𝓐𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓬

🩺

"Dr. Reed, please walk Mr. Thorne and Mr. Hall to the exit, will you?" Mr. Benson said, glancing at me.

I looked up from my file. "Me?"

"Yes."

I nodded despite every bone in my body revolting the idea. Could this day get any more tiresome? I closed the file with more force than necessary and stood up from my chair.

"Right." I muttered, biting my lower lip.

Mr. Benson gave me a smile that looked suspiciously relieved, like he had just successfully diffused a bomb. Don't tell me he was intimidated by him. Coward.

Chairs scraped against the floor as everyone stood. Mr. Hall gathered the files neatly under his arm while Mr. Thorne adjusted the cuffs of his black coat with unhurried precision.

Every movement he made looked deliberate.

Annoyingly deliberate.

I stepped toward the door first and pulled it open. "This way." I said.

I walked beside them with a noticeable distance between us. The silence was loud, or maybe it was just me. Arthur, at least, had the decency to look mildly uncomfortable.

While he... his expression was unreadable. Though, he looked anything but uncomfortable.

We reached the elevator, and I waited for them to enter before entering and pressing the button. The elevator door closed, leaving us trapped in the enclosed space.

"You wear glasses now?"

My spine stiffened as I turned my head towards Mr. Thorne at the sound his velvety voice. "Yes," I gave a brief nod before turning away.

Mr. Thorne's gaze remained fixed at my side, expression—again—unreadable. "Why?" He asked bluntly.

"For headaches." I answered politely even though it was none of his business.

But I knew I was the smaller fish in this pond.

"Severe?"

I pressed my lips together. "No, Mr. Thorne."

"Did you see a doctor?" It was Mr. Hall, who spoke this time.

"I'm a doctor myself, Mr. Hall."

"Oh, quit it. You know you can call me Arthur." He said, tone light.

"I'd rather not overstep the professional boundaries."

"Alaric—"

"It's Dr. Reed." I cut him off.

Arthur looked surprised like he hadn't expected my words, my tone, or just simply me.

Too bad, I've finally grown a spine. High school was over. Past chapters were closed. Locked. Key thrown in a ditch.

The elevator door opened, and I stepped out first, waiting for them to step out before I faced them.

I forced a polite curve of my lips. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Throne and Mr. Hall." I said my goodbye.

There. My job was done.

"Uh, sure, Al—Dr. Reed." Arthur responded with an awkward chuckle.

Mr. Thorne didn't say anything, just forwarded his hand towards me. I stared at it, then back at him. Confused. He nodded towards it, prompting me to shake it.

My brows dipped. I contemplated leaving it hanging, but that'd be unethical. I lifted my hand and gave it a brief shake, expecting him to let go when I opened my palm in his grip.

He didn't.

Instead, he squeezed my hand gently, thumb caressing my skin.

My hardened eyes snapped back towards his face. "Mr. Thorne," I gritted out. "My hand."

He didn't say anything. His eyes stayed fixed on my face. Staring. Studying. Did he even hear what I said? Arthur nudged him as I freed my hand forcefully.

"I won't tolerate this misconduct again." I said, voice firm, before storming away.

Bloody wanker thinks he can waltz back into my life and I'll start crawling.

In. His. Fucking. Dreams.

⋆ ───⊱☽❁☾⊰─── ⋆

I groaned, hiding my face in the couch pillow.

Out of all lawyers, why him?

Jesus Christ. I might need therapy again by the time this case is over.

A mewl reached my ear as a weight landed on my back.  "Salem, no. I'm not in the mood." I said when she pushed her furry toy in my face.

Salem was a lazy cat, but at times, her inner athlete arose. Tonight was a particularly bad time, though. I was too busy throwing a pity party to entertain her antics.

My eyes drifted towards my hand as I remembered the spark that flew through me when we touched.

It was almost like the very first time we met.

☽❁☾

EIGHT YEARS AGO

𝓐𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓬 [𝓪𝓰𝓮: 𝓢𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓮𝓷]

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves, but nothing worked. I'd be lucky if I didn't faint right now. I swallowed hard, watching the huge campus before me. I had never seen a place bigger than this in my entire seventeen years of life.

