Chapter 25: Twenty Five

In the morning, I realised with great relief that Bradley was sitting on my desk, in a fresh pair of clothes. He was dressed for today’s weather in a knee length brown coat, dark jeans and biker boots. I frowned searching through my limited wardrobe for warm clothes.

I showered, got dressed and threw down a bowl of cereal. Janice left soon after breakfast.

“I’m driving you to school today.” Bradley said the second Janice closed the door that led to the garage.

“No, you’re not.” I said matter-of-factly. “No one enjoys my company but me.”

He rolled his eyes and smiled my favourite lopsided grin. “Good thing I asked Rebecca to bring my car then.”

“I can’t.”

He shrugged. “I thought you would, I mean you must have a lot of questions for me.”

Ugh. Talk about underhanded blackmail.

“Go get your jacket.” He told me. “Rebecca just left.”

I looked out of my kitchen window and sure enough, the black Ferrari was parked in Janice’s driveway. I didn’t even hear the engine over the pounding rain.

He helped me into my jacket and walked behind me out of the house. When we were outside he waited for me to lock my front door and he walked beside me to his car, his body however aliened slightly in front of me protectively. I slipped, he caught my arm and I held on to him. He held open the passenger side door and closed it behind me.

I slid in and leaned my back against the comfort of the leather interior. It took him a second to come around the car and start the engine, as the engine purred to life he fidgeted with some buttons and a song I didn’t recognise sounded in the background.

“Can I ask you something?” I pleaded as Bradley backed out of the busy street.

He sighed and shook his head. “Naw, it’s my turn today.”

“I thought…”

“You thought you’d play another set of twenty questions today.” He said. He turned to me smiling.

“What are you doing?” I was outraged.

He frowned.

“Will you look back at the road please?” I begged, my eyes the size of saucers. “At the speed you’re travelling in we’re bound to crush and I’m too young to die.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m only going two hundred miles an hour.”

“Oh no,” I closed my eyes, everything suddenly spinning.

“Open your eyes, Beth.”

I pursed my lips.

I heard his sharp intake of breath.

I opened my eyes in fright and glared at the road ahead. I sighed in relief when I realised we weren’t about to crush. I turned my heated gaze to Bradley and froze. He was staring at me with a scorching gaze.

“What?”

He shook his head, his jaw tightening, “Nothing.”

I shrugged.

He raised an eyebrow.

“It’s raining; the streets are thick with fog.” I pointed out.

“I can see as clearly as I do in a perfectly sunny day.”

“I feel sick.” I said.

He smiled. “I’m barely over sixty now.” He mumbled. “I’ve never driven this slowly in my life.”

“Twenty would be good.” I said as I gulped mouth full of air to keep my breakfast down.

He decelerated to below twenty. Thankfully the trees remained where they should when I glanced out of my window.

“Tell me about your uncle.” He mumbled. I didn’t even want to know how he knew everything about my life. We were passing by the mall now.

“I need to get something to drink.” I lied. I didn’t want to get to school just yet. Even if we were going slowly now, time still seemed to pass too fast when he was around. There just weren’t enough hours in a day.

The car pulled to a stop downtown.

People stared and whispered as we walked side by side to the small coffee shop by the corner. I was sure though they were staring at the godly being next to me and wondering among themselves what he could possibly be doing with me.

“What do you want to know about Uncle Miles?” I asked as we neared the counter.

“Everything,”

“That could take a day.”

He smiled knowingly.

“You’re just so evil.”

“Good morning sir.” The girl at the counter said, ‘accidently unseeing me’. “What can I get for you?” she gave him a smile that showed her upper teeth, pushed her chest out and blinked more than necessary. She gave him a once over licking her bottom lip appreciatively.

Bradley smiled tightly; he seemed oblivious of her attempt at flirting.

“Strawberry milkshake,” He answered looking back at me. Again, it was my favourite; he didn't even have to ask me what I'd like.

"My favourite, how did you know?"

"I follow you sometimes, I listen to your conversations, and I watch you." He admitted guiltily. "I'm not stalking you, I promise. I just want to make sure no harm comes your way and that you are in my protection all the time. You are interesting for a human."

I nodded not sure how to respond.

“Anything else?” she asked, batting her eyelashes.

He shook his head.

“Don’t you want to try some blueberry muffins?” Bradley asked me. "Trust me you'll love them."

I was staring straight ahead at the pretty brunette scribbling her phone number on the napkin.

“No.” I snarled.

“There you go.” She purred.

“I don’t want the milkshake anymore.” I said, turning sharply and walking out of the café. My breath came in big short pants and bitter acidic bile pushed up my throat.

“Keep the change.” I heard him call out. He was a few feet behind me. “What’s wrong?” he asked me, easily keeping up with my pace.

I crossed my arms firmly over my chest and pursed my lips, “Nothing.”

“Here, take this.” He said.

“I said I don’t want it.”

He smiled. “Your jealousy is flattering.”

I was startled. “I’m not jealous.”

“Sure.” He snickered. “For what it’s worth, I don’t go for brunettes.”

“Blondes?” I asked.

“They don’t do it for me either.”

He held my hand as we ran through the heavy rain. It was absolutely ridiculous for my chest to squeeze and my heart to beat the way it did. His warmth flooded through me making my insides blaze. The heat radiated from some dark place in his body past the leather glove and it was impossible not to notice how perfectly my hand fit into his.

“Blackheads then?” I asked slightly out of breath. I wasn’t known for my athletic abilities.

Back again in the comfort of his car, he said, “I’m a blackhead myself, I think the world, my world, has enough of those.”

“You don’t have a type then.” I accused with great relief.

He smiled. “I do.”

I waited for him to explain. Seconds ticked by.

“Only one girl is my type.” He said. “I don’t really care what colour her hair is but I must admit I do love her natural red.”

I grind my teeth, “Mm.” I couldn’t help but wonder if she was like him, a goddess. Maybe if I could straighten the natural curls and dye them blonde, maybe try to act girly, put on some blue contacts and follow the latest trends, just maybe someone like Bradley could find me attractive, that is, if they could manage to look past my basic looks.

He offered me my milkshake, I didn’t resist this time. I threw it down in a few gulps.

As we accelerated down the street, dangerously close to the school, he said. “You never did answer me.”

I looked away, deliberating.

He glanced at my face for a long moment. “Time is not on your side.”

“Okay okay.” I murmured. “Just please look at the road.”

“We won’t crush, Beth.” I wondered what he was searching for. His frown deepened.