\[William’s POV\]
Shock rushes through me as Elise works to cover her body, and I realize that she is getting the wrong idea about me. Shit. How could I even think of me ogling her body? Did I look like that much of a damn creepy old man?
“No one cares about your body.” I huff, heading to the dresser and grabbing a shirt and shorts. “Don’t get the wrong idea here.”
Turning, I toss the clothes at Elise and then wait as sounds of movement reach me.
“I didn’t think this needed to be said.” I say now, crossing my arms. “But you’re a student, and I’m your principal. That is all that is going on between us. Understand?”
For a moment, Elise doesn’t say anything, and I truly wonder if she is second guessing what I’ve said, but when a hand touches my shoulder, I turn and find that her large eyes are taking me in with so many questions.
“What?” I ask now, keeping my expression straight. “What is it?”
“I saw,” she says quietly, then stops as if questioning whatever it was that she was claiming. “I saw images of you.”
Frowning, I just stare at her while trying to determine what exactly it was that she was trying to tell me.
“What did you see?” I ask quietly, unable to stop my curiosity. “Did you remember something?”
Growing quiet, I wait as Elise considers what it is that I’ve said, and when she turns and plops back down on my bed, she seems to almost deflate.
“I’m not sure,” she admits, her lips twitching into a frown. “It was all so fast and hazy. I’m not sure what it was that I saw, but I’m certain that it was you.”
“Me.” I repeat, raising a brow. “And what was it that you saw of me?”
“You were,” she begins, but stops as if unsure. “You seemed to really care for me.”
Flinching, I keep my expression neutral, as right now that was the last thing either of us could even be considering. Even if Elise was here in front of me alive and well, that didn’t change the fact that she was in another person’s body, and that person was a minor and a student at The Academy.
Shit. The goddess really did have a sense of humor, and it was quite frustrating.
“Whatever it was that you saw,” I begin, knowing that I had to draw a line before she even started wondering. “It’s all in the past and not something that can ever be repeated.”
Dammit. Just seeing her in the form in front of me left me so damn uneasy, even if she was actually Elise when all that happened between us.
“You may not believe me,” I say now, deciding that this too needed to be said. “But during that time you were someone else entirely, and now you're... Too young for me.”
‘Age is but a number.’ Rue chuckles, taking me by surprise. ‘In the end, she is the woman that we fell in love with.’
‘Don’t be disgusting.’ I growl, hating how his words make my heart flutter and my resolve waver. ‘There’s no way that we will ever go back to being anything more than teacher and student. Get that fucking thought out of your head.’
Grumbling, he doesn’t bother responding to me. Instead, he just retreats into the recesses of my mind so that I’m once again left alone with Elise.
“I don’t really understand what it is that you’re saying.” The woman in question says now, eyeing me. “How could I be someone else completely?”
“It’s a long story.” I admit. “And not really anything that you need to think too hard on. Instead, you should work on resting.”
“But I’m not tired.” She counters, giving me a look of pleading. “Could you please tell me more about myself and my past?”
Goddess, she looked so cute asking me such things with her large blue eyes, giving me the puppy dog look. How was I supposed to say no?
“Alright,” I sigh, earning myself a brilliant smile. “But I don’t know if you’ll be happy once you hear.”
“Is it that bad?” She asks me, cocking her head to the side. “Did I do something?”
So many things. I think inwardly, remembering the bit of her past that I knew about.
“None of it matters,” I say quietly, knowing that before any of this mess, she was doing everything she could to atone for her mistakes, and to me that was the thing that mattered the most. “All that matters is that you are Elise, and you are so special to everyone that you meet.”
“Why does that sound like you’re trying to dodge the question?” She asks me. “Please, I just want to know more about myself to fill the void.”
Fill the void. Why did I hate how that sounded? I couldn’t even begin to imagine what she was feeling—how frustrating and scary it must be to not know anything about yourself. It made me so uneasy that all I wanted to do was hug her against me.
“Please,” she repeats, making my heart hurt for her even more. “Just tell me.”
“Alright, alright,” I sigh, grabbing a chair and taking a seat. “But know that it is all in the past.”
Nodding, Elise fixes her gaze on me as a look of expectancy crosses her features, and against my better judgment, I am telling her everything, from the person she was in the past to who she was before disappearing.
She doesn’t speak or ask questions as I tell her the story of her life, but by the time I finish, I can almost see the struggle that is taking place in her head.
“So, I was that bad of a person, huh?” She asks quietly, shifting her gaze from mine. “Yet, all of you still accepted me completely.”
“Everyone has a past.” I point out, once again wanting to hug her. “It is the person that you become that determines who you are, not your history.”
“But I…”
“No,” I say strongly. “None of that matters. What matters is that you are Elise, and you are the woman that all of us love and adore.”
The words are leaving my lips before I realize it, and once they’re out, I feel my eyes widening.
“What did you…” Elise asks, making me instantly regret what I’ve said. “Does that include you too?”
“That…” I begin, but stop as someone knocks on the door. “Just forget it.” I continue, getting up and pulling the door open to find Rosco and Charlie standing on the other side of it.
“Are you finished?” Rosco asks, peeking around me at Elise. “If so, we still have to meet and discuss our next plan of action.”
“Alright, I’m coming.”
Happy for the chance to escape from the current discussion, I turn to Elise.
“You rest,” I say, giving her a gentle smile. “I’ve got something to do. See you.”