The name shone before me under the sunlight in bold letters.

JENKINS HIGH.

Was this place straight out of a fairy tale?

I can't believe I'll be stepping foot in a place like this.

Is this another one of my far-fetched dreams?

Suddenly, a thought hit me. I looked back at my clothes and sighed a breath of relief. Thankfully, Jenkins had uniforms for their students that they provided without any extra charge. They gave three different sets of uniform.

My rags would've definitely not been welcome here.

I had had enough of people judging me.

I took a deep inhale.

To a fresh start, I mentally cheersed with my imaginary wine glass. I've never had wine. I wonder how it tasted. The only alcohol intake I ever took was the cheap vodka one of the senior orphans brought.

Yes, we had class groups in our orphanage.

Anyway, I hope to make friends here and graduate as a valedictorian.

𝘚𝘪𝘨𝘩, just me and my delusional ass is all.

I stepped inside, clutching my bag over my shoulder. First things first. I went inside the office to take my time table and locker number. It took me 20 minutes, before I finally had to ask someone for help.

The student I asked help from was actually nice. I hadn't expected that. I knew for a fact that Jenkins was filled with kids who thrived on their family's money. What I expected were laughs, jabs, snobs and bullies.

But this was nice. I'm not complaining, God.

Though, the student told me the way and left before I could ask for his name.

I guess people minded their own business here.

The lady in the office gave me my time table, locker keys and a map. A-fucking-map. And let me tell you, if I said this place was huge before, I take my words back. This place was a gigantic menace.

How do people try not to get lost here?

It'll take me months before I memorise it fully.

My first class was maths. Perfect. Just the subject I have a love-hate relationship with. I only love maths when I understand it and get my answers right. The other times, it's a headache.

Following the map, I searched for the classrooms, passing by the hallways filled with kids who wore perfumes costlier than my entire existence. No one paid the new scholarship student much heed.

Why do I feel like I'm running circles around the same place?

Either this map is rigged or I'm dumb.

I ran a hand through my hair when I reached an empty hallway.

Jesus, why does it look like one of those hallways in horror movies? A second more and the lights would start flickering, someone will grab my leg, drag me down the hallway to have their meal aka me.

I shuddered and shook my head to shake the absurd thoughts out. This is all because of those damned fridays. Fridays were movie night in the orphanage and the younger clan always insisted on a horror movie.

I froze, my heart picked up the pace as the sound of heavy footsteps reached my ears. My face paled. Fuck—shit—no. Relax, Alaric, this is just a hallucination. Your mind is playing stupid tricks on you. I reassured myself.

I hesitatantly, cautiously, and slowly took a step forward, careful not to make any sound to disturb any of the holy or evil spirits present in this hallway.

Peace, I mean peace if any ghost can hear my inner thoughts.

The footsteps grew louder, making me freeze on my spot. A shadow fell on me as I felt a figure loom behind me. A strangled noise escaped my lips as I turned around slowly, quivering in my boots.

I lifted my gaze and my eyes with a pair of icy blue ones. My balance slipped and I was about to fall before his hand reached out to catch my wrist, saving me the fall.

A jolt of electricity ran through me as his hand touched my skin.

An electrocuting ghost?

I studied the beautiful ghost's gorgeous face. Tanned skin, sharp jaw and a athletic body. Such a waste, he's not alive. The breath caught in my throat finally released.

Our eyes met again before a scream of horror tore out of me, making his eyes widen.

☽❁☾

Why was he back?

Why?

Does he think I'll forget what happened seven years ago?

My throat tightened.

No. I can't fall for his pretentious charm again. He's a snake hiding in a rabbit's skin. A venomous one at that. But I won't allow him to bite me this time.

He'll get tired of whatever game he's playing if I just avoid him. Yeah.

I picked up Salem in my arms and snuggled her closer to my chest.

"We hate reptiles, right?" I murmured against Salem's head.

She wholeheartedly purred in agreement.

I smiled and pecked her on the head affectionately. "Good kitty. I'll tell them to save your favorite."