59

59
Chapter 59

Derek Woods

"Derek!" My heart fluttered, and a smile spread across my lips when I heard Scarlet's voice behind me as I walked down the walkway leading to our class, so I paused and turned to find her walking toward me.
As always, she looked gorgeous, especially in those pair of loose beige jeans trousers and white crop top, hugging her body tightly in all the places that I love. Her lengthy wavy hair was cascading down her shoulders, with some strands curled on her forehead. She was the epitome of perfection.

"Hey!" I tucked my hands inside my pockets as she halted in front of me, her beautiful brown eyes piercing into mine confidently, melting my heart.

"Hey! Good morning." She gave me a big smile, one that left butterflies flying in my stomach. Gosh!

"Hmm. Good morning. Are you good?"

"Hmm... I'm sorry about yesterday. Something urgent happened, and I had to stay back to take care of it." She apologised to me, and I nodded.

"It's fine. I understand. I was only worried about you, and now that you are here, I'll assume that you are fine. By the way, have you been able to sort it out?" I asked, and she nodded.

"Yes... So, will you be free for lunch later? Outside school."

I batted my eyelashes, my eyebrows drawing apart as I raised them in shock.

"Huh?"

"I want to make it up to you. So, can we have lunch together later outside the school?" I thought I was hallucinating. Well, that was until she said those words again. She is asking me out on a date! This is like a dream come true for me!

"Yeah, sure." I nodded, resisting the urge to dance as waves of excitement sparked through me.

"Alright. After the exam later." She patted my shoulder, and I felt my body twitch excitedly.
I watched as she walked away until she was out of my sight, and a smile spread across my lips.

I was still savoring the sweet moment when a hand suddenly wrapped around my neck, and I rolled my eyes. I knew it was no one else other than Josh.

"Hey, buddy." His voice confirmed it, and I sighed.

"Hey!"
I replied casually as we headed to the classroom.

My eyes first landed on Scarlet the moment I walked inside the class. Alexa was sitting beside her.
Unlike every other day that she would be all bubbly with Alexa, today was different. She was oddly quiet, her gaze on the book that had her fingers curled around it. She didn't even spare Alexa a glance even as she kept talking.

"Is she alright?" I muttered.

"Do you still like her?"
I flinched when Josh whispered in my ear out of the blue. I turned and glared hard at him.

I shrugged his hand off my shoulder and headed to my seat while he followed me.

"I think she rejected you because she is in a relationship." Josh came to sit beside me, and I threw him a casual glance, rolling my eyes.

"I'm serious. You don't believe me?"

"I think she is seeing someone." She insisted, and this time, I was forced to look at his face. His honey-brown eyes were staring right back at me, and I could see the truth in them.

"How do you know that?" I raised an eyebrow, suddenly interested in this conversation.

"You know I work part-time at a restaurant, hmm?"

"Hmm." I nodded.

"She has been to the restaurant with the same man like three times on different occasions."

My eyebrows knitted together.

He glanced back at Scarlet, then leaned close to me and whispered. "I saw them kiss."

My jaws clenched tightly, and my heart skipped a beat at the mention of that.
I looked over to Scarlet whose head was now resting on her desk, and Alexa leaning over her. I couldn't hear whatever they were talking about, but I was sure Alexa was trying to make sure that she was fine.

"You saw them kiss?"
I could feel my pulse rising, my heart pounding hard against my ribcage like it was fighting for an escape, but I tried to compose myself.

"Hmm... You know, at first I thought he was her dad, but come on, a dad can't kiss his daughter in that manner, and in a public place? No!"

"The man is way older than her. He looks like he would be in his late forties." He added, and I huffed.

I huffed again, swallowing the lump that suddenly built in my throat. My breath hitched, heat caught in my lungs as I slowly clenched my fingers tightly in fists.
My mind wandered off to that man. The one who has been dropping her off in school. I was certain he was the one. But even at this moment, I didn't want to believe it. Scarlet could never choose an old man over me. This has to be a joke.

"What does he look like?" I looked at him, resisting the urge to yell.

"He is tall. Kinda huge. I can't remember what he looked like. Just a vivid image." He shrugged.

I reached for my phone and scrolled through my gallery in a bid to show him the picture of Scarlet and a man that Ruse sent to me some time ago, but changed my mind. I didn't want Josh to suspect something. He would surely get it that I was stalking her, and that won't be a good idea.

"Thank you." I gave him a small smile. For the first time since the years that we've known each other, he has finally done something I liked.

"Excuse me." I stood up and headed to the door, but just before I stepped out of the classroom, I stopped and glanced at Scarlet.

Once I arrived at the rooftop, I dialled Ruse's number, and he picked up on the first ring.

"Boss!"

"I need you to follow Scarlet again. Let me know whoever she has been meeting. And make sure to send me a picture of the man. His face, this time around."

"Yes, boss. I will do that."

After the call disconnected, I dropped my hand beside me, staring into space, and the only words that echoed in my head was 'It can't be true'.