developments. I wasn’t privy to both sides of that discussion, of course, but dad seemed appeased by whatever the man said. Dad doesn’t take my safety, nor my mom’s, lightly, so if the precautions were enough to satisfy his protectiveness, then I have to trust I’m in good hands.
“You coming tonight?” Harrison asks Austin, startling me a bit as I didn’t even hear or see him approaching. From the corner of my eye, I see Austin’s head swivel toward me, expression full of concern. I wave it off, not ready to explain what just happened. He watches me a second longer, ensuring I’m okay, before turning to Harrison.
Whereas I’ve attended school with these kids from freshman year up to the present and have maybe a handful I’ll willingly talk to, he’s managed to make quite a few friends within two weeks. Of course, it helps that he’s not only smart, but athletic, too.
The nerds and jocks both like him, giving him twice the cool power. You’d think that wouldn’t be the case considering how different the two are, yet it is. It’s as if each has no problem sharing him and have worked out a mutually beneficial custody agreement. Scientists need to study this phenomenon and discover his secrets to see if they can help others achieve this type of success. Hell, I bet hordes of teenagers would offer themselves as test subjects.
Austin sends another glance my way, and though I’m not sure why, I shrug, figuring it’s as good an answer as anything. “Yeah,” Austin says, “we’ll be there.”
I wait until Harrison gives Austin the chin tilt boys think makes them seem more mature before leaving, then I hiss, “We’ll be where now?” His gaze somehow stays locked on mine while scanning the area around us at the same time. It shouldn’t be possible, but again, like the nerd/jock Austin fan club, it is. He’s tried to bring me into them before, and has, just expecting them to accept that I’m there, acting as if it’s not a big deal. Because to him, it isn’t. He’s there, therefore, I should be, too. That’s that in Austin’s world. And apparently what Austin wants, he gets. While there are some who still side-eye my inclusion, the majority have welcomed me. Maybe peopleing isn’t so bad if you choose the right ones to do it with. However, school chillin’ is not the same as doing it on our own time. Which is what this sounds like it’s going to be. “Austin,” I mumble, “I’m not so sure about this.”
“When have I ever steered you wrong?”
“You told me the answer was A on last night’s homework when it was C like I said it was. You convinced me to get the strawberry milkshake when I wanted chocolate and I definitely regretted that.” I watch him grimace at that reminder. Who knew you could develop allergies almost two decades into your life? Austin felt so bad when I’d texted him, letting him know my dad had to take me to the ER where I was injected with an Epi-Pen. We’re talking hives…in my throat. It was not pleasant nor pretty. It took me two days to recover, and Austin helped by keeping me company via text. He’d offered to come to the house, wanting to take care of me, and that meant a lot to me as he’d declined any invitations up to that point.
Not wanting him to see me in that state, I’d told him it was unnecessary, assuring him I was okay and healing. I was a self-proclaimed mess and I wanted to keep that contained. What he did do was send me the modern world’s equivalent of gift baskets via delivery companies. I might’ve kept a napkin from each as a souvenir of his thoughtfulness, which is only for me to know.
He holds up his hands in surrender, conceding defeat. Of course, I let him forfeit graciously, as I laugh out loud in victory, and perhaps do a little dance to go along with it. Austin takes it in stride, not caring that I’m being silly nor teasing him. In fact, I rather think he enjoys it.
Which is why I agree to go wherever he already said we were, though I still don’t know the answer to where exactly. But if I’m with Austin, do I really care?
**Austin**
I know she might hate me when the truth comes out, and I can’t say I’d blame her, but is it wrong that I want to help her experience things prior to that? Even if she never wants to see me again when she learns I’ve been tasked with protecting her, she’ll have memories of being with me. Of what it felt like to be treasured,loved, by me. I might not get a chance to say the words to her, but I’m damn well showing her.
When Harrison first mentioned a group outing – bowling and pizza – my initial instinct had been to decline, but I’d reconsidered, figuring it was a good opportunity to let the others start to see the real her. Harrison is a good kid and seems to be concerned with legitimate things – a high GPA, graduating, going to college, etc. – instead of who is wearing what or which classmates are dating. I think he, like Willa and so many others with mature interests, are lost in the shuffle of those who are more vocal, the attention seekers.
Some students are truly all about wanting eyes on them whenever they can accomplish it while another crew, for instance a few of the jocks, are perceived to be that way and allow it to make high school easier on them. I can’t fault them for that, though it is a bit of a deception.
Like I can talk, I scoff at myself. Even prefacing it by saying it’s to keep my charges safe doesn’t change the reality that at times I’m instructed to lie in order to do so. While it’s a legitimate reason, and necessary in some situations, I doubt that’ll absolve me in Willa’s eyes when the truth is revealed. And I know it will be. Whether it’s by me coming clean or something else, it always comes out.
