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William chuckles, jerking his thumb toward the door. “I’ll get you some lunch while you change.” But he doesn’t move, studying my wide eyes intently. His voice is soft as he says, “I’m not leaving you, Irelynn. I’ll have the food brought to us, okay?”
Relief fills my body, causing my taut muscles to relax. “Thank you. For everything.”
His stare is incredulous, but then a tentative smile builds as his shock transforms to surprise, then happiness. “You’re welcome.” He turns, leaves the restroom, and shuts the door behind him.
When I emerge from the restroom, I look like a new person. The uniform fits me perfectly. I washed my tear-streaked face and fixed my hair, looking presentable again. William’s jacket hangs over my arm, and my smile is wide as I hand it to him. “Thank you for letting me borrow this. And for getting me clean clothing to wear.”
He looks awestruck before he nods. “You’re welcome, blondie. It’s no problem at all.” He takes his jacket and then my hand, leading me toward an empty classroom. I gasp when I see the lavish spread on the desk, a linen tablecloth covering it. A single rose in a vase in the center.
“How did you manage this?” My gaze moves from the Cesar salad to the mouth-watering chicken fettuccine alfredo, then to the basket of garlic bread.
His lips curl up into a slight smirk. “I have connections.” Pulling the chair out for me, he gestures for me to sit.
“This is so kind of you. But you didn’t need to go to all this trouble.”
He moves to the chair across from me, settling into it. “You’re worth it.” He winks at me, then gestures to the food in front of me. “You better eat so I can get you to class on time. Unless you wanna skip this afternoon?”
I pick up my fork, grinning. “No way. I’ll get in trouble. My last name isn’t Anderson.”
He chuckles, leaning back in his chair. “It could be.”
Pausing, I stare at him, unease running down my spine as I shift awkwardly in my chair.
He stares at me intently, then chuckles, crossing one leg over his knee. “It’s a joke, Goldilocks.”
I laugh, but a slight shiver courses through my body, my scalp prickling. He seemed quite serious when he said it. The look in his eyes… it didn’t appear he was joking.
I’ll be sixteen in December and there’s no way I’m thinking about marriage. And William is only seventeen years old. Plus, we aren’t even dating.
Pushing the thought aside, I chew a bite of food as William makes conversation, talking to me about classes. He tells me some funny stories about his sophomore year, putting me at ease and making me laugh.
Once I’m finished, he comes over, pulling my chair out for me. I stand hesitantly, looking at the dirty dishes and the linen tablecloth covering the desk. “Shouldn’t we clean this up?”
He places his hand on my back, steering me toward the door. “It’ll be taken care of. Don’t worry about it.”
Shrugging, as I step into the hallway behind him, I allow him to take my hand, still unfamiliar with this part of the school. I thought he’d release my fingers once we descended the stairs to the first floor, but he doesn’t.
When we arrive at my classroom door, he surprises me by stepping inside. “Where do you sit?”
I point and he walks me there, shooting glares at every student in the room. A hush descends as students stare at us, then drop their gazes, some literally shaking in their seats.
He lets go of my hand, then says, “I’ll be back for you when class ends.” Kissing my cheek, he walks away, throwing me a wink over his shoulder.
Sliding into my seat, I’m awash in a sea of confusion. While I appreciate him looking out for me, this seems to be going a little too far.
As soon as the bell rings, William strolls into my classroom, a smile on his face. He heads to my desk, leaning against it as I put my materials in my backpack and slide it over my shoulders. I take in his relaxed posture, the way he owns a room, his cold gaze surveying the students surrounding him. Despite his relaxed posture, power radiates from him.
“William, you really don’t have to do this,” I protest.
“Nonsense. It’s no trouble at all.” He pulls his hand from behind his back, a rose in his hands. I’m too stunned to do anything but watch as he places it in my palm, closing my fingers around it. My eyes move to the rose I’m holding, then to his face.
“What is this for?”
His smile widens. “Just for being you.” He leans closer, the intensity on his face causing my gut to clench, uneasiness swirling through me. “You are a rare gem, Irelynn.”
I blink at him as he pulls out his phone, gazing at the time. “We better go if you plan to get to class on time.”
As he walks beside me through the hallway, people part around us, giving us a wide berth, looking from William to me. They nod respectfully at me, meeting my gaze quickly, then dropping theirs, as though I’m suddenly accepted as part of the student body. My status has been elevated because of him.
